Design Exploration – Balinese Rustic Arts

Design Exploration – Balinese Rustic Arts

by | Aug 25, 2015 | Travel Inspirations

What better way to obtain design inspiration than to travel and explore? That’s exactly what the M3 Bloggers did! We went to Bali – not to surf, not enjoy the sun, sand and the sea (although that was awesome too!). No, we went there to study the Bali culture and why are they so famous for their rustic designs and art work. So we hopped on the nearest flight and off we were, to Bali – the island of the Gods.  M3 brings you through our journey of exploration.

Bali is an island of the east of Java and it has been well known as a holiday destination for many of us who likes the beaches, surfing and all water sports. However what many people are unaware of is that Bali has a vast array of wood furniture and decorations including arts and paintings. Some of these are very traditionally done with the painter even just sitting on the floor at the back of the gallery, carrying on his work while customers walk in and out.

IMG_2941

We visited places around Seminyak and we came across a vast number of shops selling very unique decor items that would be really difficult to obtain right here in Singapore. They came in all ranges of shapes, sizes and forms – table lamps to wall hangers to coffee tables to sofas and dining sets too. We were pleasantly surprised at our finds. We then decided to go one step further and explore the outskirts of the main town. Armed with only a motorbike and a phone camera, we searched high and low for traditional art galleries and antique shops.

Art Gallery

And we were duly rewarded after hours of long journey. It was extremely satisfying to finally find art pieces that were simply stunning and all set up simply side by side in the gallery. We even met the painter responsible for all these works as he was just sitting down working on another of his masterpiece. We also managed to find a real gem – an old antique warehouse where they were taking and sprucing up old pieces for resale! What a find!!

Rustic items

Overall, we were extremely glad we managed to visit Bali and learn about their culture as well as appreciate their views on design. It was a great eye-opener for us and we shall strive to travel to more countries to gain more international and design experiences for us to grow and evolve as designers. Of course, visiting Bali would not be complete without taking a few snap shots of the landscape and it’s beauty!!

Bali landscape

An exploration article by M3 Bloggers.

Peranakan Patterns!!

Peranakan Patterns!!

by | Aug 25, 2015 | Trending Styles

The interior design scene is constantly on the move and evolving with new trends and styles popping up all over the nation. Geometric Peranakan patterns was all a craze in the 1970s and they have come back with a bang, encassing many a homes with their retro and colourful touches. But you might be wondering why are these so popular nowadays?

M3 gives the low-down on the current pattern styles;

  1. Visually Appealing

Peranakan patterns by themselves are really visually appealing as they are full of colour and vibrancy. Paired with simple saturated walls around, they can really shine out as the wonderful feature and a conversational piece among you and your peers.

LowresBB WestAve8 01

2. Emotional Feels

Being so colourful and vibrant, one cannot deny that these patterns tend to give a sense of happiness and playfulness to an otherwise subtle-toned home. In some cases they do tell us that the home owners possess a fun side to their character and it’s not always just about work, work and work.

3. Remnants of our past

Many of us grew up remembering the good old times and there is no reason why you can’t relive those memories through your home/space designs. Geometric patterns are very much associated with the older Peranakan culture as you can evidently see them in many Peranakan tiles design. A simple touch of nostalgia always brings a smile to our faces as we remember how it used to be. Many home owners nowadays still relate to this as we progress forward into modern times.

LowresBB WestAve8 09

How to apply these patterns?

These patterns should be more of an accent role. If a room was full of pattern, it would be over-powering and messy. You will not be able to rest your eyes at all. They should be lined in as a feature or even encompassed into everyday items or furniture such a pillow cushions, sofa rugs or little decor items.

This article is written by Montie Mahtani, Creative Director of M3 Studio.

Pin It on Pinterest