by Montie Mahtani | Aug 29, 2017 | Design Tips
Following up from our last entry about bathroom design concerns, this article might be of particular interest to those who find that the size of our HDB toilets don’t leave us much room for creative design. What you lack for horizontal space, you have lots of vertical spaces to play with. Here are 5 design ideas that would have you make the best of the limited bathroom space.
- Wall mounted poles and basket
This solution is cheap and can be quite attractive if you are able to splash some colours and decorative accessories in the basket. I would suggest putting the commonly used items on the lower baskets, and fake plants in the ones above. It’s also easy to clean; just remove the basket, wash it, and sun it. It would be as good as new.
- All the way to the ceiling
Don’t fancy those wooden cabinets that traps moist, then go for open concept storage area. You can see in this example how wood on white makes a lovely contrast for that popular Scandinavian look. One important design rule to follow is that just because that there’s space, doesn’t mean you need to fill it up with stuff. Leave the front portion where it’s visible for you to get creative with decorative features.
- Organise your stuff in boxes
Sound like common sense right? You’d be surprise how many houses we have visited that did not utilize their storage space effectively. Cheap plastic boxes can be purchased at those two dollar store, which really helps in making the most of your storage area.
- Shelf ladders save space
If drilling isn’t a viable option, then this shelf ladder idea would be it for you. It takes up very little space but still does the job while giving your toilet a rather hipster make over. Book lovers who enjoy their toilet read would like this one.
- Side Storage Bathroom cabinet
Worried about your bathroom cabinet smacking you in the face when you open it because there’s just not enough room to maneuver? Go for those that slide open by the side.
by Montie Mahtani | Jun 27, 2017 | Design Tips
You are probably no stranger to IKEA and the populist Scandinavian home design concept. If you have never bought a piece of furniture from the Swedish giant in your life, I’m pretty sure you might have eaten at least a meatball. If you are a fan of the Scandi-look but want something a little less common, there’s a design concept I would like to talk about – MUJI.
MUJI? You mean that Japanese retail shop that sells really cool stuff?
Yup, one and the same. What you might not know is the rich cultural and design background behind that brand and how they are responsible for the simple, minimalistic Jap-look since the 1980s. Mundane objects are imbued with a touch of Zen purity that are typical of traditional Japanese humility.
Both the Scandinavian and MUJI concept share common design element – simple, modest, and serene.
The MUJI style favours the neutral colour, wood, sleek lines and form, with minimal decorative accessories set against stark white walls. The emphasis is on functional design and restrained decoration.
Simple doesn’t necessary mean plain or boring. The vast emptiness of the MUJI design isn’t simply about subtracting things from the design. It is about improving the design’s overall effectiveness. MUJI concept strips away the “non-essentials” of a design, while returning to its pure state.
There are just two tips you can follow to achieve that MUJI inspired minimalistic look:
- Go For Timelessness – Stick to fundamentals and home pieces that does not embody the trend of its era.
- Minus the Ornaments – Think how sushi is served compared to French entree. There are no fancy garnish or drizzled sauce on oversized plate.
Speaking of French, I’d like to leave you with this quote from writer Antoine de Saint-exupery that best describes this theme – “Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away”
Image Credit: Cover Image, Bench, Living Room
by Montie Mahtani | Jun 13, 2017 | Design Tips
Bohemian decor captures the carefree and adventurous spirit of the avant-garde lifestyle. It defies order.
If you have been keeping up with the rest of my articles, you will notice that I usually advice you to go easy on the patterns, but not when it comes to Bohemian. The only thing that goes well with patterns is even more patterns! In fact, if you are a blue-blooded boho-chic kinda person, you’re going to have Moroccan pillows strewn around on Navajo rugs in a room lit by Turkish mosaic lamps. It doesn’t even matter what floor tiles you have because you haven’t seen your floor in years, but if you had to pick one it would mostly likely be pink and turquoise ceramic tile. Oh, and plants. Lots of plants. Hanging leafy greens are a staple for the bohemian earthly touch.
Forgo the bedframe. Go for the floor bed and generous layers of tie-dyed blanket. Rugs don’t just have to be on the floor. You can hang one off the wall as the headboard. If you think all these ain’t enough to bring out the free spirit in you, you can consider crochet curtains hanging from the door way. Don’t let furniture cramp your style. Opt for hanging hammock chair and beanbags instead.
When in doubt, go for eclectic mix of colours and bold accents. In all honesty, if you need a guide to tell you how to be Boho you probably shouldn’t consider this design. A true boho won’t be told what defines him or her. Be free! Be free my bohemian brothers and sisters!
Cover picture: Bohemian Bedroom, Living Room Picture
by Montie Mahtani | Jun 1, 2017 | Design Tips, Trending Styles
Writing an advice on interior design for the artists must be the boldest attempt in this series. Artists by their very nature defy templates and stereotypes; bold, unique individuals, with a high threshold for things that the common folks consider ‘crazy’. The irony is that this thirst of uniqueness is also the unifying trait that defines the living space of an artist.
Eclectic Touch
If anyone can pull off a patchwork of different colours and themes, it would be you. The chronic rebel of style and taste, you are going to want to splash a touch of victorian to your modern living design, or even juxtaposing Warhol with an industrial look. Some artists shy from colours altogether seeing the world in a contrast of black and white and chrome. An artist who revels in eccentricity might sound like a stereotype, but the true artist knows better. We are not being different for the sake of being different. We just happen to find inspiration and beauty in the unorthodox.
Freedom of Space
It’s the sacred shrine where your best works are conceived. It could be a small stool in the cluttered corner of the room or even in the confines of the bathroom, an artist needs a space to connect with his or her muse. The freedom of space is critical for all creative individuals but unlike other design philosophies, the freedom of space is something an artist discovers organically over time.
Signature Style / Source of Inspiration
The devil is in the details, as they say. An artist will inadvertently leave clues of his personality around the home – a painter with pieces of his idol’s works on the wall, a fashion designer with a walk-in wardrobe as the centrepiece of the bedroom, a writer surrounded by books of his favourite authors. Whichever field you are in, your home will be an extension of your craft. Identifying your signature early during the home design phase will give your interior designer a better sense of imbuing your personality into the home.
Image Credit: Header Picture, Artiste’s House
by Montie Mahtani | May 6, 2017 | Design Tips, Trending Styles
Fancy having a smart home like Tony Stark?
With smart home systems advancing at a rapid rate, it’s now easier than ever to step into your favourite Ironman’s (iron) shoes. Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore is increasingly incorporating smart home systems into their interior architectural design blueprint. What used to be the exorbitantly priced toys of the wealthy is now made accessible to all.
However, a modern tech-savvy home is not just about the gadgets. Tech-savvy homeowners need to consider floor plans, building materials and everything else that goes into the design and development of every other home.
Read on for our 3 simple Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore tips for the tech-savvy home owner.
Placement of Space
The placement of space is crucial in Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore when catering to tech-savvy geeks and their fine tastes. It is pushed further out into the spotlight when planning something particularly exciting, such as a well-equipped home cinema!
Exciting, right?
However, when you’re planning exciting big things like building your own home cinema, the screen space you have available to you determines the screen size and type of projector that you should use. The recommended screen size for 16×9” for the ideal home cinematic experience. However, the true-blue cinematic experience lies in the quality of the sound. This means that you will need to take into careful consideration where to place the speakers. In order to ensure optimum sound quality, position your main speakers behind your movie television screen and above the ground.
Your M3 Studio Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore consultant will be able to sound off with you on your preferences and offer only the best advice on how your movie television screen can be seamlessly integrated into your home room’s overall theme.
Acoustics
Let’s end off this list of tips with the bang that it deserves. Have you given more about the overall acoustic setup of your entire tech-savvy home? When planning Modern Condo Interior Designfor our tech-savvy customers, we take into consideration the position of their gadgets in their home, and the impact that it can have on the quality of the acoustics in every corner of their home. From the floor to the ceiling, every aspect of a room has an effect on how sound smoothly reverbrates. This can have a profound impact and make or break your experience, particularly in a home cinema! To reduce reflective noise, you should consider concealing hard, exposed surfaces with curtains and carpets.
Ready to begin your journey towards designing a Tony Stark-approved home? Please consult your M3 Studio Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore consultant for their professional advice. They’ll be able to connect you with the relevant home gadgets and tech vendors where needed.
Wiring & Storage Solutions
Gadgets form the backbone of any tech-savvy geek’s home. Wiring and storage solutions, however, form the backbone of these gadgets.
With rapid advancements in technology and the proliferation of the latest buzzword — Internet of Things (IoT) —Modern Condo Interior Design is easily incorporating more scores of cool gadgets that are adorning more homes and changing more lifestyles. The gadgets are not just fancy; they provide quick solutions to everyday problems. The basic must-haves are motion detection, IP cameras and remote appliance controls. Power supply and connectivity would be your biggest design concern. Home automations with controls over lights, air conditioning and curtains all at a click of the button from your mobile device would also be great for the tech-savvy home.
From the floor plans, your M3 Studio Modern Condo Interior Design in Singapore consultant will be able to advise you on possible blind spots and power point considerations. With so many gadgets of different shapes and sizes, your home should inculcate loads of storage facilities such as cabinets, hidden drawers etc etc while still having decent access to all these gadgets. Nobody loves clutter! We know many tech-savvy guys who prefer sleek and minimal designs over clutter of any kind.
All storage solutions should also have a glass door encasing them so that any infra-red devices will still be able to activate even when the doors are closed.
(This article is written in collaboration with Eugene Tay of the Alpha Mind)
