US$43 Million Newport Beach Mansion

US$43 Million mansion on Harbor Island in Newport Beach, listed on Sotheby's International Realty (first seen on Cococozy).

Sentosa Cove bungalow vs this beach mansion? Give me this beach mansion anytime!

Living Room - dark brown/white colour scheme, brought together by the grey patterned rug and complemented by the floor to ceiling white French doors, with a million dollar view of the water.

Dining Room - gorgeous white French doors, an unbeatable view of the water and 3 chandeliers...seriously?!

Living room - the white French doors are a repeated feature throughout the house, providing a sense of harmony in the decor. I'm not that huge a fan of the maroon coloured rug but hey....who am I to complain!

 Foyer - marble floors, an impressive chandelier... and so much space!

Kitchen - The large slate tiles are perfectly sized to complement the size of the kitchen. Dark wood cabinets go well with the slate tiles and the splash of white on the counter-tops.

Study Room / Home Office - The decor of this room does not quite suit my aesthetic, but it sure looks cozy. Perfect for spending the evenings lazing on the plush arm chairs, with a good book and a handsome glass of whiskey. I wonder what's stored in the side cabinets?

Master Bathroom - An overdose of mirrored surfaces make the master bathroom seem a little too spacious (I can't believe that that could actually be a bad thing!) and under-decorated. I would have loved to see an island in the centre, featuring a quirky collection of items reflecting the owner's personality and of course, a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers.

Master Bedroom - The white French doors feature again in the master bedroom. Imagine waking up in this room... it's probably the size of a SoHo apartment in Singapore! I would switch the table with a dark wood one, as this table seems a little underwhelming. I'd also demarcate the sofa and table by adding a rug of a different colour, perhaps a dusty lavender colour to complement the grey curtains.

It was fun peeping into this house and dreaming about what I would do if budget was not an issue. I hope you had fun too! Even if it's only in our minds...decorate away!

Walk-in Closets

Look at this amazing walk-in wardrobe (via here)! 

I'm currently deliberating whether to convert my future study room (approximately 3 square metres) into a walk-in wardrobe. The aisle will definitely be narrow and will not afford much space for dressing up, but I'm hoping to maximize space via smart design of the cabinets and shelving, just like the picture above. 

It's also important to have a natural light source, to make the wardrobe seem bigger than it actually is, and also to help with getting dressed.

I doubt I would store my shoes in my walk-in wardrobe though. They will probably have their own little corner in my HDB bomb shelter! 

I currently have my shoes on shoe racks in my bedroom, and I find that they bring in dust and dirt (and goodness knows what else!) into my room. Unless you clean your shoes every time you take them off, I don't think it's very practical in Singapore to keep them in your wardrobe or bedroom.

Possible colour schemes I'm considering for a walk-in wardrobe:

(via here)

White shelves, with robin blue and grey accents. Inspiration from a frozen canyon:

(via here)

Vanity table with a mirrored finish (to reflect light and make a small area seem bigger), black shelving and a luxurious leopard-print rug in the centre of the aisle. (I absolutely love leopards and am crazy about leopard-prints!) 

My inspiration:

(via here)

 And if space was not an issue.... :)

(via here)

450 Sq Feet Seattle Apartment

We often complain about how small our HDB apartments are, and how difficult it is to decorate without unnecessary clutter. This Seattle apartment (just 450 square feet) shows us that having a small apartment doesn't mean you have to scale back on the aesthetics.

Having a moveable bar cart is a great idea which allows you to free up floor space as and when you need it. It's also a great way to decorate your home, as liquor bottles are often colourful and come with intricate details.

If there are plenty of guests vying for standing room in your living area, the bar cart with wheels allows you to shift your bar into the kitchen temporarily.

 Look for a sturdy one which allows you to lock its wheels, avoiding very messy accidents with an accidental bump. 

 It would be great if all bedrooms could fit a King-sized bed and consoles on both sides of the bed, but if that's not possible, focus on the accents that you can add to the room, which should be of lighter colours to create an illusion of space. If space permits, why not have a headboard with a ledge, so that you can store books, place your lamp stand or display some picture frames? Always remember to add a few brightly coloured pillows with intricate details, to add some character to your bed.

 Dinosaurs are always a fun addition to any surface. I've seen these dinosaur planters on Etsy, and you can find them here:  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/boygirltees

Or you can find them in our gold dinosaur range, which will be included in our first launch on hoometowndecor.com!

 Meet Tricia.

  And Alvin.

I'm in love with the navy blue/white Chevron rug. It pulls the whole room together, and adds just enough colour to balance the neutrals in the living room.

The clear table is a fantastic idea, as it's not overbearing in such a small living room and it creates a sense of space. Absolutely loving what it does for this room!

As always, the small accents make all the difference. Jazz up side tables with unique decorative items, to place your personal signature on your home decor!

(Pictures from here)

Joss & Main

Agnes Vanity Table $400.95 (Regency Studios)

Lazuli Headboard $249.95 (Sam Allen - Curator's Collection)

Robert Abbey Olinda Table Lamp $226.60 (Sam Allen - Curator's Collection)

Small Cleo Side Table $254.95 (Regency Studios)

I just chanced upon this website (https://www.jossandmain.com/index.php) and I'm absolutely loving what I see! The prices are quite reasonable for such gorgeous and unique items... it actually leaves me wondering why such gems are going for such affordable prices?

It's a pity that shipping the items to Singapore will likely cost a bomb. But that may be a blessing in disguise... if not then I might just have to cut up my credit card!

Here are but some of my favourites (picture heavy post coming up! all photos courtesy of Joss & Main):

Brighton Side Chair in Silver $369.95 (Selamat)

Lafayette Sofa $797.95 (Georgetown Brownstone)

Emmeline Bed $639.95 (Sam Allen - Curator's Collection)

Charles Wall Mirror in White $195.95 (Selamat)

Deco Wall Mirror $229.95 (Quoizel)

Ella Nightstand $570.95 (Refined Reflections) 

Bastia Table Lamp $110.95 (Refined Reflections)

Tuxedo Accent Table $176.95 (Refined Reflections)

Sanctuary Side Table $269.95

Lucio Ottoman (4 Men 1 Lady)

Wayborn Tanner Chest $260.95 (Refined Reflections)

Godinger Large Croco Square Tray $25.95 (Top Shelf Style)

Godinger Croco Cocktail Shaker $20.95 (Top Shelf Style)

 

Seline Drum Pendant $464.95 (Selamat)

Rhine Cabinet $637.95 (Refined Reflections)

Avery Rug in Chartreuse $81.95 (Candice Olsen)

Aubrey Rug in Off White $81.95 (Candice Olsen)

(On a separate note, this website is exactly what we envision hoometowndecor.com to be like. I hope that hometown.sg (under construction) will light that design spark in you, just as this website has inspired me!)

Space Savers

Storage space will always be a perennial problem for homes in Singapore. Here are some ingenious space saving ideas that you can incorporate in your home (bonus: they look really good, too!):

Magazine holders used to contain produce in your kitchen. An artsy addition to your kitchen walls and given the wide range of magazine holders available, the possibilities are endless! 

 (via here)

Instead of leaving your make up brushes lying around, why not organise them in acrylic containers, so that they are kept dust-free but stay in easy reach when you're in a rush in the mornings? It's a whole lot neater to store them this way, and saves you lots of space on the counter top of your dressing table. 

(via here) 

 If altering the walls of your bathroom is an option, consider building shelving to store your vanity products and extra linen. This saves a whole lot of floor space, if you don't have a cabinet lying around.

And if your sink is tiny but you need to have your facial products near you, I think having a mirror with a deep frame is a great idea, to provide a surface to place these bottles on, instead of trying to make them balance on the sink. 

 (via here)

I love this idea. Who would have thought to use spice racks as a rack for  products in the bathroom? Most spice racks are narrow enough to save on space, so that your wash area does not feel hemmed in. Consider the many varieties of spice racks available, but remember to pick one that is hardy and will not rust or rot from the moisture in the bathroom.

 (via here)

A cheap and chic way to increase storage space in your living room. I'm not sure where to find such crates in Singapore, but I'm wondering if crates for transporting fruit would be solid enough for this DIY table which has been stained and nailed together. Why limit yourself to a wood finishing? Have fun with some colours!

(via here)