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CLASSICAL SALON A follow up to my earlier post on creating the backbones of a [neo]-classical home. I've included two versions of a room here - one with floor-to-ceiling wall pannelling, the other with wallpaper. In the above lookbook, you'll realise the great thing about doing a classical theme for your home - it's quite flexible; furniture and accessories can come from a myriad of design periods (from the Baroque to Greek Revival), especially since many grand old homes had the luxury of accquiring pieces over a span of time. For this lookbook, most of the pieces lean towards the Greek Revival/Regency look rather than the excessiveness of the Baroque and Rococco period. I didn't manage to find any local retailers that sell the furniture/accessories featured in the above lookbook (a bulk are taken from Ralph Lauren Home), but if you truly intend to get this look done, do consider having furniture custom made in countries like Indonesia, as its probably quite difficult to get any here at decent prices, either that or they are excessively gaudy. EDIT: [Local] Places worth considering in your search for furniture Pagodahouse, at Tudor Court, Tanglin, for that touch of chinoiserie in your home. (prices are probably high) Also, below are two pictures for a bit of inspiration. The top one is a little more French rustic than the bottom image, but nevertheless both are quite authentically classical in style (the latter should be a lot more modern though) What I'm implying with the last statement is that a beautifully designed classic-themed home is not one that is crafted overnight, it takes effort, time and patience, especially in sourcing pieces. All the best to those who are keen to attempt something like that! If you like this design, or would like to know a bit more about how to make such a look work, leave a comment on this link.

Just wanted to share this link to a website that helps you identify what theme you like best for your home. Sproost Its a quiz that helps you identify your prefered design style by helping guiding you in eliminating those that you don't like. Give it a try, I'm sure it'll be helpful to those who are struggling to decide on what theme would best suit their home. I've been playing with it a bit and I think that you'll probably want to do 2 tries to get something a little more accurate, but it's pretty smart even on the first guess.

If there's decent veneer/wood underneath that layer of lacquer, you might want to consider oiling them (see link) instead of varnishing them to bring out the wood grains. All the best with your DIY project!

RETRO CHIC Again, another homage to the mid-century era. I didn't mention this in the pictures above, but the lamp is Artemide's Tolomeo Mega floor lamp. Oh and while the Mid-century era was more defined by the use of teak wood, I think that the use of oak in my design makes the room feel a little lighter. Oh and as for the Fiddle-Fig plant, do note that the plant does require some degree of sunlight to survive. If you like this design, or would like to know a bit more about how to make such a look work, leave a comment on this link.

Hmm personally I think that with television screens being so bright today, being distracted by the glossy surface of a tv console shouldn't be too big an issue. But ultimately that depends on how glossy the surface is - if it is slightly glossy then it shouldn't be any problem, but if its excessively glossy, perhaps it might get distracting. Maybe you should browse the forum and ask those who have installed glossy TV consoles? I for one use a matte wood one at home.

[NEO]-CLASSICAL HOME, PART 1 One theme that many Singaporeans seem to like, but fail to understand how to execute properly is the [neo]Classical one. A common mistake when it comes to execution is firstly, the backbone of the style - the setting itself. So below are some [fundemental] aspects that would help to increase the authenticity of your home's design, should you choose to go with a classical theme. I'm basing this write-up on my understanding of the neo-classical (i.e. late 18th, early 19th Century) design ethos. It's somewhat colonial/Greek Revival in style in this render, somewhat simplified, but the basic elements remain the same, and more importantly, the atmosphere is there. 1. Wall Panelling In the above picture, I've showed a fully-panneled wall, which is common in many formal classical settings. On a fully pannelled wall with two indented regions, the lower indented region is usually about one-third the wall's height. An alternative that is less formal, though equally period-appropriate is panelling up to a chair-rail (see below). Basically, its panelled up to about one-thirds of the wall, similar to how it is done with full-height wall panelling. The unpanneled part could either be painted as done in the picture below, or wallpapered. 2. Cornice & other Ceiling Pieces Often neglected also is the cornice, perhaps due to its association with older (and arguably less stylish) homes from the 80s. Nevertheless, a cornice is also another key fundemental aspect of a neo-classical home. It should be nothing too exaggerated, but not too over-simplified as well. An optional but highly-recommended addition is a ceiling medallion. Its a round plaster thingy (see below) meant to decorate the ceiling, and beautify the start of a light fixture. 3. Baseboard Also really important. Evidently, the people of old had some form of dislike for sharp and abrupt lines (i.e. those of minimalism/modernism), hence the gentle and deliberate progression from ceiling to walls to floors. They tend to be white in classical rooms, but may also be in the same shade as the wood floor, depending on the degree of formality of the room. 4. Floor In the first picture (the render), I've used a dark parquet. This is common in many modern refurbishments of historical homes, in line with current tastes, but it may not be the most period appropriate. More appropriate would be a mid-brown parquet that is laid in a herringbone or cheveron manner (see below) In order to soften the look, a carpet was usually placed over the parquet - rugs like Persian carpets or similarly richly decorated ones. Alternatively, entirely-carpeted floors were common as well, but that is not extremely practical in Singapore, and also it'll probably make your home feel like a hotel room. Marble floors were also uncommon, and were usually reserved for palatial settings. Also, one final point to note: Most rooms in classical homes tend to be rectangular/square/any other similar permutations in shape, and not L-shaped like most apartments are these days. So subdividing your space into rectangular areas (e.g. a dedicated dining space seperated by an archway/pillars) would add to the authenticity. As a conclusion to this short write-up, it should be noted that many classical homes complete wall to ceiling panelling, and while half-wall pannels are common, there are exceptions. However the bare minimum would be a good baseboard, (perhaps) a chair rail and also definitely the cornice.

How about a narrow full height bookshelf, or a sheet of frosted glass?

You can try Comfort Furniture.

SCANDINAVIAN-ESQUE APARTMENT In continuation with the Scandinavian-esque designs: Crisp cream walls with warm wood floors and a neutral palate. And for the bathroom, something that you don't see very often in Singapore homes - Subway tiles. If you like this design, or would like to know a bit more about how to make such a look work, leave a comment on this link.

Just found this which I found to be really inspirational - how bookcases can instantly make a home feel so much cosier. Image Credit: Apartment Therapy

You can give Evov Living a try, I've seen some there before. However they are priced at about $600-$800, so I suppose that's a little out of the budget for a table just for a keyboard and mouse right? Maybe Ikea?

SCANDINAVIAN DINING AREA This is the first time I'm posting a dining area, inspired by Scandinavian design. Items Used: Wishbone Chair Available at Space Furniture. Replicas available at stores like Lush-Lush and Comfort Furniture and Picket & Rail. Tulip Table Available at Dream Interiors. Replicas available at Evov, Lush-Lush, Comfort Furniture and many other stores. Louis Poulsen PH 4/3 Pendent Lamp Available at Space Furniture. Used/Vintage ones available on eBay (just try searching). Replicas can also be found on eBay, and perhaps local retailers like LightCraft. Wall Lamps Similar ones can be found at Lightcraft or any good/reputable lightings shop. Componibili Round Tower Available at Kartell. Vintage Plane Model Available at The Wright Gift. Alternatively, try eBay. Picture Frames Available at Ikea. Vintage Fan Try departmental stores like Tangs or Robinsons. Alternatively, Lorgans should also carry some every now and then. If you like this design, or would like to know a bit more about how to make such a look work, leave a comment on this link.

No worries. Be sure to check that the voltage is suitable to Singapore's. And that its in proper working condition.

Hi I found these lamps on eBay and I think you'd love them/it suits your house. Mid-century lamps from the UK. You might want to consider. You can find them here.

Thanks. It looks nice.

Hi can I ask where did you get your sofa from? And if possible, the cost? Thanks.

For those wondering how I would have furnished a flat using the furniture I suggested earlier (Mid Century Inspired), check this out. (pardon the poor lighting in the 3D model, I'm no professional)

Hi here's a suggested layout. If possible move your door to the location in the picture, as that way, it'll be easier to place your bed. The empty area in front of the bed can be used to build your entertainment unit if you want to, or perhaps just some family photos on the wall or artwork.

Sorry it was installed years ago. Can't quite remember the price. And I'm glad that I could help.

In continuation (cause I couldn't post too many images in one post), Truth be told, my suggestion would be to use wall art instead of wallpaper. Trust me, I have this wall that is wallpapered as a feature wall, and after a few years, it gets a little boring. In the case of prints, at least you can change what's framed up for something fresh. In light of that, can I suggest using black and white photos, they are very classy looking. Alternative use very vibrant pop-art for contrast, something like this: And I know you were just asking about wall treatment, but can I suggest that you add a little bit of wood into your decor, like the example below. It makes it a little less harsh. Maybe just one or two pieces would be nice (it could even be the picture frames). That being said ignore this last piece of advice if you want your home to look extremely sleek (so sleek that it could cut). Lastly, do check out Goodrich, they have a very wide array of wallpapers (that last). I would know, that wallpapered wall I talked about earlier in my own home is from there.

I suppose you're going for the contemporary look? Or are you going for the black and white modern take on baroque styles? I'm just going to give some suggestions based on the suggestion that it's not the latter. Wallpaper from Goodrich If you want something very avant-garde, try this. Paste newspapers on the wall and lacquer over them (a DIY project), that being said, it would yellow over time. Alternatively, if you're not so bold, try the below example for a similar (but less permanent effect).

How about subway tiles for your kitchen walls? Very American.

Hi where did you get the artichoke lamp from and how much did it cost? Thanks.

Hi I don't mean to shoot you down in any way but perhaps you might like to consider something like this for your TV feature wall: Or Its definitely less trendy, and a lot more functional. That way, 5 to 10 years down the road, it won't look dated, and it's definitely still useful.

MIDCENTURY Here'a a new one, something inspired by the Mid-century era, as well as a local showflat (seen below). Click here to see a render of a layout furnished with these items. Alternatively, click here to see an updated version of this lookbook.