"I THINK THAT ART IS UNDERESTIMATED IN OUR DAILY LIVES. I BELIEVE IT’S A CULTURAL COMPONENT THAT GIVES US A LOT, IN ADDITION TO BEING A MIRROR OF OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY AND A SOCIAL TOOL." – JAIME BARIESTAIN, HOMEOWNER photos MANOLO YLLERA The straight lines running throughout the home are softened by the use of pastel hues. 99
BOLDNESS ON THE MEXICAN COAST Interior designer Margaret Bissu shares with KARINE MONIE the inspiration behind this three-level beach home, which exudes joy and freshness. 100
This home was designed with plenty of outdoor spaces to take advantage of the area’s sunny weather. 101
I wanted to create a penthouse filled with color and modern accents that would reflect good energy in a fresh atmosphere,” says interior designer Margaret Bissu. Located in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, in the Mexican state of Guerrero, along the Pacific coast, this home offers an exceptional panorama. Honoring the meaning of Ixtapa, “white place,” in indigenous language Nahuatl, Margaret started from a neutral canvas to imagine all the living spaces of this penthouse that spreads over three levels. The living room, dining room, kitchen and three bedrooms occupy the first floor while the family room, main bedroom and another bedroom are located on the second. The top floor is dedicated to the terrace, which comprises a living and dining area, as well as well the pool. “The inspiration was freshness and pop art,” says Margaret, who successfully blended a beach vibe with high-end, contemporary design. The objective is relaxation, but with style. To find the perfect balance, the interior designer 102
The contemporary design of the home provides a youthful touch to the interiors. OPPOSITE The homeowner designed the colourful sofa herself. 103
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LEFT Large louvered panels frame the beautiful vista of the surrounding scenery. BOTTOM A stunning headboard helps to anchor the look of this bedroom. OPPOSITE The dining area is furnished with a table by Cattelan Italia adorned with plates by Fornasetti, and surrounded by Kartell chairs played with color, combining neutrals with bolder tones throughout. “It is a sort of sweet-and-sour mix,” she says. “A sophisticated yet playful home.” While all the rooms share a cohesive look, each features visual surprises and has its own atmosphere. In the living room, where the armchairs were designed by Margaret, and in the dining room — furnished with a table by Cattelan Italia adorned with plates by Fornasetti, and surrounded by Kartell chairs — the aesthetic is a bit more formal than the rest of the home. In the family area, where the colorful sofa is also by her, the ambience is more fun. Among some of the other key pieces are a sculpture by Studio Orfeo and a mirror in by Christopher Guy. 105
TOP xxo by Kara Mann for Milling Road at Baker Furniture. The low table and ikebana-style vase complete the Zen vibe. OPPOSITE TOP xxo by Kara Mann for Milling Road at Baker Furniture. The low table and ikebana-style vase complete the Zen vibe. OPPOSITE xxiew of the master bedroom from the muted bathroom. Every bedroom — including the main, with a headboard dressed by a Christian Lacroix textile for Designers Guild — has its own color accent and, like throughout the penthouse, Margaret drew a lot of inspiration from the Missoni rugs with different patterns and hues. “You have to take risks to create infinite possibilities,” says Margaret , whose style is impermanent. “Not one of our projects looks like another.” The more neutral terrace, with pieces by Janus et Cie and Devon, is an invitation to admire the sublime views. “We had to be very careful when selecting the materials as these are affected by weather conditions,” says the interior designer. Creating unity from unique combinations, this dream penthouse on the coast brings together elegance and playfulness. “The result is a home that is 100 per cent different from the others,” says Margaret. “The signature is in the detail that we put into each element and the harmony that is manifested.” 106
photos EDGARDO CONTRERAS THE TERRACE, WITH PIECES BY JANUS ET CIE AND DEVON, IS AN INVITATION TO ADMIRE THE SUBLIME VIEWS. 107
LET THERE BE LIGHT A compact yet spacious apartment in Taipei, Taiwan, is an oasis of calm. AGATHA WONG learns more. 108
ABOVE Shaker style cabinet doors add to the homely feel. RIGHT Contrasting colours help to visually carve out different zones in the home. 109
Removing partitions allowed the interior space to become expansive. This made the entrance retract inward and create a small foyer. This transitional passage solves the initial concern of the front door being too close to the public stairs. The designers also took the opportunity to add to the functionality of this area by building built-in cabinets for storage and adding a charming őĆěä łÁőőäŅĢ ĩĢ őĂä ƉĩĩŅ͠ Moving into the home łŅĩłäŅ͡ őĂä àäʼnĆúĢäŅʼn àäƈĢäà the public and private areas now F u De Street in Taipei is a mature neighbourhood, and this home is located ĩĢ őĂä ƈŅʼnő ƉĩĩŅ ĩù Á ĢÁŅŅĩū house completed in 1968 in this bustling area. As with many urban homes built during this period, the unit was traditionally partitioned, meaning the rooms near the centre were dank and dark with poor air circulation. Its entrance was also close to the public stairs, causing safety concerns. To address these issues and transform this compact 1,066 sq ft space into a bright and cosy home, SIRUI Interior Design collaborated with DAWOOD Interior Design. The designers observed that the distance between this long, narrow home’s front and ŅäÁŅ äĢàʼn ūÁʼn ʼnŖƆÚĆäĢő őĩ allow natural light to enter the interior, so why not encourage the light to come into the house? To facilitate this, the designers removed the original partitions. Instead, they added a courtyard at the bottom of the corridor, allowing anyone in the living room, master bedroom, and bathroom to enjoy the greenery in the courtyard. 110
OPPOSITE The large kitchen counter is lined up against the dining table to create a seamless island. TOP ABOVE Soothing hues and spots of greenery add to the serene feel. W H O L I V E S H E R E A couple and their young child HOME Single-story residence with four bedrooms SIZE 1,066 sq ft ID SIRUI Interior Design x DAWOOD Interior Design www.sirui-liu.com TOP BELOW The utility area is concealed behind a sliding fluted glass panel door. RIGHT A large semitranslucent glass window lets natural light into the bathroom. that the original partitions were gone. The front part of the house is dedicated to spaces where the residents can spend time with each other and guests, while the rear comprises the master bedroom, the kid’s room, the nanny’s room and a guest room. An open-plan layout was favoured in the public area, so the living, dining and kitchen boundaries were blurred. This not only allowed the limited space to feel more spacious, a clear line of sight throughout further gifts a view of the courtyard, as mentioned earlier, 111
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BELOW The floating shelves make this transitional space for more spacious. OPPOSITE TOP The dark blue hue in the centre of the room commands attention and turns the counter area into a visual statement. OPPOSITE BOTTOM Light colours are used in the sleeping areas to bring about a sense of calm. photography SU DONGSHAN BUILT-INS WERE DESIGNED TO SURROUND THE SPACE FOR STORAGE THAT CAN STAY NEATLY OUT OF SIGHT, WITH A SLIM COUNTER AREA FOR THE COFFEE MACHINE. where a lush plant was placed to soften the space. Ăä łŖÙěĆÚ ÁŅäÁ Ŗʼnäʼn Á ƉäŰĆÙěä crosswalk, allowing the dining őÁÙěä͡ ʼnĩùÁ͡ ÁĢà Úĩƅää őÁÙěä őĩ àäƈĢä őĂä łŖŅłĩʼnä ĩù őĂä ʼnłÁÚä͠ This also has the added advantage of allowing those who cook to communicate with relatives who dine and friends in the living room. To further facilitate this, the solid surface kitchen island with its built-in induction cooker is placed side by side with the shorter end of the crafted dining table. Built-ins were designed to surround the space for storage that can stay neatly out of sight, with a slim counter area for the Úĩƅää ġÁÚĂĆĢä͠ UŖʼnő ĩƅ őĂä ėĆőÚĂäĢ ÚŖġ dining is a small study and laundry area, which could potentially make the internal space appear cramped. The door and walls were replaced with translucent material to avoid this while allowing more natural light to infuse the space. A Morandi colour palette permeates the entire home, colouring the walls and soft furnishings by Good Design, the soft tones expanding every space and room further. This is juxtaposed against a stronger Steel Blue used in the kitchen built-ins providing a handsome but pleasing contrast. In addition, the natural feeling of ĩÁė ūÁʼn ÁłłěĆäà ĩĢ őĂä ƉĩĩŅĆĢú throughout the home, although this was realised in vinyl to feel comfortable underfoot and easy maintenance. Indeed the softness of the shades was a deliberate choice. ĂĆʼn ƉŖĆà łÁěäőőä ʼnĂĆùőʼn ĆĢ ĆĢ the light and shade changes that occur throughout the four seasons, allowing those who use the space to immerse themselves in nature, greenery, and life. 113
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LIVING 6 APPETITE FOR PLAY These elegant and quirky kids room additions are perfect for the young as well as the young at heart. 5 1 2 1. Tots Montessori Open Shelf, price on enquiry, available from www.starliving. com.sg 2. & 6. Gtv Waltz coat rack, $1,385; GTV Arcadia ottoman, $5,855, all from www. spacefurniture. com.sg 3. LUSTIGT Wall shelf, $9.90, available from IKEA. 4.Snowy bunk bed series, price on enquiry, available at https:// kidshaven.sg 5.Nara Coat Stand designed by Shin Azumi, Price from $1,297, available at Danish Design Co, www. danishdesignco. com.sg 3 4 115
FINISHING NOTE Remember when you were young and every day seems filled with wonders waiting to be discovered? Celebrate that youthful spirit in your child by creating a decadent space where they can wake up refreshed every morning, looking forward to taking those small but vital steps to becoming an adult. A growing zone to let the imagination run wild helps lay the foundation for your little one to look forward to achieving greater things in time to come. Italian brand Mezzo Collection’s kids range Fairytale offers customised furnishing solutions. Visit www. mezzocollection.com for more information. AN EARLY START 116
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