Resolve to change up your decor

With every New Year comes the resolve to do better. And along with it, the latest trends reports, as if January 1 is a magic date when everything changes to improved, newer, better. But the way trends really work is more an ebb and flow kind of thing.

Or as House & Home publisher Lynda Reeves explained it to me recently, “Trends always move away from saturation points.” That is, when something’s been “done to death,” we leave it and move in another direction. Which may explain why the current trends always have a trace of the previous.

And much depends on demographics ― and perhaps some fragmentation ― with boomers on the one hand still holding sway, but on the other a young, energetic voice is starting to be heard.

Take for example how popular the 1970s has stayed. It’s only partly fuelled by boomer nostalgia for what Reeves calls “our salad days.” The other part is the decade’s vigour birthed out of rock bands, international travel and cultural mixing ― all things that a younger market embraces equally well. That plays out in decor with oversized plants in wicker pots, geometric fabrics, polka dots and graphic art.

But there’s also a trend toward the more primitive and ancient, from shaggy wools and exotic skins to the tribal patterns of handwoven kilims and African cloths. They’re real and tactile, possibly the result of an urban culture melting pot, but maybe also a reaction to technology’s disconnect.

Basically, it’s thumbs down to beige and thumbs up to colour. But that’s not necessarily a call to in-your-face hues. As January’s issue of Style at Home shows, just upholstering old dining chairs with bright fabric is enough. Or high-gloss deep colour in a small room ― powder, foyer, den or jewel box dining room.

Colour is showing up in unusual places ― like faux wood tiles, which have been around for a couple of years and are really practical for transitioning flooring in open concept spaces. But Connie Barillari, a buyer at Olympia Tile, points to the latest faux wood tiles that come in an Andy-Warhol palette of primary colours. You have to see them to believe them.

Meanwhile, the trendsetters at Elle Décor are proclaiming navy as the hot new neutral.

Thanks to the ethnic inspiration of African, Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, we’re seeing a lot of tribal prints ―African mud cloths, kilims on pillows and ottomans, and Navajo rugs. It’s not just about ethnicity or global cultures but about artisans and craftsmanship.

It shows up as well in things like coffee tables hand-hewn from chunks of wood. It’s something Reeves calls the “new exotics,” and which she guesses might be a reaction to the Zen interior that she says is “okay for about a week.”

Texture is a big part of this trend, with luxurious wools and hides ― elk and reindeer replacing traditional cowhide ― that add “richness and personality to a room,” says Kellie Meilleur, co-owner of Thre3interiors. She carries a line of cushions in shaggy Mongolian wool in colours from natural to fuchsia.

Eclecticism is alive and well, and you can see it in the marrying of several styles ― pairing a Noguchi coffee table with an English antique dresser and teal blue ikat toss cushions.

West Elm is showing a lot of this in their 2012 catalogue ― kind of like fusion cooking for the home. Or, as the Pottery Barn Teens catalogue puts it, “streets of Paris, comforts of home.”

Mixing is definitely Meilleur’s take on the year’s upcoming trends ― classic with modern, shiny with flat surfaces, reclaimed wood with tufted upholstery, old Hollywood glam with cool modern interiors.

Given the formality that’s been insinuating its way back into the runway, it’s possible we’ll be seeing a revisit of the hedonistic 1980s. The camelback sofa is back, though Reeves expects we will not feel its influence immediately, since most people will stick with their contemporary sectionals and sofas for a while at least.

But there’s the telltale Chinoiserie fabric with large bird motifs and oversized chintz that’s cleaner and stylized but still harks back to the ’80s.

And that over-the-top decade is being felt in the trend toward greater detailing, but this time the Baroque overlays are reminiscent of Venetian palazzos. Like the yellow gold hardware that is starting to nudge silver, stainless or chrome out of the display cabinets.

It goes hand in hand with the trend toward femininity, and Reeves thinks that maybe “young women are having a moment . . . there’s a lot of power in that group, and there’s been a backlash against masculine design for a while.”

Meilleur is a good example. She’s one of two young women who founded Thre3interiors, a Port Credit home furnishings shop that sell things like gorgeous chandelier add-ons for your pot lights.

Industrial is still showing strong ― it’s real, honest, and tactile. For example, faux stone tiles are still popular, but Barillari says the trend gaining strength is faux cement tiles ― laid down in large pieces, they mimic a polished concrete floor.

And Meilleur feels that the reclaimed wood pieces, plus the assortment of shiny and flat metals in accessories, especially cool floor lamps, “inject industrial personality to any room.”

You don’t have to throw everything out. All it takes is to change things up, and because the ever popular eclecticism is really just about being true to yourself, that means you can be creative with what you’ve already got, and then update just with a few well chosen items.

MJC City showcases Superlink Villa units

Award-winning developer MJC City Development Sdn Bhd is showcasing its Superlink Villa show house at its One Residency neighbourhood, which comes with security and resort-style facilities.

“One Residency is an exclusive gated neighbourhood is designed as an urban living community where it allows residents to walk to the facilities within the compound,” it said in a company’s press release.

The facilities in One Residency would include a swimming pool, outdoor jacuzzi, children’s pool, barbecue pit, as well as a gymnasium in the Residents’ Clubhouse, allowing residents a variety of activities without the need to travel far.

MJC City’s new two-and-a-half-storey Superlink Villa showhouse would also come with the open bath concept on the second master bedroom designed especially for multi-generation living.

MJC City also noted that living in a gated community or an housing enclave would come with many benefits, emphasising that residents would feel much safer and have less worries of intruders as outsiders would have to register upon entry.

“Very soon, gated and guarded community will become a necessity rather than a want,” it stated.

The developer said the cost of providing comprehensive six-point security features such as guards, guard house, vehicle access card system, private intercom had escalated, the price of houses equipped with such comprehensive security features had, likewise increased tremendously, surpassing the affordability of a medium-income household.

However, the company regarded this as a good investment considering the surge in crimes such as burglary in recent years.

The gated neighbourhood located within the metropolitan township living would also boast its strategic location, putting residents within walking distance of shopping, restaurants and other retailers.

Priced from RM 403,000 per unit, these dream homes would come with fantastic offers such as kitchen cabinets, upgraded polished tiles, car porch tiles as well as legal fee and disbursement for sale and purchase agreement.

However, the great deal would be limited to the first five buyers in conjunction of the newly-launched Superlink Villa Show House units.

Finding a fresh approach to a chilly past

It seems fitting that the Ice Plant in Ancoats should open its doors at the coldest time of the year. Yet although there may be stormy winds and rain raging outside, the inside of this development aims to provide a different kind of cool.

Developer northerngroup has created 82 apartments to offer sleek urban living with some original period features to add a bit of historical contrast. So, polished white ceramic tiles and modern interiors sit alongside traditional red brick walls.

Director Nathan Ezair says the company is committed to breathing new life into a previously run-down part of the city, while also offering a high standard of property for residents.

All the apartments are being offered for rent rather than for sale, and as it also provides service management to the building, northerngroup hopes to foster a community feel among tenants.

“We believe we’ve created some of the highest specification apartments in the city centre,” says Nathan.

“The current economic climate means demands for rentals is higher than ever, but that does not mean that communities have to be transient.

“We are catering for long-term tenants who want to make their property a home rather than it just being a stop-gap.”

Situated between Blossom and Loom streets, the building was originally created at the turn of the 20th century as an ice producing factory for the fish and meat markets area, and later also serviced the many Italian ice cream makers who sprang up around Ancoats. The area, which was once a thriving hub of the textile industry where thousands lived and worked, fell into decline as production slowed and halted. And yet a new use for the building was found decades later as a rehearsal space for ‘Madchester’ bands such as the Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets.

But northerngroup is hoping to capitalise on Ancoats’ recent resurgence in popularity as a residential area.

Nathan says: “It’s a great area with lots of character and we saw a chance to make use of a beautiful old building. There’s the social scene of the Northern Quarter five minutes away, and you can walk to Piccadilly Station in less than 10 minutes. Tenants have everything on their doorstep, but can also escape the full-on hustle and bustle.”

He adds that of the 15 apartments so far rented, one tenant is a Premier League footballer, though he remains tight-lipped about who he is.

A tram stop at nearby New Islington is expected to open this year, and to add a cultural seal of approval to the area, the Hall Orchestra is redeveloping the neighbouring St Peter’s Church as a rehearsal space and base for education and community programmes.

The building was bought by northerngroup in 1998, it secured planning permission for redevelopment in 2004 and began work four years later with funding from the Homes & Communities Agency and North West Development Agency. The development has cost 12m.

The dilapidated state of the former ice factory meant that only the facade on Blossom Street has been retained, and from the outside overlooking Cutting Room Square, the red-brick and sandstone frontage is a striking feature linking the past with the present.

The four-storey old section houses one of the two pedestrian entrances, in an old loading bay, complete with restored metal kerbs which once protected the pavements.

This part has been topped with another two floors, while two new blocks, on Loom and Sherratt streets, reach four and eight storeys respectively.

The whole development is linked with an internal glass-topped atrium for the lower four floors and separate wooden walkways higher up.

The atrium is a colour-themed link to the ice production days with polished white floor tiles, pale grey brickwork and blue-lit trees. An old iron guillotine, found on site, is an unusual feature at one end, and harks back to the industrial revolution.

The 82 apartments range from one to three bedrooms, including four duplexes and a penthouse. The same polished floor tiles that are in the atrium lead into the apartments and, internally, the flats are decked out in white, grey and glass, giving continuity.

In the one-bedroom show apartment, an open-plan living-dining room and kitchen is large enough for socialising and long windows lead out to a wooden balcony.

Kitchens have integrated electrical appliances, while a washer-dryer is situated in a utility cupboard in the hallway. Bathrooms contain good quality Porcelanosa fittings and tiles.

There is a video entry system and the lower apartments have alarms.

Apartments on the Blossom Street side (with the historic facade) have exposed restored red brick walls inside at one end, replica sash windows and high ceilings.

The three-bed duplex apartments on this side have wide metal staircases giving an urban loft-style look, and one duplex has a sauna fitted.

The penthouse on the eight-floor new-build Sherratt Street end of the development takes things up another notch with panoramic views across the city, a double bath that looks large enough to fit a whole family in, and high-spec touches such as integrated hot plates, espresso machine and wine cooler.

Although the flats are the same in dcor and fittings, they vary in size and configuration making several alternatives for each number of bedroom options, rather than a succession of identikit boxes.

Nathan says: “People don’t want to live in carbon copy boxes so we sought to create a scheme which offers desirable, generously sized apartments with premium fixtures and fittings with great attention to detail.”

Additional rent is incurred if a tenant wants the place furnished. Furnishings on offer would suit a tenant with contemporary tastes.

There are also 79 parking spaces available and tenants can rent a space on a flexible timescale from one hour to one year, at an additional cost.

An on-site caretaker is also provided by northerngroup and there is no extra service charge cost.

What You Get for ... $675,000

The historic neighborhood of Inglewood in East Nashville has become popular in recent years, attracting young professionals, musicians and artists. Only five minutes’ drive from downtown Nashville and 15 minutes from the airport, Inglewood hosts a cherry blossom festival in the spring and is known for being a close-knit community. Riverside Village, two blocks from the house, has a coffee shop, a pharmacy and a sushi bar.

INSIDE: This 75-year-old Tudor Revival house has been preserved in its original form, with the exception of a recently renovated master bathroom, updated wiring and plumbing, and new kitchen appliances. The lower half of the facade is Tennessee limestone, with timber and stucco above. The original clay tiles on the roof were made to resemble wood shake shingles, and the gutters and downspouts are copper.

The front door opens to a hall that runs from the front of the house to the back, with a grand staircase to the second floor. French doors on either side of the front door lead to the living room and the dining room. The living room has two bay windows and a fireplace with a polished chestnut mantel. Behind it, the octagonal library has a corner fireplace and built-in shelving. The first floor also has a dining room, a large butler’s pantry with walnut cabinets, a breakfast room paneled with ash wood, and a full bath. The white-painted kitchen cabinets with glass upper doors and the stainless-steel countertops are original.

All four bedrooms are upstairs, including a master suite with a cedar-lined walk-in closet, and French doors that open onto a Juliet balcony overlooking the front yard. The master bath was renovated in 2010, with a reproduction claw-foot tub, cream-colored marble floors and a glass shower stall. An octagonal bath is set into the house’s turret. The family room in the basement has a stone fireplace.

OUTDOOR SPACE: The 1.2 acre lot has wide lawns bordered with flowerbeds and trees that provide year-round color, including a mature magnolia tree and a 60-foot holly tree. The detached carriage house has room to park two cars with 900 square feet of storage space above. A second garage, attached to the house, holds two additional cars.

The house sits on a cul-de-sac in the neighborhood of Riverland, known for its good schools and its wooded private lots. Downtown Fort Lauderdale is a 10-minute drive, and a shopping area with grocery and drug stores is five minutes from the house.

INSIDE: The current owner, an architect, built the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired house between 2001 and 2004 for his own use. The exterior is stucco, exposed masonry, and corrugated metal, and the structure was designed to maximize natural light and ventilation to keep utility costs down. The house also has a rain catchment system and a solar water heater. The front door is a wood sculpture shaped like a boat. It opens into a foyer situated between the living room and the home office. The office has modular walls that could be moved to turn the space into two bedrooms, or a bedroom and a dining room. In the living room, the arc-shaped sofas, end tables and a recliner are all built in. The room has a fireplace, a polished concrete floor and a two-story wall of windows overlooking the garden. A breakfast bar separates the living room from the kitchen, which has maple cabinets and concrete countertops.

Behind the kitchen, a hallway leads to a powder room designed to resemble the bathroom on a yacht. Behind it, the master suite has a built-in king-size bed with built-in nightstands. Windows set high in the walls allow both natural light and privacy; even the closet has a window. The master bath has a shower stall and a whirlpool tub, ceramic tile flooring and stainless-steel sinks.

MJC offers One Residency terrace houses in Kuching

MJC City Development (MJC) is offering its ‘One Residency’ comprising residential terrace houses in a gated and guarded concept located in Kuching.

According to a press statement, the gated neighbourhood was designed as an urban living community which allowed residents to enjoy facilities provided in One Residency such as the swimming pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, children’s pool, BBQ Pit and gymnasium in the Residents’ Clubhouse.

Due to strict building management and maintenance residents were assured that the surrounding environment would be harmony with blending colour scheme for the whole enclave..

In order to ensure proper upkeep, the enclave was being outsourced to an experienced cleaning contractor to ensure the plants and landscaping would appeal to the residents.

MJC noted that One Residency would be suitable for those who appreciate a sense of neighbourhood and belonging, a nostalgic feeling of a village in a sensitive, contemporary manner.

One Residency is located within walking distance of shopping venues, restaurants and everyday conveniences such as Seven Eleven, Watson, Taka Cake House and others.

With prices commencing from RM403,000, the units come with other offers such as free BOFI kitchen cabinet worth RM15,000, upgraded polished tiles, car porch tiles and free legal fee for sales & purchase agreement (SPA) for the first five buyers.

For more information, drop by the SkyVilla Block A Show House Launch from January 7 to January 8 from 9am to 5pm (Saturday) and 10am to 5pm (Sunday).