Category: Home with Wallhub

Designing and styling your new home can be quite a feat especially when you have an eclectic mix of unique pieces you want to include. Though every piece tells a story, often than not, it does take an eye for aesthetics to place them with the right pieces to tell a great story in your home. 

Interior Designer, Nathan Koh, has recently found himself with a list of gorgeous furniture and decor. With his flair in design and his love for creating homes that are tailored to every client and site, he has designed a stylish British India home for Malminder and Simar.

Read on for more!

Wallhub: Hi Nathan, thank you for having us! Would you tell us a little about yourself, Aureus Interior Design, and your design philosophy?

Nathan: Hi, I am Nathan, the founder of Aureus Interior Design. I have a strong passion for Interior Design and enjoy incorporating or modifying my design based on what comes along as the projects progress. This gives each interior its unique character, as each site’s conditions, progress and considerations are different. 

In Aureus, we believe that each home or space should be designed & built upon the client’s character, lifestyle & day-to-day habits.

Wallhub: We love this British India home you have designed and styled for your clients, Mal & Simar. Do share with us how did the design concept come about? 

Nathan: During my first meet-up with Mal & Simar, they had a list of items that they had bought and wanted to have in their new home. The list includes paintings, antique pieces, designer furniture, and even vintage trunks.

Nathan:  Each piece of furniture & painting has a character of its own, so we started looking into a style where we can incorporate and showcase all of them in harmony. This is how we came to a decision of the British India style, where each piece of furniture in the house presents a well-travelled aesthetic of time.

Wallhub: What were some of your key design challenges with this project? How did you overcome it?

Nathan: The first key challenge was actually to get all the unique furniture to work in harmony. On top of that, Mal & Simar have a special request, and it is to have a mural in a semi-outdoor area.

We were glad that we found Wallhub where Karen was able to propose the right product to fit into our design.

Wallhub: There are some gorgeous wallpapers installed on the walls, from the bespoke murals to the textured ones in the living and master bedroom! How did these wallcoverings change or play a part in your design?

Nathan: These wallcoverings certainly played a huge role in bringing the entire British India design alive!

Nathan: When you walk through the main gate, you are being welcomed with a huge mural reflecting a time in the “Colonial Period” with palms, ferns and other natural elements as a backdrop. This blends in perfectly with the sound of the water feature & all the indoor plants we have on the patio. 

Next, while walking through the black lattice design sliding door into the living hall, we are being received by the high ceiling. The high ceiling is sub-divided into 2 spaces by 2 layers of dark brown trimming, and our eclectic fabric wallpaper from Wallhub just sits nicely underneath it as a beautiful textural base for our TV feature wall.

Wallhub: Tell us more about your experience with Wallhub!

Nathan: The experience with Wallhub was great! Our sales consultant, Karen, was responsive & resourceful. Installing a mural wallpaper in a semi-outdoor space has many challenges – one of which is the exposure to sunlight and heat that would rapidly reduce its lifespan. With the help of Wallhub, we managed to find one that would last well over time.

Wallhub: Thank you, Nathan, for sharing with us! It was lovely knowing that you had a wonderful experience with Wallhub. Would you have tips to share on pairing colours or unique pieces like you have done with Mal’s & Simar’s? 

Nathan: Sure! Hope my two cents worth would come in helpful:

1. Pen down all the colours & pieces that you would like to have as part of your future home.
2. Do not be limited by the style you are looking at achieving, as this may eliminate some of your favourite pieces.
3. Trial and error with each colour and piece to see which will best match together in each space. You will be surprised how two very different pieces or colours can be a good match. Enjoy!

For more peeks into the lovely spaces of #homewithwallhub, head on over here!

Statement pieces, dark woods & beautiful glimmers of gold are not the only features that make this modern luxury home shine. It is the care and thought of every detail that echoes the personality of Justin & Meilin, while their vision of a home to call their own comes to life. 

Read on for a peek into their home!

Wallhub: Hi Justin & Meilin, Thank you for having us at your home, it is gorgeous! Would you share with us your inspiration for your home? 

Justin: We have always loved the idea of having a home that is like a hotel. One that feels inviting, cosy, timeless and luxurious. We have been to a friend’s home that introduced dark colours in their spaces, and we felt that the atmosphere resonated with how we would like our home to feel.

Meilin: From thereon, we searched the internet for inspiration, as well as started looking for an interior designer to help us make it happen. We are so glad to have found one who understood what we are looking for and shared with us many wonderful ideas and tips. 

Wallhub: Love the colour palette you have, and that pop of blue from your curved sofa is refreshing! 

Meilin: Thank you! Both Justin and I did not fancy the conventional L-shape sofa. We think that it would make the living room feel very rigid and boxy. That leads us to pick a curved one instead. Against the backdrop of a grey-taupe vinyl wallpaper from Wallhub, not only does the sofa add a fun element to the room, we feel this shade of blue invigorates and compliments it.

Wallhub: Indeed, it does! How did you come about selecting your wallpapers?

Justin: We feel that the modern luxury interior style anchors on the idea that white painted walls should be avoided (or kept to a minimum) and wallpaper would elevate the look, just like in the hotels. With the help of our ID’s renderings, we were able to share them with Wallhub to find the designs to match our interiors. With the help of Wallhub’s sales consultant, we were able to do so effortlessly. 

Wallhub: Your wallcoverings look great, would you tell us more about your experience with Wallhub?

Justin: We first went to Wallhub’s showroom with our renderings and floor plan, with no clue on what we want exactly. We shared our ideas and concerns – like wanting a moody interior without it being too dark – and learnt that not all wallpapers are made the same. 

With Wallhub’s wide variety of selection and professional advice, we decided to go with the vinyl wallpaper on our sofa wall and corridor, and their Turkish wallpaper as our bed-head feature wall. The whole process was insightful and enjoyable. The installers are very professional and it makes the process very much effortless.

Meilin: We have a cheeky and playful boy, and Wallhub recommended the vinyl wallpaper collection for its resilience. It is one of the best choices we have made. Our little one couldn’t stop touching the wallpaper and it is holding up really well. It looked great and we even placed another order for our bedroom’s general walls.

Wallhub: We are glad to know that! With every room of yours being so stunning, if you really have got to pick, which is your favourite, and why? 

Meilin: That would have to be our dining area. It is the go-to spot where we have meals together every day as a family, where my son and I spend time together going through his homework and drawings, and where Justin enjoys a tipple while we chat. 

Justin: We also like how the dining table is integrated with the kitchen island, maximising the space we have. We don’t do much heavy cooking, so an open kitchen works great for us.

Wallhub: Your dining area is one of our favourites as well. Thank you for taking the time to share your home with us, Justin & Meilin. Before we go, would you have any tips for homeowners who would like to create a home like yours? 

Meilin: Justin would say no white walls (laughs), and I, to find pieces that speak uniquely to you. Take the time to do your research. There are a lot of options and beautiful pieces out there, so keep looking and start creating your interior inspiration boards.

For more peeks into the lovely spaces of #homewithwallhub, head on over here!

It may seem simple, but getting the Scandinavian Brutalism interior looking elegant is truly a balancing act. If you introduce too many concrete elements, you tip the scale towards creating a cold, hard space, like that of a prison cell. An excessive amount of wood and you find yourself losing the touch of the charming raw and honest imperfections.

With their palette of concrete and wood elements, statement pieces, and ambient lighting, Architect Kelvin Wang and his wife, Jocelyn, have definitely found the perfect balance in designing, detailing, and styling their home, “…brutally elegant…”

Take a peek into their beautiful home as Kelvin shares their design thoughts and tips with us. Read on!

Wallhub: Hi Kelvin! Congratulations on your new home, it is beautiful. Would you share with us a little about yourself and your design philosophy as an architect? 

Kelvin: I am a locally registered Architect practising in a boutique architecture firm. It is my strong belief that a good design must not only be able to stand the test of time but should also encompass thoughtful details that contribute to the greater whole. A good design does not necessarily need to be complicated – sophistication can be achieved through the manipulation and use of simple material palettes and forms. 

Wallhub: What is your design inspiration and approach for your home? 

Kelvin: The design takes inspiration mainly from Brutalist architecture with the insertion of some Scandinavian characteristics. Jocelyn and myself are both fascinated with the monolithic and volumetric articulation of Brutalist architecture. We find beauty in the honesty of patinaed textures and how imperfections are shamelessly embraced. From the onset, we wanted to have those qualities incorporated into our home design. But of course, Brutalism in its pure self can be rather… erm brutal – lacking some warmth and sense of cosiness. To address this, we took some inspiration cues from Scandinavian design and incorporated elements of wood and green to tame the harshness. 

Wallhub: We love the attention to detail of your spaces. What were your key considerations/challenges when designing this place? 

Kelvin: One of the most challenging aspects of designing our home was to consistently maintain the discipline to curate and keep the design in control. Many ideas have accumulated through my years of working as an architect, an interior designer and even a contractor – there were temptations to insert some of those previously rejected “what-I-think-are-great” ideas into the design. It was therefore necessary to sieve out only the good and compatible ideas and make sure they fit into the grand scheme of things.  

Wallhub: If you have got to pick your favourite part of the house, which would it be and why? 

Kelvin: We are absolutely satisfied with how seamlessly the Living, Dining and Study has fused into a single large communal space. The Dining island has become the heart of the activity space. One moment we could be both eating on it, the next we could be working, an hour later we could be playing host to family and friends. When needed, the open layout of the communal space also allows us to take “small, private break-aways” into the Study and Living from the Dining but yet still be within visual reach of each other. 

Wallhub: We are loving how you have the Strato® Textured Paint in SCT 309 – Ashes Grey, on your walls as well as your ceiling. How did you come about to decide on the cement paint as well as the colour? 

Kelvin: The initial plan was to go for cement plaster. However, after considering the usage of air-conditioning, and the application across different materials (concrete, brick, plasterboard), it is inevitable that cracking and chipping of the cement plaster will occur. It is hard to determine and control the fluctuations in humidity and different rates of contraction/expansion. Extensive prep work on the existing surfaces and additional cost will unavoidably be required. Hence, we decided to finish the walls and ceiling in cement-look textured paint.

SCT-309 was chosen as it closely matches the tile and laminate tones that we have selected – allowing a contiguous and homogeneous cement-look from floor to wall and ceiling. Not only is the Strato® Textured Paint crack resistant, but it is also low in VOC, formaldehyde & lead free. It would also be a breeze to care for in comparison to actual cement plaster over time.

Wallhub: We are glad that you are loving the textured paint as much as we do! Do share with us your experience with Wallhub.

Kelvin: There is a large variety of wall finishes to select from. Cher, my sales consultant, was very responsive and helpful from the selection phase through to post-completion. The installers are very professional and take the utmost pride in their work.  

Wallhub: Thank you so much for taking the time to show us your home and for sharing, Kelvin! Would you have any tips for homeowners who would like to achieve this interior look? 

Kelvin: When it comes to materiality, it is very easy to go overboard with colours – curate and control your material palette. Do not go overboard with splashing different colours everywhere. Think about lighting, both natural and artificial. They play an important role in creating different spatial experiences during different times of the day. 

View more of Ar. Kelvin’s works here and for more peeks into the lovely spaces of #homewithwallhub, head on over here!

Home to two and their adorable Tabby Maine Coons, this relaxing apartment features a stylish mix of botanical prints, refreshing greenery, and design elements of Zoe and Wen’s favourite places.

Today, on Home with Wallhub, we are lucky to have Zoe to share with us their ideas and considerations which shaped their home to one that exudes the warmth of their family as well as an extension of who they are as individuals.

Read on to find out more!

Wallhub: Hi Zoe! Thank you for taking the time to share your home and interior styling tips with us. Would you tell us a little about yourself (and your family), and how long have you been living in this gorgeous space of yours?

Zoe: Hi Wallhub, thank you for featuring our home and having me too. My husband and I (together with our two little lions) have been calling this place home for about 2 years.

Wallhub: We love how cosy every corner of your home is! What is your inspiration?

Zoe: Thank you! Both my husband and I really enjoy the nature and I especially love being surrounded by greenery (as you can tell by the wallpaper we chose and the number of plants in our home). At the same time, we wanted our home to exude the warmth of a family and be an extension of who we are as individuals. So we drew inspiration from Pinterest and the places we have been to or would like to go for example, the glass panels that resembles the French windows and the pendant lamp that transports us to a quaint Japanese nook.

Wallhub:  What were your key considerations when designing your space?

Zoe: To have loads of storage space, haha! We wanted to make sure that the carpentry was custom-built to our needs and at the same time not appear too bulky and dull. We also made sure we bought furniture that are comfortable and durable.

Aesthetics were also important because that impacts the look and feel of the home. So we spent a lot of time thinking about how to mix the laminate of the carpentry with the different textures of the home. We considered how the organic textures (e.g. Wooden grain) and synthetic textures (e.g. Brass finishing or fabric) of one furniture look and flow with another. We don’t want to be overly consistent but at the same time needed to make sure there was synergy in the aesthetics. We don’t make a purchase without extensive “eye-power” or what you call visualising work! 

A lot of people think that aesthetics and designing is “adding” and “putting together” concepts and ideas. Sometimes, it is also about dropping and cutting the fat. We dropped some design ideas and kept some of the walls “clean” to avoid saturating the space.

So, it was something of a balancing act between practicality, comfort, and aesthetics!

Wallhub: If you have got to pick one, which is your favourite part of the house, and why?

Zoe: The living and dining area!

It is where we can wind down with a book and a cup of tea (the little lions join us too) and at the same time host parties or have life-giving conversations with our friends and family. Due to Covid, we also got married in our living and dining area. So the space gives us a sense of calibrated simplicity and joy at the same time. We are so grateful for that.  

Wallhub: Your dining feature wallpaper looks great! How did you decide on the design?

Zoe: I think many were shocked when I told them that I had chosen my wallpaper even before I bought this place!

I chanced upon the design on Wallhub’s Instagram account and I fell in love with the look of large foliage and bold prints. The botanical design of the wallpaper and the bold colours were a juxtaposition of nature and modern living. That’s how I knew I wanted this to be a part of my home.

My husband then told me that although he liked having a “botanical” look he did not want live plants in the home, so I thought the wallpaper was the only way I could satisfy my dream of a jungle home. The wallpaper came, yes but eventually so did all the plants you see here in my living room. Oops.

The result? I think it looks pretty good! So, my husband is not complaining and no regrets at all.  

Wallhub: Tell us more about your experience with Wallhub!

Zoe: I had an easy experience coordinating with Wallhub. We met our sales assistant from Wallhub at the Home By Hitcheed event 6 months before we started renovation. Once we have confirmed the wallpaper, we linked up both Wallhub with our Interior Designer and all I needed to do was to choose my desired texture of the wallpaper and decide on the space where I wanted the wallpaper to be. My ID and Wallhub coordinated to ensure the measurements were accurate and viola, it all came together.

Wallhub: With 2 years in, how is the wallpaper holding up for you especially when your adorable furkids (Mochi & Matcha) are free to be where their hearts lead them?

Zoe: The wallpaper is holding up well! There were no issues on maintenance thus far and the texture does not catch dust too. Matcha and Mochi are both long fur cats and the wallpaper did not catch on their fur. My cats do not have severe scratching habits but even if they did, the wallpaper seem to have a very durable finish that will be able to withstand it.

Wallhub: Thank you so much for sharing, Zoe! Would you have any tips for other couples looking for inspiration to style their homes?

Zoe: Enjoy the process of your home styling and designing journey! Afterall, a home is not about how it looks but really about the people who lives in it.  

For more peeks into the lovely spaces of homeowners of #homewithwallhub, head on over here!