Designer bathroom
A pioneer in premium sanitaryware, Duravit products transform the bathroom into a luxury paradise, regenerating daily rituals. Recently, the German brand launched a new bathroom range, White Tulip, designed entirely by renowned French designer Philippe Starck.
Created for any type of bathing space, White Tulip echoes the organic silhouette of a tulip in bloom, exuding a sculptural and elegant character. It includes a bathtub, faucets, washbasins and furniture, toilets and bidets, connected mirrors with anti-fogging technology and various light dimmers.
The nuances of the material, elegant finishes and wellness enhancements of the White Tulip collection easily create a calming oasis in the bathroom for a rejuvenating start and end to the day. Incidentally, White Tulip has been honoured with the iF Design Award 2022, German Design Award and this year’s Red Dot Award for Product Design.
Tapping rubberwood
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Japanese retailer Muji is prioritising the environment with the responsible sourcing of local materials for its furniture production. Its latest rubberwood collection is part of a “think local, act local” move where Southeast Asian companies work together to support local businesses and farmers. The rubberwood used for this series is derived from rubber trees grown in Southeast Asia. By using an agricultural by-product of the rubber industry, not only does it reduce deforestation solely for furniture, but also its abundance enables Muji to keep agricultural costs lower while retaining its quality standards.
Known for its timeless strength and durability, rubberwood is a tropical hardwood timber with many outstanding features. It is sustainable and cost-effective, making it an excellent material choice for furniture. Rubberwood lumber is coarse-grained and has medium density, similar to ash and maple wood. Like oak, rubberwood is resistant to mould, bacteria and fungi.
See also: The Edge Singapore's lifestyle team Options publishes its third issue of HAVEN
Kitchen professional
The new Galileo ovens by SMEG have opened the door to a world of culinary possibilities at home. Galileo’s groundbreaking and easy-to-use technology saves time and energy, making it a perfect ally for both experienced and aspirational chefs.
The ovens of Galileo have adopted professional algorithms aimed at revolutionising the home cooking experience with three different cooking modes that offer the highest performance and optimal results: traditional, steam and microwave cooking. Spearheading this new generation of SMEG ovens is the Omnichef range which highlights the brand’s revolutionary Multicooking technology that combines traditional, steam and microwave cooking in a single product.
The range comes with two cooking functions that make mastering multi-stage recipes a breeze. Different cooking methods can be programmed and triggered to operate one after another (Multistep) or simultaneously (Multitech) without the need to reset temperature and duration parameters. The Galileo ovens are available at SMEG’s experiential showroom at Marina One.
Big on colour
The most compact coffee machine by Nespresso, the Vertuo Pop ($249) adds a pop of colour to any coffee corner. The four new colourways give coffee lovers the freedom to personalise and add a style statement to their space, from classic Liquorice Black to vibrant and playful Spicy Red, Mango Yellow or Aqua Mint.
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Small yet powerful, it offers great versatility, brewing up to four different coffee styles from a short espresso (40ml), a double espresso (80ml), a gran lungo (150ml) to a large mug of coffee (230ml). It comes with an intelligent brewing system that identifies the barcode on each different Vertuo capsule, ensuring each cup is tailor-made to the specific coffee blend, revealing quality aroma and crema every time. The Vertuo coffee range offers over 30 different coffee capsules from pure single-origin coffees and exceptional blends specially developed to suit every taste preference.
Sustainable household hacks
Responsible consumption does not require sacrificing your quality of life. Here are four easy lifestyle tips to reduce household energy waste and save on utility bills
Use a pressure-sensing handshower
Ditch your old hand shower for Kohler’s game-changing New Statement Multifunction Handshower with WaterMind Technology ($388). Its pressure sensing technology allows users to experience consistent and strong water flow regardless of water pressure — imperative for those living in multi-level apartments in Singapore who may often experience water pressure fluctuations.
With the aim of encouraging more people to recycle, Kohler is working with a local recycling company, Toyotron, to run a trade-in campaign from now to December, where used hand showers will be recycled and repurposed. Simply drop off your old hand shower at the Kohler Experience store to enjoy exclusive discounts of up to 60% off for purchasing any new hand shower.
Switch to a dishwasher
Contrary to popular belief, you save up to 83% more water when using a dishwasher than washing dishes by hand. Hand washing under running water consumes an average of 40 litres per load, while resource-efficient dishwashers like the Bosch ActiveWater Eco dishwasher use as little as 6.5 litres for the same amount. Not to mention, with built-in internal high-pressure water jets, there’s absolutely no need for limited-use sponges and plastic accessories to get into the nooks and crannies of mugs or cooking utensils to get rid of tough stains.
Get a heat pump dryer
As the monsoon season rolls around, air-dry clothing becomes increasingly difficult, especially if indoor space is limited. If this is the case, consider investing in a good heat pump dryer, and you no longer have to worry about drying your clothes in time. In contrast to vented or condenser dryers, heat pump dryers actually bear the most cost savings as they reuse heated air in a closed-circuit system. This means up to 50% of energy is saved as no additional heat element is supplied to increase temperatures. Bosch’s dryers automatically clean away lint with water extracted during the drying cycle, saving us maintenance trouble and additional resources.
Shower with recycled water
Reusing shower water may seem unsettling. But a future that turns reusing 100% clean shower water into a reality for Singaporeans isn’t that far-fetched, especially with companies like Grohe paving the way. The Grohe Everstream system is one of its game-changers: the recycle-water mode collects water, maintains the desired temperature, and ensures hygienic treatment for the next user, effortlessly eliminating any bacteria, dead skin cells, dirt, or soap remnants in the process. More than conserving water that would otherwise be wasted, the Everstream system also achieves remarkable water savings and energy efficiency. Compared to traditional showers that consume approximately 120 litres of fresh water in 10 minutes, this system uses as little as 30 litres, resulting in up to 75% of water savings. This means a potential annual water bill reduction of 65% for the average four-person household!
A union of excellence
Using Jacquard weaving, the timeless Avalon motif shines in the Hermes Autumn/Winter 2023 home collection
Brought to life through the creative eye of Nicola Aguzzi, she transforms a creation embellished with hand-embroidered round beads that elevate the natural softness of cashmere with a soft textured allure. Moreover, these embellishments are pivotal in accentuating the dynamic interplay of colours embodied within the H signature. Pictured is the Avalon Néon jacquard cushion in hand-embroidered cashmere
Playfully exploring various cabins envisioned by Nigel Peake, this children’s collection indulges in a whimsical interplay of gentle threads, materials, and cheerful colours. Pictured are: Lune Cabanes rug in hand-embroidered wool and Cabanes matelassé blanket in embroidered merino wool and cashmere
This porcelain vase showcases intricate botanical patterns envisioned by Jeffrey Fisher. Meticulously handcrafted, the blend of colours and accents of golden threads within the design makes each piece unique. Pictured is the Dune vase in hand-painted porcelain, gold thread
Drawing inspiration from the illustrated catalogues within the Émile Hermès collection, the Pierre Charpin design infuses these mugs with vibrant colour blocks that radiate in captivating shades.
These centerpiece creations are crafted from a single leather sheet. Each piece is cut, contoured, and saddle-stitched. In this iteration, master artisans have adorned it with hand-painted geometric patterns using ink. Pictured are: Pli’H Myriade round centrepiece in hand-painted bridle leather; Pli’H Myriade square centrepiece in hand-painted bridle leather ; Pli’H Myriade rectangular centrepiece in hand-painted bridle leather – AUDREY SIMON
