Furniture, art, carpets, cutlery and lamps, plus where to live short-term, the best cleaners, and everything else you could possibly need for loving your Singapore home can be found on our website and in our magazine. Here’s what’s new, including new shops, product ranges and services. We’ll be updating this on a monthly basis, so make sure you check in regularly!
Treasure trove
We’ve been stalking Celson homeware on Instagram since 2018, so we were thrilled to hear of its new space in Kallang. Brainchild of talented mumpreneur Sonam Singh, Celson is a product of passion. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, India, Sonam’s love for local art and design began at a young age and led her to a career in Delhi. After a decade in the industry supplying Indian furniture and accessories to buyers around the world, Sonam moved to Singapore and opened up shop. From bohemian and vintage vibes to industrial chic, the eclectic collection of furniture comes in various wood finishes and statement styles. Shop from stock or get something custom-ordered to your choice of colour, size and finish. We love the range of home accessories, too – from copper mugs and lanterns to bone-inlay trays and marble cheese boards.
Drop by 30 Kallang Place, #05-04 or visit celson.sg to shop online.
Boujie Basins
Add a spot of functional art to your bathroom with these colourful concrete basins by Lux Crete. Just launched in Singapore, each basin is designed and handcrafted in South Africa, using a special GFRC concrete mix that’s both light in weight and high in strength. Handcrafted in various shapes and styles, no two pieces are the same. Available in 11 colours from charcoal to mint to a gorgeous dusty pink.
Email info@luxcrete.sg for more details or follow @lux_crete_singapore on Insta
Love for Local
Started by college pals Jessica Wong and Pamela Ting, Scene Shang is a furniture and lifestyle label driven by the belief that home is where culture begins. Determined to tell the tale of Singapore’s rich history through their work, their pieces are heritage-inspired with a contemporary twist. We love the recent collaboration with local brands Binary Style, Onlewo and Minor Miracles, which sees local prints and fabric married into their cane chair collection.
Bright Idea!
Smart living provider VIO has launched Singapore’s first smart lighting subscription plan! Creating affordable and hassle-free lighting solutions, each smart light comes with swift set-up and easyto-control Bluetooth-Wi-Fi technology. From downlights to LED strips, users can dim the lights for cosy movie nights or boost the white lights for work-from-home productivity through VIO’s smartphone app. All lights are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home and come with a lifetime guarantee when purchased with VIO’s subscription plan.
Safe Space
Urban Retreat is a new sustainable collection from Crate & Barrel that’s designed to weave tranquillity and calm into your home. It focuses on creating a sophisticated and soft look, with luxury in the detail, so your stylist sanctuary looks effortlessly put-together. Think calming pastels and colour-washed hues, coupled with soft textures and crisp tailoring – you’ll never want to leave home!
Trendy Threads
The newest interior fabric collection from Armani/Casa Textiles by Rubelli has arrived exclusively at the Altfield Interiors Showroom. The Shape of Colours collection is inspired by modern art and features embroideries, ikat effects and fantasy wefts in a classic Armani neutral palette, brought to life with bright and vivid details.
Check out the range of 11 new designs at 1 Magazine Road, #07-10 Central Mall Office Tower.
Tall Order
Known for reinterpreting icons of our imagination with a playful spirit, quirky Italian brand Qeeboo brings renowned design provocateurs into interior spaces around the world. Featured in the latest arrivals to Singapore is this whimsical statement piece. Designed by Marcantonio, Giraffe In Love is a 2.65-metre standing chandelier, guaranteed to spark the imagination of all. Available in ivory and black at $5,800.
Deep Sleep
Renowned for their organic latex mattresses, bed specialists European Bedding have introduced a new Heveya Organic Duvet! Made ethically in Germany and consisting of 100 percent GOTS-certified cotton cover and 100 percent bamboo lyocell fibre padding, this summerweight duvet is breathable and hypoallergenic. Pair it with Heveya Bamboo Sheets and you’re in for a cool and comfortable night. What’s more, European Bedding has also just launched a 360-degree digital showroom! With the click of a button, you can browse the range of eco-friendly latex mattresses, ergonomic slatted bed bases, pillows and sheets. Plus, the store’s sleep experts are available to video call for additional advice and recommendations.
Find out more at europeanbedding.sg.
Local Lumber
We’re in love with this commemorative Singapore piece by The Table Guy. Created in collaboration with new local café Kizuna, The Kizuna Table was created to showcase Singaporean mahogany wood, craftsmanship and design. It was fittingly released on National Day, and The Table Guy has made it available for custom orders.
Grab yours at tableguy.sg
Ready, Set, Restore!
If your furniture is looking a little lacklustre or you’ve purchased something secondhand, a revamp can give it a new lease of life! Whether it’s a modern, vintage or distressed look you’re after, restoration specialists Retro Dec come with 25 years of experience and are ready to work their magic.
Check out their new collection of funky upcycled and one-of-a-kind furniture too, available online at retrodec.com/furniture
Style on Call
Property and lifestyle platform Hmlet has launched a furniture subscription and online interior design service to cater to the ever-changing needs and movements of its customers. Choose from over 100 items, ranging from bed frames to chairs, tables, lighting and even accessories – available as complete collections or à la carte. The Hmlet Interiors service is available on the online platform and offers three levels of services, ranging from pocket-friendly options to a full-service brief-to-build offering.
Backup blunders: The most common mistakes and how to avoid them!
Do you worry about losing all of your precious data – decades of family memories and a lifetime of documents and paperwork? Don’t fret. Tekkie Help experts SARAH and BO share with us the four most common backup mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Moving all data to a “backup drive”
We frequently have customers who come to us with an external hard drive that’s intended to be their “backup drive”, yet it holds the only copy of their data. A backup is only a backup if it’s a second or third copy. External drives are excellent backup devices but if you’re moving data off your computer to make space, always ensure you make a second copy.
Mistake #2: Confusing backups with syncs
While the likes of iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox are excellent ways to store data, did you know that these cloud solutions are not strictly a backup? The Cloud is actually a synchronising software that replicates the data stored on other devices. For example, if you delete data off the Cloud or off your phone, it will also delete off your device or the Cloud. To prevent falling into this common trap, make sure you carefully check your Cloud settings before deleting photos, and also make sure you have a versioned backup of your devices.
Mistake #3: Using the same backup drive for years
Hard drives generally only have a life span of four to five years, so it’s essential that you regularly replace the hard drives you’re using for your backup. The same applies for your computer’s internal hard drive, too!
Mistake #4: Forgetting to verify the backup
It’s all well and good setting up a backup system, but what if it fails and no one notices? Regularly checking your backup to ensure everything is running smoothly can save you a huge headache later on down the line. When verifying your backup, you should look to see if the time and contents are correct, that each backup has finished and that you can successfully restore any data written during the backup.
Don’t fall victim to these common backup blunders! If you need help or advice setting up a robust backup, call 8113 8682 or visit tekkiehelp.com – and quote “Expat Living” for a 15 percent discount on labour.
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