Category Archives: General

The great show flat illusion

Posted on 24 Oct 2009 | Comments Off on The great show flat illusion
nothingYou may have heard of how some home buyers, when collecting the keys to their prized apartments, were left disappointed when their units turned out to be much smaller than the show flats had seemed.

“When you go into the show flat and everything is very nice, sometimes you get distracted and mundane details like storage space does not cross your mind,” said Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer Nicholas Mak.

“Mirrors ca be a sense of space”

Here’s what to look out for so that you don’t get cornered into a shoe box when you collect your apartment keys.

1. Mirrors

Arguably the fairest of all interior design tricks, mirrors are used liberally in show flats to make units look bigger with reflections creating illusions of spaciousness. Unless you’re ready to install mirrors in the same fashion, remember to rip these off from the walls of your dream apartment.

2. Glass walls

Some developers install glass walls in show flats to create an illusion of space between two rooms, particularly between the living room and the nearest bedroom. These glass walls typically have a label on them saying something along the lines of “This is a partition wall”. Ask if the unit you’re eyeing will also have these glass walls or they may well be the standard concrete walls instead. Continue reading →

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Home stretch

Posted on 24 Oct 2009 | Comments Off on Home stretch

A look at latest happenings in the home decorating scene

CLEAN AND CHEERY
Expect to see retail trends move towards ‘affordable luxury’, says Viggo Molhom (above), president and chief executive of Danish furnishing group BoConcept, whose key new pieces include a ‘cheeky’ rocking chair (next)

AFTER the economic crisis, expect to see retail trends move towards ‘affordable luxury’, says Viggo Molhom, president and chief executive of Danish furnishing group BoConcept.

Of course, this observation fits neatly with BoConcept’s market positioning, he admits. But what with the retail scene taking such a knock during the economic meltdown – plus reports that tastes and expectations have changed as buyers expect discounts and prefer the ‘middle’ ground rather than the uber-luxurious – his statement rings true.

‘Pricing is much more important than it was before,’ he says. ‘Today’s consumer is still conscious of quality and style – but more focused on price.’ People who used to buy at the top end now prefer to spend less. ‘And we’re in a position to benefit from this shift,’ says Mr Molhom.

That’s good news for BoConcept and other retailers that pitch their products in the mid to upper-mid range.

Almost a year into the economic downturn – or ‘after’, as some quarters are touting – BoConcept is strengthening its market position. It has closed some stores – but has also opened new ones. ‘The Asian market is good for us – we’re expanding in China and opened our second store in Manila last year,’ says Mr Molhom. ‘We’re looking to open in Bangkok soon and starting the first in Mumbai in January.’ He was in Singapore this week to open the second store here. Continue reading →

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