Secrets From Experts: Tips On Buying The Right Furniture & Personalising Your Home

You know what they say, there ain’t no place like home! And for good reason too, because when you shop at Tan Boon Liat, your crib is gonna be pretty hard to beat.

Retailing modern, solid teak, walnut and oak wood pieces designed in Belgium, their furniture is also known for its environmental stewardship and ethical craftsmanship.

What’s more, they provide lifetime warranty and lifetime maintenance service on all products.

Tip: To ensure that your pieces live to a ripe old age, it’s best to look for pieces from reputable, well-established brands or companies. These pieces are fumigated to ensure the absence of mould and pests, and kiln-dried to minimize the risk of warping and cracking. Last but not least, make sure your purchase is covered by a product warranty or after-sales maintenance services.

2) Purchase modular pieces to mix and match, and furniture designed with extra functionality in mind

Pieces that can be taken apart and re-arranged will increase their mileage as you assemble them to create an infinite number of new looks.

For instance, the Theo Wall Unit from Journey East (#03-02) is the master of all trades.

Tip: A module-based system gives homeowners the power to customise the furniture based on their needs.

Where space constraint is the name of the game, this versatile piece contains modular units that can be taken apart, or combined together in a multitude of ways to fit any space. Plus, it’s made of hard-fumed oak, which translates to high quality.

Next up is the PLAYplay collection from Journey East as well.

Designed by award-winning design studio Lanzavecchia + Wai for Journey East, each piece was carefully conceptualised with the modern home in mind; in terms of design, proportion, and functionality.

Hamburger Side Table

These colourful little “hamburgers” are sure to be conversational starters.

Take off the top “bun” for a slightly larger coffee table surface when you have friends over during a house party. Take your pick from 3 designs: round, oval and pentagon.

Cots from  (#07-05).

[caption id="attachment_18910" align="alignnone" width="4110"] Fynn Cotbed from Ethnicraft Online[/caption]

Neatly hidden when not in use, no one will be any the wiser when you whip out this party trick.

3. Seek out items with high transformative value and small price tags

Tip: A little goes a long way. Here’s why – small accessories can play up the value of a piece of furniture, transforming a cut-rate table to one that looks like a big-ticket item straight out of a designer showroom.

For home accessories, head to Arete Culture (#06-01), Make Room (#11-09B), or Plain Vanilla Home (#08-06). Bang-for-your-buck accessories include:

• Flowers: Arete Culture stocks a wide range of high-quality artificial flowers that require no maintenance, and they can even be washed.

[caption id="attachment_18924" align="alignnone" width="3344"] Floral Kokoro.

[caption id="attachment_18926" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cochine, Maison by Amanda Dyer, and Park London. [caption id="attachment_18911" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cochine Candles[/caption]

• Trays: Trays are always useful when entertaining at a house party or serving dinner guests. Featured below are Ethnicraft Online’s Notre Monde Trays, which are individually hand-crafted and double as pieces of art.

[caption id="attachment_18930" align="alignnone" width="3362"] Ethnicraft Online‘s Notre Monde Tribal Quest Trays[/caption]

4. Collect meaningful memorabilia and make full use of Nature’s gifts to personalise your home

To go about making your home the most beautiful place on earth:

• Travel mementoes and personal memorabilia are a fun way of incorporating your personality throughout the home!

Tip: The trick is to edit: Display only your absolute favourites.

[caption id="attachment_18912" align="alignnone" width="650"] Pinterest[/caption]

• Pick a wall and paint a mural or a statement colour. You can also wallpaper it.

[caption id="attachment_18920" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Bring the outdoors in: Natural touches such as branches and shells are an elegant way of adding more organic textures and shapes to your home. This lends a tranquil touch to a visually-interesting space.

[caption id="attachment_18928" align="alignnone" width="455"] Pinterest[/caption]

Bonus Tip: How to Doll Up Your Home for the Christmas Season

• For some holiday cheer, all you need is a little sparkle. Create a simple but stunning table centerpiece with some tree branches in vase, which you can spray paint or decorate with Christmas baubles.

• To spice things up for the Christmas season, fill up a clear bottle or vase with festive items e.g. coloured eggs for Easter, and pussy willow for Chinese New Year.

The best part? Make Room currently has a collection of Christmas items, such as recycled wooden Christmas trees and a wide range of Christmas décor.

To keep things sophisticated, stick to the same colour family. Silvers and golds add a touch of glamour, and red is a good idea for the season.

[caption id="attachment_18932" align="alignnone" width="554"] Pinterest[/caption]

To lend your home a burst of character, do also drop by Singapore Trading Post (#07-01) or FairPrice Antique (#01-10) for fun and eclectic accessories.

Tan Boon Liat Block Party

This weekend (26 and 27 November), Tan Boon Liat will be throwing its first ever Block Party!

20 participating showrooms such as Journey East, Arete Culture and Make Room will be opening their doors for a train of design workshops, food and wine tastings, seasonal gift ideas and special offers.

It doesn’t just end there – over $5,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs!

For more information, check out their Facebook Page.

Tan Boon Liat Building
Address: 315 Outram Road, Singapore 169074

Header image credits:

Perfectly Nailing It! This Lacquer Bar Can Make Any Nail Polish Colour You Want

Nail Deck – you could call it a nail polish GPS – guiding you to that oh-so-specific hue of nail paint you’ve been lusting over. Or better yet, think of it as the Shazam of nail polishes.

[caption id="attachment_18467" align="alignnone" width="750"] Nail Deck TechinAsia[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_18468" align="alignnone" width="750"] Nail Deck TechinAsia[/caption]

Not only will homegrown , it’s the real life version of the virtual Nail Deck app.

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Nestled in acclaimed nail salon, esBoudoir, in Vivo City, customers can watch their perfect nail colour being mixed by hand.

Despite being tailor-made to cater to your wildest whims, a 5-ml bottle of your desired colour only costs $11, while a 10-ml bottle goes for $16.

From 17 October 2016 to 31 December 2016, feel free to bring in discontinued lacquer and a picture or an item of colour you wish to bottle. Within 10 minutes, Lacquer Bar will have that colour blended and packaged like a genie in a bottle.

If you have no colour in mind, the colourist will most gladly assist you.

Our Experience at the Lacquer Bar

We popped by, and were blown away by the warmth of the colourist in session and the staffs’ level of professionalism.

For the first time in our lives, we felt as though we were peeking behind a magician’s curtain.

Except, instead of pulling rabbits out of hats, we were creating concoctions that went onto our nails.

[video width="960" height="540" m4v="https://discoversg.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/large.m4v"][/video]

At the lacquer bar, we had an impromptu flash of inspiration from a pair of beloved faded denim shorts.

During our one-on-one consultation with the colourist, we asked for the nail polish colour to resemble “old jeans”, an all-time comfort wear close to our hearts.

We pointed at a sky blue pamphlet close by for reference, and requested for the colourist to “add a bit of grey into that blue”.

The Science of Beauty

Now, here’s where some technical jargon comes in.

The colourist used a device, called a spectrometer, to analyse the colour of the pamphlet and pick out the exact shade of blue on it. After that, the spectrometer used an in-house algorithm to convert the digital colour to a formula. How cool is that?

From there, the colourist used chemistry laboratory equipment to blend the colours by hand.

After the colours were blended, we were given small samples to test on our nails, under white and warm lights respectively.

We thought that this was especially thoughtful of them!

This countered one of our greatest worries as discerning nail polish buyers.

Our major pet peeve when buying a nail polish, is when it turns out looking like a new colour under a different lighting from the one we tried it under. Say, when it looks like a lovely violet indoors but ends up like a Barney purple outdoors.

Once the colourist had finished making adjustments to the hue, he bottled up the lovely shade for us.

FYI, never be afraid of commenting on the colour, because the Lacquer Bar accurately tailors your polish according to all the information you tell the colourist.

We even got to name our newly-created colour! We called it “Ripped Jeans” because we’ll always be rebels at heart. 

Our ambassador, Diana, also visited the Lacquer Bar! Here’s what she had to say:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMWUmTdDtvz/?taken-by=dianabakar_

Modus Operandi

Lacquer Bar keeps a record of every colour made by any customer, so you can always go back to purchase a colour you previously created.

To shake things up, the Lacquer Bar comes up with new colours every month. This November, their signature colour is a sumptuous dark plum, heralding the start of the winter season.

According to the colourist, Tiffany Blue and nude hues are the most popular nail polish shades created at the Lacquer Bar. Just so you know, this is where you can lay your hands (and nails) on them!

What is in the Works

Though crème is the only finish available at the moment, other finishes such as shimmer and glitter will be unleashed very soon.

Currently, the Lacquer Bar has an internal catalogue and a database of every colour they’ve ever made. Yes, yours and ours too.

We’re over the moon to know that they’re working on a catalogue for customers to choose colours and derive inspiration from.

Last but not least, Lacquer Bar’s upcoming Collaboration Collection will see them cooperating with local businesses and iconic personalities, so stay tuned!

Nail Deck
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Lacquer Bar

Also, read Amoy St Bloc Party Is Not Holding Back! Feast, Explore And Chill Your Sunday Away

Deepavali: 8 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Celebrate The Festival Of Lights

Deepavali is here! Lo and behold, this Festival of Lights springs from the simple act of lighting a single oil lamp. A humble gesture that has transcended the ages and the seas, it aptly tells of the triumph of light over darkness and goodness over evil.

As part of the festivities, families light oil lamps and decorate their floors with rangoli, traditional patterns made on the floor using coloured rice or flour.

Sweets such as laddu, and savoury snacks like chakli are exchanged and shared between family and friends, who go all out in their finest garb to drink and make merry.

Hold tight, and hop on our magic carpet ride. We’ll take you through a list of places so fancy and awesome, you’ll be looking forward to Deepavali 2017!

1. Little India’s Deepavali Festival Village

For the ultimate Deepavali experience, head down to Little India! The Festival Village on Campbell Lane and Hastings Road comes to life with a bazaar, which will tantalize your senses in all the best ways.

What’s tasty and neon orange in colour? Yes, it’s a jalebi. A traditional Indian sweet, it’s a coil-like pretzel made of deep-fried wheat batter soaked in sugar syrup.

With a curiously appetising texture, it manages to be both slightly chewy and crunchy at the same time. Really fun to eat!

Temple flowers and flower garlands are sold by the dozen, in numerous stalls frequented by devotees who purchase them as temple offerings.

Hint: You might need to drop by here if you’re heading to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (read on for more info).

Here’s to dressing like a Bollywood star, right down to the bling!

At the end of the day, wind down and gaze upon the mad skills of henna artists, offering henna tattoos at $5 a pop.

With lifelike figurines of deities in striking colours and ornate carvings on literally every inch of the temple, it truly is a magnificent sight to behold.

Buzzing with life from the throngs of loyal devotees who visit regularly, this temple is an even greater hub of activity during festivals such as Deepavali.

All are welcome, so feel free to step inside to witness the prayers and processions!

29 Oct, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, 141 Serangoon Rd, 5am-12.30pm, 4pm-9.30pm

4. 48as: Halloween X Deepavali Edition

Is it a Deepavali party, or a Halloween fest?

Shophouse The Social Hostel is celebrating a genius fusion creation – a Deepavali party with Halloween spice thrown in. The best of both worlds indeed.

5. Bollyween Masquerade

All those sinful Deepavali snacks may make your taste buds happy, but your waistline might not be.

If that is cause for lament, or if you’re up for a buzz of activity, we recommend this ZUMBALICIOUS party.

[caption id="attachment_16046" align="alignnone" width="960"] Zumbalicious Facebook[/caption]

Shake and shimmy up a storm with zumba instructor Erich Edralin and Miko Valenzuela. Their zumba sessions are legendary, and you’ll be dancing like a pro in no time. You’re bound to have a great time with your fellow zumba mates with the hype at an all-time-high!

29 Oct, 1pm – 2.15pm. TMP Fitness Club, 55 Newton Road, #05-02 Revenue House. Tickets go for $20, and only 35 slots are available, so hurry! Call 9178 3443 for ticket reservations.

6. SICCI ‘Retro’ Deepavali Nite 2016

Ooh, a grand dinner to wrap up the Deepavali season would really hit the spot.

Join in this party and come decked in your best retro glam à la Audrey Hepburn and Clark Gable.

It’s time to raid your parents’ wardrobes, for the theme of this party is the evergreen era of the 60s, 70s and 80s. In other words, it’s retro with a capital R.

Get ready to be dazzled by top-notch singers, comedians who actually crack you up, and dance groups from both Singapore and India.

Held at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), you’ll enjoy an outstanding gastronomical experience. With a sumptuous spread of fine Mughlai food served by noteworthy MBS culinary experts, we give it two thumbs up!

26 Nov, 6.30pm – late, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue. SICCI members pay $150, non-members pay $165. E-mail [email protected], or call 6508 0140 / 6508 0142 for any enquiries.

7. Deepavali Arts Carnival

Frisk and frolic your way through this arts carnival!

Like no other, it’s a melting pot of diverse artists and art lovers coming together to add a splash of fun to the Festival of Lights.

There’ll be interactive arts installations, art and photo exhibitions, dances, fashion shows, sand art sessions and tons more fun stuff.

15^th October:

• 11am – 12pm: Music
• 12pm – 2pm: Rhythms Aesthetic Society – Spice Art
• 2pm – 3pm: Malaysian Dancers
• 3pm – 4pm: Fashion Show

22^nd October:

• 11am – 12pm: Music
• 12pm – 2pm: Bhaki-Rasamrta: The Rhythmic Waves of the Mellows of Love
• 2pm – 4pm: Malaysian Dancers

NOTE: Both event days feature these staple activities as well – Interactive art for the community, Art Jamming and Sand Art Station

Look forward to mind-boggling abstract art with meanings so obscure, even Da Vinci wouldn’t understand.

Here, it’s fun for all, and all for fun. Come with your friends and family for a great weekend of community art workshops and hands-on activities!

8. Deepavali Craft & Heritage Exhibition: Project Oasis in Little India

Lelong, lelong!

Hailing from India, traditional craftsmen and a parrot astrologer are here to showcase their skills and hawk their unique wares this Deepavali season.

[caption id="attachment_16056" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Also, read A Breath Of Fresh Air: 7 Insanely Unique & Crazy Activities In Singapore!

Die Die Must Party: 10 Halloween Parties That’ll Scare The Living Daylights Out Of You!

Here are the million-dollar questions: Do pontianaks dance? If zombies are technically dead, will they get high on alcohol? How does it feel to be scared witless, praying that your heart doesn’t go KABOOM by night’s end? Come on down to some frightful Halloween parties, and we guarantee you’ll find the answer to these queries.

Here’s the bonus: you’ll have a hair-rising, heart-lurching good time. This Hallows’ Eve, it’s time for the demons to play!

1.

A note of caution: Come in your goriest or loveliest get-up to avoid being the next target.

Not only that, the best-dressed stand to win cash prizes, Zoukout VIP tickets, flight tickets and more. Entry is not guaranteed if the club is full, so arrive early!

The Scream Diner by Zouk Halloween
29 Oct, 10pm-late
Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim Street
Admission for non-members (incl 2 drinks): $33/$38
Free and priority entry are given to those in FULL costume (pending approval by door attendant)

2. Battle Royale

“Kerpow!”

 

“Come at me!”

“Why, you…!”

And… that, ladies and gentlemen, is only the beginning.

[caption id="attachment_15843" align="alignnone" width="960"] BattleRoyale on Facebook[/caption]

This year, only one will be crowned the King of The Ring. Fight it out with the biggest and the baddest at Overeasy Orchard.

On this night, unleash your inner Bruce Lee, or channel your trusty WWE champ.

For a touch of the orient, pummel the baddies as Ip Man or Huang Fei Hong. Manny Pacquiao would do too, just power up that devilish glare and turn em’ rivals to stone.

[caption id="attachment_15830" align="alignnone" width="750"] Battle Royale by Overeasy
29 Oct, 10pm-2.30am
Overeasy Orchard, 541 Orchard Road #01-01, Liat Towers
Free entry

3. Cirque Le Soir[/caption]

We dare you to come in your freakiest, most outlandish costume to “outfreak” the freaks!

It’ll be a mystical, bewitching night that’ll haunt your dreams a little longer than eternity.

Cirque Le Soir
Oct 29, 9pm-late
CÉ LA VI, SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands, 1 Bayfront Ave
Purchase online pre-sale tickets at $48, or purchase it at the door at $68 – both options include one premium pour

4. Atlantis Fright Night

With a name like the Wavehouse, what do you expect? You’re bound to get soaked!

[caption id="attachment_15836" align="alignnone" width="910"] Atlantis[/caption]

Yes, that means you had better bring along your itsybitsyteenieweenieyellowpolkadotbikini!

Atlantis Fright Night
22 Oct, 6pm-late
Wavehouse Sentosa, 36 Siloso Beach Walk
Early bird entries are priced at $35 and prices at the door are $50
Both include 1 complimentary drink and 3 hours of free flow drinks
Ladies who register on the online guest list get free entry until 10pm

6.

Ghost stories are merely tales, aren’t they?

Well… here at *Scape, you’re in for the plot twist of your life! The story is true, and shows how life can truly be stranger, and bloodier, than fiction.

[caption id="attachment_15838" align="alignnone" width="430"]

Ahoy, ahoy!

Harking back to the 1800s where everyone mysteriously died on the ship, their restless spirits have finally awakened this Halloween. Join them in diabolical revelry, as you gobble and guzzle the night away.

[caption id="attachment_15839" align="alignnone" width="842"] The Forest: Shanghai Dolly

Ask any traveller worth his salt, and he’ll have you know that one of the spookiest places to get lost in, is the forest. Some might drop the name Aokigahara, while others might rain evil on the Devil’s Tramping Ground (the name says it all), or the demonic Pembrey Woods.

[caption id="attachment_15840" align="alignnone" width="678"] Shanghai Dolly on Facebook[/caption]

Inspired by the stuff of nightmares found in cursed forests, Shanghai Dolly brings you into the inky, winding woods this Halloween.

Pray that you don’t get lost, but be warned: Prayer might not work in the forest, where the Heavens can’t hear you scream.

The Forest: Shanghai Dolly
Call 6336 7676 / 9232 4181 to reserve your seats early
Stay tuned to Shanghai Dolly’s Facebook page for more updates

10. Nerf Halloween 2016: Paranormal High School

Your footsteps echo off the deserted hallways that seethe with darkness. Somehow, you can tell that it’s not just the mildew and the mouldering walls, but something older, and angrier.

You are armed with nothing but conviction, and a Nerf gun. Your ammo is running low, and it is hard to see with nothing but the moonlight.

Still, you press on. “All those FPS games had better come in handy now,” you mutter under your breath…

According to rumours, a pair of sisters disappeared in this school, one so notoriously haunted that it’s now known as Paranormal High School. Tonight, it is your duty, to seek this pair of sisters, before the evil in the school gets to you first.

Mortals, dare you brave this school from the bowels of Hell?

Nerf Halloween 2016: Paranormal High School
28 and 29 Oct, 7pm-late
Potong Pasir Community Club, 6 Potong Pasir Ave 2
Early bird promotion is going at $10, and the regular price is $15
The first 150 pax for the early bird registration gets a pack of 10 piece NERF Dart pack sponsored by Hasbro Singapore

To answer your questions, pontianaks do dance and zombies do get woozy after being hit by a tower of alcohol…for these Halloween parties at least!

And the feeling of screaming yourself silly with a bunch of buddies? Absolutely priceless.

Header image source: Knittingzone

For less scream-inducing activities this October, check out these Top 5 Events You Cannot Miss!

Also, read Hai Di Lao Tips: Essential Hacks That Will Save You Time, Money, And More! for supper after fright night.

Hai Di Lao Tips: Essential Hacks That Will Save You Time, Money, And More!

Hai Di Lao? Yes, you heard it. When it comes to this legendary hotpot establishment, tales abound. By now, you must have amassed your own encyclopaedia of “black market” Hai Di Lao tips to take your Hai Di Lao experience to greater heights.

To add to your plethora of knowledge, we have gone undercover and infiltrated the depths of the Hai Di Lao world, right down to unearthing their new outlet in VivoCity!

Today, we are proud to present our findings – Hai Di Lao tips that are 100% legit and guaranteed to work.

Queue-killing hack

To beat the queue, arrive very early… anytime before 5pm is fine. Preferably, call before you head down. Otherwise, you’ll be faced with a horrendous queue that’ll shock the living daylights out of you.

Anytime from 10 pm is good, as the dinner crowd would be gone by then and Hai Di Lao is open till 6 am.

To ensure that your table is ready by 10pm, call in early to take a queue number and let them know that you’ll arrive at 9pm.

If you come with wine or alcohol, Hai Di Lao will even open your bottle and serve it to you and your companions, free of charge!

Now, who’s up for a glass of spirits?

Mini pot hack

If you think germs and bacteria are creepy… or if your idea of fashion is a Hazmat suit, Hai Di Lao’s individual hot pots are perfect for you.

Credits: Credit: be the next Freddy Krueger try Hai Di Lao’s paper crane challenge.

[caption id="attachment_15563" align="aligncenter" width="1532"] Credits: wfenzz[/caption]

For every 30 paper cranes you fold, Hai Di Lao will reward you with a free $6 dish of your choice.

Fret not if you do not know how to fold these cranes, the staff will teach you how!

Health hack

Fats? *shudders* Coagulated fats? *fear intensifies* 

Congratulations, you have just discovered the hidden horror… and we’ll let you know how to overcome it. Not with a crucifix, but with your trusty ol’ ladle!

The longer you boil your soup, the more concentrated it becomes. This causes the soup to become loaded with nitrates, fats and excess protein.

[caption id="attachment_16186" align="aligncenter" width="1824"] Credit: butter believer[/caption]

That white film floating on the surface of your soup isn’t the trail left by the Loch Ness monster.

It’s actually coagulated fats, nitrates and protein, which is no good for you. So, ladles up, and scoop away the white stuff!

Redeemable manicure hack

Who would pass up the opportunity of a free manicure? Not me!

The good news is, Hai Di Lao’s renowned manicure services are redeemable. Should the long queue prevent you from getting your manicure before dining, all is not lost.

[caption id="attachment_16496" align="alignnone" width="640"]

credit: cdn-geo dayre[/caption]

Should you wish to celebrate your grandma’s birthday there, the restaurant also offers a free platter of longevity buns to senior citizens on their special day.

This is in addition to the small gift that Hai Di Lao will present to the birthday guest, and the birthday songs that they will croon in 3 different languages.

[caption id="attachment_16185" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] credit: c3.staticflickr[/caption]

Protect-your-phone hack

A cracked phone screen is the ultimate nightmare for every phone user. This is why Hai Di Lao offers free phone screen protectors to keep your phone screens shiny and spanking new.

[caption id="attachment_16198" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: 1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-09, VivoCity, Singapore 098585
Telephone numbers: +65 6250 7557 (for reservations) +65 6250 7667 (for enquiries)
Opening hours: 10.30am – 6am

Header image credit: where to get Hai Di Lao soup base!