Asian home style takes off

Asian home style takes off

Tan Gim Ean, ANN/The Star, Singapore

The line that separates interiors and exteriors in Asian homes is slowly blurring. People are reaching out to embrace the environment - evident in the way gardens have been brought into the house, living or dining areas which open out to pools, and even bathrooms built under the open sky.

This current trend in interiors excites Karina Zabihi, who owns kzdesigns (kzdesigns.com) in Singapore.

People are not scared to merge or overlap. They mix and match Asian elements with contemporary settings. They are more willing to try new ideas and push the boundaries. It's intensely personal."

As co-author of Periplus Editions' Contemporary Asian series, Zabihi visited many homes that are Asian in character but sport global touches. These are combined in such clever ways that often, the personality of their owners come through.

She was thrilled to find bedrooms that double as a study or library, or have exercise cum entertainment areas. Beds have been moved from against the wall to the middle of the room. Many don't have head- boards; often, there is just a raised mattress, set against curtains and pictures on a wall.

There is also evidence that industrial materials like steel, iron and concrete are being used more in the home, especially the kitchen. People dare to mix textures and are more inclined to take risks with colours.

All of which augur well for Asian design today, the focus of the five books that Zabihi wrote jointly with Chami Jotisalikorn of Thailand. Four of them - Bathrooms; Kitchens and Dining Rooms; Living Rooms, and Bedrooms - were launched at The Sukhothai in Bangkok last November.

Contemporary Pools and Gardens will be available in Malaysia mid-February.

To mark the launch, Periplus invited five designers to create scenes from the four main rooms of a house within Sukhothai's courtyard. The result was a unique show of styles and products befitting a series that highlights what's hip and hot in home decor.

Chananun Theeravanvilai combined function and simplicity with her use of shower, candles and towels. Nachanok Ratchanadaros was lavish with colours and textures in his fun table setting. Rika Dila enticed many guests to plonk themselves on her sofa, the centrepiece of her living room set. Vichien Chansevikul and Michael Palmer showed off the versatile uses of leather in a cosy bedroom.

Little wonder that Zabihi loves to style homes.

"The biggest challenge lies in making a space look beautiful yet be functional. A lot depends on the size of the room and the house."

It's harder to work with a small space, but give her S$10,000 and she could furnish a whole studio apartment from scratch. But budget shouldn't cramp style because there are alternatives - like shopping at second-hand shops and buying furniture that can be repainted or recovered.

The most difficult room to style is the bathroom, she finds, because it is such a personal space. Given her way, she'd put in a big vase, flowers and towels, and set aside lots of space to store and hide things so that the room looks clean and uncluttered.

She admits to being a perfectionist who wants to do a good job. "When you get it right, it's most gratifying."

Unfortunately, it's hard to find good craftsmen nowadays. Many artisans dont pay attention to detail - and it's the details that can spoil everything else in a house.

Zabihi had years to hone her knack for detail. Her aunt in France did interior design and as a teenager, she used to tag along on her projects. After a few other careers, among them fashion and films, she decided on interior decor. It's akin to film, she feels.

"At the end of the day, you fill a frame with light, shapes, textures and people.

As one who likes to get her hands dirty (literally), she designs custom-made furniture - tables, lights, cabinets and sideboards. "I like to give people things that are not what they seem."

She had an eye for the unusual even while growing up in Iran, which she left at 15, during the revolution.

Asked what inspires her, she reaches into her mind's eye and replies:

"The desert. Actually, it's very beautiful. I loved its cleanness and colours. I used to go riding as a child and would stop at its salt lakes as the sun rose. I'd watch the lakes change from black to blue, purple and pink, and see flowers that pop up and disappear in minutes."