Asian design shines

WHEN it comes to buying that sofa or set of dining chairs for your brand new house or condo, foreign brands – notably Italian, Scandinavian, Japanese and the like – come to mind. But a design fair launching in Singapore from Sep 26 to 28 shows that South-east Asian designers can easily give them a run for their money.

Decide for yourself when the third annual Find Design Fair Asia takes place here. One of the most authoritative furniture and design fairs in the region, visitors will be looking out for the Emerge showcase which spotlights the work of South-east Asian creatives. These designers are often inspired by traditional materials, crafts and practices, and their contemporary interpretations make them especially appealing to furniture lovers here. In Friday’s edition of BT Lifestyle, we look at some of the most unique creatives in the show, from the Philippines’ dynamic duo Nazareno/Lichauco to Singapore’s Ivan Ho.

In Design, we can understand the dream of most landed home owners to have their own swimming pool in the garden, but what about inside the house? We visit one property which takes the tropical house concept up a level, with a swimming pool on the second floor of the semi-detached home.

And in Dining, we don’t exactly samba our way to Sushisamba, but if you’re looking for a modern twist on Japanese food, you might want to check out this new sky-high restaurant at Capital Tower.

For all this and more, don’t miss Friday’s issue of BT.