Water way to indulge in resort living

Planted securely on solid earth, it’s easy to forget that our humble planet’s surface is only 30 percent land. The rest, of course, is water. So with such an immense body of the stuff to explore, why should we limit our holiday getaways to terra firma? Why stay at a crash pad when you can opt instead for a splash pad? A number of visionary developers around the world have begun to build luxurious and fully equipped villas on – and even under – the water.

There’s no shortage of floating hideaways worth splashing out on, whether it be a Polynesian-themed bungalow or spaceship-shaped domicile. These amphibious residences will tickle the fancy of both the most adventurous maritime marveller and ardent landlubber. Dive right in, the water’s fine – but don’t forget an overnight bag.

Underwater Oasis

Drawn up by European architects from the Kleindienst Group, The Floating Seahorse resorts in Dubai’s “Heart of Europe” development are truly a marvel of modern design. Situated just a short boat ride from the coast, each “seahorse” has three levels: an upper deck with a mini bar and Jacuzzi, a floor at sea level and – most impressively – an underwater level. From the submerged section, guests can peer out of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom and take in the breathtaking subterranean views of the Arabian Gulf. A riotously colourful coral garden attached to the bottom level’s ledge may even attract some actual seahorses looking for their own secluded shelter. Although the resorts are still under construction, there will eventually be a total of 90 such dwellings.

River Liver

“The Fennell Residence belongs on the water; if it were built anywhere else it would make little sense,” says architect Robert Harvey Oshatz, the mastermind behind this stunning structure on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. At a glance, it’s easy to see why. The floating home’s curved lines appear to ebb and flow into one another, much like the river’s gentle tide. With western red cedar shingles and a Douglas fir deck outdoors, coupled with Brazilian cherry floors indoors, the home blends effortlessly into its natural surroundings. A sliding glass door opens out onto a bespoke deck, while the master bedroom overlooks the dining area and further beyond to the river. The living room boasts a floor-to-ceiling window, offering sweeping views of the river and perfectly framing the sunset to mark another tranquil day spent in an aquatic paradise.

“Why stay at a crash pad when you can opt instead for a splash pad?”

Futuristic Floater

The next aquatic property on our list comes courtesy of Dutch developer New Living on Water. With an ultramodern design that bears resemblance to a spaceship, these pod-shaped properties offer an escape that feels worlds away from Earth, while still providing a quick route back to land via a car jetty attached to each unit. Remarkably, each residence comes equipped with an elevator, six-car garage, outdoor terrace, private dining room, underwater view and a pool (just in case the surrounding waters weren’t enough). Available in three sizes, these pods are also eco-friendly and are powered by renewable energy sources. Although they have been marketed towards Dubai residents, the properties are not bound by geographic location and can be sold to customers anywhere in the world, either individually or as part of a larger hotel unit.

Bespoke Buoyancy

Aside from the fact that floating houses aren’t something you see every day, the most unique aspect of this boathouse – designed by Singapore-based architect Dymitr Malcew – is that each unit is designed individually according to the location, climate and client’s preferences. Buoyed by a floating platform, these bespoke homes can easily be moved from one location to the next, and can also be “docked” at a marina or pier. An outdoor terrace that wraps around the sleek, modern home can be accessed via the master bathroom, living room and two further bedrooms. Ideal for nature lovers, the home’s glass walls offer an unrivalled view of the water, while seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor worlds.

“These amphibious residences will tickle the fancy of both the most adventurous maritime marveller and ardent landlubber”

Submerged Sleeper

For those desiring to explore the depths of their adventurous spirit, the Lovers Deep cruise to the bottom of the ocean is just the ticket. Offered by luxury property rental firm Oliver’s Travels, this submarine sports all the modern conveniences and comfort of a luxury hotel. You and your first mate will be joined on-board by a chef, personal butler and, of course, the captain. To set the mood de l’amour, a special aphrodisiac tasting menu proffers oysters, caviar and chocolate fondant. Guests can also arrange for rose petals to be scattered to surprise their beloved, and breakfast is served in bed with champagne. With your sweetheart’s arms wrapped around you and a wondrous view of deep-sea life, it will be some time before you start to miss dry land.

Island Home

With its sparkling aquamarine waters and tropical climate, the Maldives is home to some of the world’s most spectacular and luxurious floating villas. Soneva Jani, a resort situated in a lagoon in the Indian Ocean, is no exception. The resort boasts 24 overwater villas, with ample space in between to afford guests the utmost in privacy and relaxation. The two-bedroom water retreat comes with a mini bar, retractable roof, upper and lower deck, pool and a slide dipping into the ocean. At night, the warm glow of the resort’s interior lighting is beautifully reflected onto the water’s surface. Those feeling a little peckish after swimming or simply lazing about under the sun need venture no further than the main guest building, The Gathering. This floating hub has a spa, library, wine cellar, retail space and restaurants that serve freshly caught seafood and pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven.

Polynesian Paradise

Holidaymakers travel great distances to come to Bora Bora, a tiny, 29 square kilometre island in French Polynesia that is world-renowned for its turquoise waters, lagoon and barrier reef. While Bora Bora is home to dozens of floating villas, Le Méridien resort has truly raised the bar. Its premium overwater bungalow, which can accommodate three people, overlooks Mount Otemanu – one of two peaks which form an ancient, extinct volcano. The bungalow’s design features playful tiki touches, like a wooden canopy bed and surfboard-shaped coffee table. An outdoor terrace allows guests to get as close to the Pacific Ocean as possible, and the blue-green waters seem to stretch endlessly towards the horizon.

Text: Emily Petsko

Tree unveils new eco-wood furniture

Tree’s new line-up of eco-wood furniture is perfect for anyone looking to give their home a rustic forest theme.

The company, based in Ap Lei Chau, has unveiled its latest collection just before spring.

Elevate Desk

Crafted from recycled teak wood and an albasia wood core, the desk has a rustic look. Furthermore, with multi-racks, TV and wine cabinets also available, it is the perfect way to create a beautiful living room.

Price: $6,950

Mona Sofa

What would a living room be without a comfortable sofa to relax on? Well, Tree’s brand new Mona Sofa has more of a casual and inviting look, especially with its large pillows, which just scream comfort.

Price: $15,950

Danico Dining Chair

Moving from the living room to the dining room, Tree also has a new range of dining chairs.

Each chair can be customised in terms of fabric and colour.

Price: $1,950 per chair

Soul Console Table

In need of a small, stylish table to store a few items? Then the Soul Console Table is just the thing for you. Like the aforementioned Elevate Desk, the table is made from recycled teak wood and an albasia wood core. The table comes with a trio of drawers to give the buyer adequate space to store items.

Price: $8.950

Terracotta ceramics

Another item with a rustic look, the terracotta ceramic pieces are handcrafted in the Philippines and come in various different colours, including a lovely turquoise and beautiful gunmetal grey.

Price: Starting from $195

Tom Dixon’s marble lights brighten up your home in style

Tired of looking at the same old lights in your house? Then, Tom Dixon’s new series of Stone lights may be the solution to your problem.

Inspired by the beauty of marble, each light is carved out of solid blocks of white marble to add a touch of grandeur to your home.

Some of the lights have an almost angelic look with a halo hallowed out of white marble and a brass bulb in the centre.

Tom Dixon, a British product design brand, strives for individuality with its lights as each piece has a unique pattern, such as grey and blues speckles or grey veins.

And to get the most out of the lighting, the marble is cut as fine as possible and is semi-translucent.

The lights start at HK$2,200 for a Stone Table Light.

www.tomdixon.net

Garment steamer takes the hassle out of cleaning clothes

Keeping your clothes in pristine condition can be a real hassle, but Dutch technology company Philips has the answer to your troubles.

Philips has unveiled their brand new Garment Steamer Series, which wards off bacteria, odours and creases.

The steamer also comes equipped with five different steam levels for different types of fabrics. Plus, for those who are not accustomed to using steamers, don’t worry, it’s really simple to use.

Furthermore, the steamer also boasts precision tips, which allows you to clean challenging areas like collars and in between buttons. What more could you want?

Price: $2,498

For more information, visit: www.philips.com.hk/en/

A fine kitchen remains the heart of any home

Modern. Spacious. Expensive. Those would seem to be the three essential words used to brief any designer of truly contemporary kitchens. As one of the most important spaces in any house, though, this is one room where function really ought to surpass form. The living heart of any home, the kitchen needs to cater to the creation of gourmet standard cuisine when guests need to be impressed, while also being a relaxed enough space for informal family eating when casual is the watchword of the day.

From quaint Spanish villas to rambling ranches to hideaways in South American rainforests, the quirky to the seamlessly modern – the kitchens showcased all bring something different to the table. As with the fine fare they will ultimately be called upon to deliver, it’s all a matter of taste.

Home on the Range
The most expansive dwelling on show this month – with the cost of its kitchen accordingly high – comes courtesy of this highly salubrious dwelling nestled in California’s Napa Valley. Such is the extent of the actual premises and its surrounding land that it is technically deemed a ranch. Originally built in the 1920s, it is now valued at tens of millions of US dollars. Given that it comprises of 12 bedrooms – five with en-suite bathrooms – a wine cellar, a swimming pool and sauna, a kitchen with a wood-fired oven, a six-car garage and accompanying stables, the price tag is hardly a surprise. The kitchen itself is a grandiose affair, complete with open-plan, stylish stone flooring and luxurious seating. This is a truly joyous space, ideal for family time or for serious, high volume food preparation whenever that may be required.

Height of Success
Majoring on altitude with attitude, this picturesque snow retreat combines the ultra-modern with some very fine homely touches. Set in Colorado’s McLain Flats, one of the world’s foremost skiing destinations, this stylish residence was designed by Steve Whipple, co-founder of the award-wining Whipple & Brewster architectural partnership. Explaining his vision for the site, Whipple says: “I wanted to create the true Colorado experience. I saw it as a home fit for a sophisticated family, one that valued the seclusion of such a rural setting, but one that also valued the convenience of being only minutes from the bustle of downtown.”

The kitchen itself is a seamless mix of marbled benchtops, woodgrain cabinets and ultra-modern aluminum-finish appliances, with a cosy sandstone tiled floor completing the look. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Aspen ski slopes, it is unlikely any chef ever had a better view.

Ibicenco Fantastico
For those seeking a truly rustic retreat, this charming Spanish kitchen is pretty much ideal. Entirely in keeping with the ensemble feel of this delightfully Moroccan-style dwelling, set in the very heart of Ibiza, the centre point of its kitchen space features three interlocking crescent moons, fetchingly framed against a blue night-sky background. At first glance, this conceit appears to be a gold-tiled pyramid set above the workspace, while it is actually a well-concealed ventilation duct. Other features of this sumptuous space include a lattice door frame with a blue and white mosaic emblem and a large, gold-hued metal and glass lamp suspended above a simply fashioned wooden kitchen table and matching chairs.

Upper Phillimore Gardens
For something truly regal – and with a price tag to match – there are few better options than Upper Phillimore Gardens, which occupies a prime location in one of London’s most desirable residential areas. Valued at $128 million ($HK994.1 million), this 10-bedroom, 10-bathroom mini-mansion comes with a stylish gold and marble interior throughout. Its impressive list of additional features includes an underground swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a roof terrace and even a panic room – a boon for any suddenly hard-up owner who finds himself worrying about just how to pay the mortgage.

Thankfully, the kitchen in this rather splendid residence is far from being a disappointment. Doubling up as a breakfast room, it is a comparatively informal setting, complete with generous south-facing windows that perfectly draw in the natural light of early morning. At present, it is home to Olena Pinchuk, daughter of an ex-president of Ukraine and a friend of Elton John.

French Flair
For those seeking a kitchen space that incorporates a number of quirkier elements, any home masterminded by Xavier Fraud, the French architect and designer, might be worth a look. Set in Brittany, in northern France, the kitchen space of this particular residence effortlessly blends motifs from several architectural schools. Art deco stools – complete with flowing metal pipe formations and candy-coloured upholstery – starkly contrast with the austere industrial-era dining table and chairs. A more playful feel is bestowed by a large wall-mounted pop-art relief and a pair of sculpted wooden Contiki masks. While clearly not to everyone’s taste, somehow these disparate components create a whole that is uniquely apt.

Ample Proportions
La Maison des Deux Fleurs estate, set along the picturesque shoreline of Lake Michigan, is pretty much the embodiment of the classic contemporary look. This ambitious residence is the brainchild of Allen Musikantow, a Chicago-based real estate magnate. In partnership with Richard Bos, a renowned local architect, he oversaw the home’s construction – from concept to completion – in less than two years. Boasting ample room throughout, its state-of the-art kitchen is no exception. It features all the expected utilities, a large pantry and direct access to the adjoining dining and music rooms. One notably homely touch in the kitchen is its inglenook – a combined chimney corner and fireplace, which helps to keep the kitchen all toasty when the wind blows in from the Great Lakes.

Tropical Musings
Set amid the lush splendour of the Osa Peninsula on the Costa Rican coast, this mansion is just perfect for languid balmy evenings and days of relaxed reflection. Robles Arquitectos, the celebrated Central American architect firm, conceived the home as the last word in ecologically-responsible design. The designers were intent on making intelligent use of the available space while capitalising on the area’s ample mix of rain and sunshine, thus ensuring that the home is self-sufficient in terms of both its energy and water needs. Its generously proportioned kitchen, meanwhile, complete with counter serving, a dining table and lounge chairs, flows seamlessly into the entertainment area. It’s just about the perfect setting for a seafood supper, gently fanned by a light breeze through the extensive balcony window.

How to turn a living room into a space worth living in

Just what makes a living room a space worth living in is a matter of some debate. While some homeowners agonise over interior design, delicately weighing their options for colour, pattern and texture, others wonder whether the accent wall should be wasabi powder green or smoky taupe.

With feng shui thrown into the mix, a home design project could seem an endless task. Perhaps short circuiting the problem, others opt for a more minimalistic approach, allowing only the bare necessities – a few chairs and the occasional table – to enter their personal space.

Regardless of style, most would agree that a living room must have two key qualities – comfort and warmth. As some of the world’s most lavish homes clearly demonstrate, however, another factor is becoming equally important – intrigue.
Contemporary living rooms need to be provocative spaces. Whether that stems from their unique shell-shaped structure or their all-glass construction is entirely down to the unique vision of their occupants and their chosen interior design teams…

1. Keen skiers looking to relax after hitting the slopes would be hard-pressed to find a more suitable locale than Aspen’s McLain Flats Estate. At once both modern and cosy, the design of this mountain resort eschews the typical bulky lodge look. Overall, the house fetchingly blends into its snow-capped mountain backdrop. Boasting a fireplace, potted plants and any number of lounge chairs and sofas in a selection of warm colours, this living room is just the perfect place to get nice and toasty with a cup of hot cocoa or maybe something stronger.

2. The living room of La Maison des Deux Fleurs – The House of the Two Flowers – is just one of the many spaces in this residence specially designed for entertaining. The house, set in a gated Wisconsin community, can comfortably host up to 150 people at any one time. The lounge – simply ideal for breakaway groups at parties – features a corner-set piano, a central space complete with mauve-hued sofas and chairs, and a third lounge area immediately adjacent to the TV and entertainment centre. A series of classical oil paintings, suspended illumination and a potted tree all add to the room’s stylish and artistic ambience.

3. The prospect of living in a glass house in the depths of the woods both intrigues and deters in equal measure, yet any negativity is immediately dispelled by one glimpse of Switzerland’s Lake Lugano House. Situated in a secluded nook, overlooking both Lake Lugano and the Swiss Alps, this living space forefronts a classic design, complete with all-white furniture, save for a few dark throw pillows.

4. A one-off conch-shaped abode, the Nautilus certainly stands out as one of the most remarkable residences in the Valley of Mexico. After ascending the stone steps and entering the house through its hidden front door, visitors can be forgiven for feeling slightly shell-shocked upon encountering the dazzling disco-esque lights that filter into the living room through its mosaic outer wall, with each circular glass section offering a different rainbow shade. This undeniably groovy lounge is the perfect setting to escape the outside world or to forsake reality entirely.

5. The Lyons Demesne estate is an Irish manor fit for a king. Set about an hour’s drive from Dublin, this Georgian style house sits amid a 600-acre bespoke space. Since its completion in 1785, the estate has undergone numerous renovations, with the most recent all down to its immediate former occupant – the late Tony Ryan, the eponymous founder of Ryanair, who sought to restore the home to its former glory.

On Hob’s Choice

Siemens Home Appliances, that most upscale of German household brands, has launched iQ700, a brand-spanking new built-in home appliance range. This timely collection includes a selection of state-of-the-art ovens, microwave ovens with grills, coffee centres and even a warming drawer. Its stylish and innovative design incorporates a delicate quadruple glass-cool touch-door. Temptingly, the whole of the oven can be used, giving it considerable extra capacity when compared with ovens of a similar size.

All of the iQ700 appliances are available in a range of sizes, with discerning homemakers able to take their kitchen to the next level with just the right size and mix of appliances to suit their home catering requirements. A true highlight of the range is the oven’s varioSpeed function, said to shorten cooking time by up to 50 percent, while the coolStart function, accelerates the cooking of frozen foods, preserving their flavours in the process. The sleek design fits snugly into any modern kitchen, with its impressive range of high-tech features certain to make life in the kitchen a whole lot less onerous.