Egypt

Hello! I'm finally back from the 9 day tour around Egypt. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and toyed with the idea of spending a few more days exploring Cairo on my own but 9 days was the most that I could be apart from my babies. 

Egypt is strategically located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Sudan is located south of Egypt, the Sahara desert is in the west and the Nile river cuts right through. The country is rich in its history, with the oldest civilization known to man that dates back 4,000 years, as it is also rich in culture. It is a melting pot of Roman influence, Arabic heritage and African beliefs...all of which were vaguely familiar to me until my visit. 

Save for the part where I left the Egypt guide book in the tour bus and losing the sleeve of a foldable umbrella that I bought from Taipei, the trip went smoothly. There's nothing more that I could wish for a holiday but a good time, sweet memories and to get back home safely.

Here are some of the eye candy (the home decor kind) that I spotted in hotels and restaurants that we patronised:

Zanzibar chest - a typical Arabic design for a chest

Close-up of the Zanzibar chest

A multitude of colourful pendant lights

Solo pendant lights hung from the beautifully painted ceiling of a restaurant

Finally, here's another kind of eye candy...cute Egyptian boys shaking like Shakira:

Tall Kitchen Cabinets

If there's anything that I would change about my kitchen, it would be the cabinets. I would make them go all the way up to the ceiling and create extra storage for those kitchen gadgets that don't come to use very often but are a must-have.

Glass cabinets via The Zhush

Open shelves via Martha Stewart

Plain white, modern and handle-less cabinets via Metropolitan Home

Uber cool matte black cabinets via Habitually Chic

Chinese inspired lacquer cabinets via Inside the Loop

The Last Emperor & Upholstered Doors

After tucking the kids to bed a couple of nights ago, my husband and I watched the movie The Last Emperor. The movie tells the life story of Puyi, the last imperial emperor of China who was thrusted to the throne to rule the country at a tender age of 3. He lived a lonely life imprisoned behind the gates of the imperial palace, better known as the Forbidden City and was kept oblivious of the tensions arising from fundamental changes in politics and society.

Puyi's only view of the outside world was through his English teacher, Reginald Johnston who taught him for 5 years. Johnston was as frank with Puyi on the changes that were happening outside the gates of the Forbidden City as he was firm in fending off the extended imperial family's exploitation of the young and vulnerable emperor.

In the later years of Puyi's life, he was expelled from the imperial palace. In desperation to regain power and a noble status, he collaborated with the Japanese, China's arch rival at the time, who provided him an asylum and made him the emperor of Manchuria though without power. Puyi was made a puppet while the Japanese entrenched further into the country.

When China overcame the Japanese occupation, Puyi was imprisoned for treason. He was placed in a school of reform for 10 years and released at a time when the cultural revolution was at its peak. His life at this point was far from an emperor and more of a common lowly civilian.

Anyhow, it was through this movie that I was inspired to pimp up my guestroom door. The red double door with oversized gold studs that the Forbidden City is known for would be taking it too far but the idea is there.

I'm thinking Miles Redd's door in his New York apartment upholstered in zebra stripes and brass nail-heads.

via New York Social Diary

Another upholstered door leading to the walk-in wardrobe and bathroom.

via New York Social Diary

By the way, I gasped when I saw his kitchen which I will write about another day. It is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

Florence Broadhurst Fabrics in The Curiosity Shop

The beautiful Florence Broadhurst fabrics are now stocked in The Curiosity Shop. There are over 190 varieties of cotton, cotton-polyester and jacquard fabrics that are suitable for upholstery of furniture, window dressing (curtains and blinds), bedding and also fabric-panelling on walls. The fabric are hand-printed in Sydney, Australia using traditional screen-printing techniques.

All prints on Florence Broadhurst fabrics and wallpapers alike are valued for the original artwork from the 1960’s - 1970’s archive.

The Curiosity Shop is a gallery of vintage furniture and home décor accessories. Items are usually one of a kind so grab it before it's gone. Check out a past article that I wrote on decorating with vintage treasures here.

The Curiosity Shop

11 Jalan Berangan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur. 

Tel/Fax: +603 2142 6660

Chichi Cushions

Cushions are an accessory to a sofa as jewellery is to a woman. There's never a reason to have them and the more the better. The same is said for a bed with a fancy cushions. Whatever your style is, there are a gazillion designs out there waiting to be picked up.

I'm in the hunt now for chichi cushions....

Bling it with Sequin Cushion by Marks & Spencer

3D Petal Pouffe by Marks & Spencer

Flower Detail by Marks & Spencer 

Union Jack cushions via Armstrong Ward Lifestore

Jack Rusell by Marks & Spencer 

Westie by Marks & Spencer

Labels cushion via Recylart

Huge Lego Bricks

Oversized Lego bricks designed by Moleta Munro are just like the original Lego sets that for kids, only much bigger and doubles up as a storage. Stack them up and create your own decorative figurine like a huge robot or a simple piece of furniture like a bench.

Oversized Lego bricks by Moleta Munro via Culture Label

Floating Studio Flat

Designed for inland waterways, the Floating Studio Flat by WaterSpace is equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and a sun deck. The Floating Studio is still at its design stage and I can't wait to see it drifting with real people living in there.

Bird's eye view

External view of the dining cum living room

External view of the bedroom

Internal view of bedroom, living/dining room

* Images via WaterSpace

Happy Deepavali 2010

To all my Hindu friends, we wish you a Happy Deepavali.

Deepavali lights via Flickr (www.krishna.zenfolio.com)

For the readers who are not aware of what Deepavali is, it is the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus around the world. The actual day in 2010 is on 5th November. On the morning of Deepavali, a Hindu family would typically light oil lamps in their homes. The lights are a symbol of thanks to the Gods for the happiness, knowledge, peace and wealth received in the year. The Hindus consider Deepavali as one of the most important festivals to celebrate, as is Christmas to the Christians.

Waterfall Ruffle Duvet Cover

The Waterfall Ruffle duvet cover is bohemian chic and romantic all at once. I love the added dimension from the ruffles and the pretty colours that it comes in. Too bad it's not available in King size.

Waterfall Ruffle Duvet via Urban Outfitters

Children's Room with a View

Børneværelse med Udsigt in Danish translates to "children's room with a view" in English. Thanks to Google Translator, I was able to read the the contents of this blog owned by Eva Richter Nissen, a designer specializing in children's rooms.

Kids' rooms are possibly one of the most fun spaces to design, yet difficult because we don't usually allocate a lot of space for them and the design has to be suitable from their young years through to their teens. Eva is incredibly creative and you can see it in the design of her youngest child's bedroom. It is only 2 metres wide but has a high ceiling which she exploited by placing the bed above the door way.

View of one end of the room via Bornevaerelse Med Udsight. Also spotted here is the Mushroom wallsticker from Ferm Kids

The cupboard is neatly placed below the bed and shelves are cleverly integrated with the ladder.

Bookshelf under the ladder via Bornevaerelse Med Udsight

There's even room for a drum kit. Talk about good space planning!

View of the other end of the room via Bornevaerelse Med Udsight

Old Charm

The second article for HomePride's Experts Say section is out. In this month's article, I've written about decorating with vintage furniture, antique accessories and recycled materials.

If you want to know where to get vintage goods in KL, please email me.

Magnificent Mirrors

A much seen place for mirrors in an Asian home is at the dining room. It is a common belief that the mirror doubles the amount of food on the table though traditional feng shui doesn't take to this as the food would eventually be eaten, leaving nothing behind. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to have a feature wall embellished with a gorgeous mirror.

Simple gold framed mirror via unknown...isn't that chandelier to die for?

Antique mirrors with all the patina glory make a great feature wall and reflects without the harshness of an ordinary mirror.

Antique mirror tiles via unknown

Framed antique mirror via Lonny Mag

If I had a fireplace, it would definitely have a mirror above it.

Multi-facated mirror via unknown

Hervé van der Straeten mirror via coco+kelley

Or perhaps one of these on the mantelpiece.

Birdcage mirror via Angel at my Table

Baroque mirrors are back in style and you can find them in several home décor shops around KL.

via unknown

Mirrors don't always have to be pinned against a wall. The owners of this house have a great view from the bathroom which they glassed up all around and added as a backdrop to the mirrors. 

Bathroom mirrors via unknown

Liven up an old door with small pieces of mirror in between the edgings.

Mirrored architectural door via Greige

* Some images are from unknown sources. Please email me if it belongs to you and I'd be happy to credit you for it.

Union Jack

Union Jacks have been making their statement in the interior furnishing and fashion world. The colour combination and design of the British flag really adds punch in decorating. A great design like the Union Jack has every right to have a place in a chic space and I would love to own a couple of items with the Union Jack design but would it make sense in a Malaysian home? Plus, I've never been to the United Kingdom.

Here are some of my favourite Britannia items...

Chanel's interpretation of the Union Jack

Overnight bag by Anya Hindmarch via Designer Clothing

Cushion by Vivienne Westwood for The Rug Company

Lazy bench via Design Addict Mom

Love Too wallhanging by Paul Smith via The Rug Company

Up 5 Armchair

The Up 5 Armchair by B&B Italia is a kinky, quirky, love-it-or-hate-it and most expressively designed chair in history. It is a female figured armchair tied to a ball shaped ottoman symbolizing 'the shackles that keep women subjugated'. How does it feel?....just like sitting in a big mama's lap!

Up 5 armchair in red and white stripes via LikeCool

Up 5 armchair in red via LikeCool

Stairs and Slide

Do you often find yourself walking up and down the stairs several times in a haste as you're rushing out for an appointment? I would have one foot out the door and realise that I've forgotten my cell phone or car keys or the drycleaning. Maybe a slide would make my life easier just as a pole in a fire department brings the firemen down faster.

Stairs with slide via Ohdeedoh

Florence Broadhurst in Qantas Business Class

If you are fortunate enough to travel in class, I mean Qantas Business Class, look out for the newly released amenity kits featuring Florence Broadhurst's Hollow Square and Oriental Filigree prints.

Qantas Business Class amenity kit in Florence Broadhurst's Oriental Filigree print

If you would like to know more about Florence Broadhurst's prints for fabrics, please drop me an email.

Beautiful Backsplashes

Kitchens are looking so gorgeous these days that there's really no excuse not to cook. If you're a sucker for kitchen gadgets like me, getting your storage design right in a kitchen is paramount and more is always better. The choice of your cabinets should go with the overall furnishing of your house and the tabletop should be of a good quality material that can withstand plenty of wear and tear. The kitchen is my favourite room in the entire house and I'm definitely going to cover more on this in the very near future. 

Meanwhile, lets take a look at an often neglected part of the kitchen - the backsplash. It's one of the most vital components of the kitchen that is purpose built to catch spluttering grease and grit from the action of cooking. There are so many more choices other than stainless steel and tinted blue glass. Get creative and make a statement!

Girls and real men wear pink. Decoristas adorn their kitchens with it.

via Cabbage Rose

If pink is too much, try a more subtle and elegant material like tinted mirror.

Marble is an old time classic that will keep looking good.

via Metropolitan Home

Black and white wallpaper covered with clear glass.

via The Design Files

Joseph Frank wallpaper looks gorgeous anywhere including the backsplash.

via From the Right Bank

How about a little Chanel in your kitchen - quilted stainless steel.

via Design Addict Mom

* Some images are from unknown sources. Please email me if it belongs to you and I'd be happy to credit you for it.