Barren walls, exposed plumbing and gaping spaces are hallmarks of old-style Indian kitchens. And while the style has served generations before us, it does fall short on form and functionality. Whether you’ve just moved into a new home and aren’t ready to splurge on woodwork, or are faced with the quintessential rental dilemma – to add or not to add functional touches – this guide should have you covered.

There are no rules set in stone when it comes to separating the living room from the dining room. And yet, designating separate zones for general entertainment and intimate dining becomes a priority for most homeowners, especially with open floor plans gaining pace. Whether you’re looking for ways to design a new living-cum-dining space or are simply giving your existing one an upgrade, here are some tips from homes that have mastered the art of zoning.

A shared bedroom becomes a necessity when the number of bedrooms is limited. For the most part, it can serve as a fun, bonding experience for your kids. The challenge lies in creating a design that equally reflects two spirited young personalities. There is a plethora of things to consider. Should you go for a seamless, cohesive look or compartmentalise to encourage individuality? What kind of beds would be most practical? How should you use colours? Before you begin designing one bedroom for two children, take a moment to gather ideas for your blueprint. Tour these space-optimising, twin-sharing bedrooms for some inspiration.

Have you always yearned for an extra bedroom? Given up on that coveted dream of having your own in-home library or home-style yoga zone? Squeezed your lifestyle into your home’s perceptible footprint? If you’ve forced yourself to make do with the layout of your home, think again. With these clever tips and tricks, you can go ahead and add a room or two without moving any walls. Here’s the ultimate guide to creating a room within a room.

It’s finally the season of day-long festivities with mouthwatering mithai, beautiful rangolis, twinkling diyas and boisterous celebrations. While this year might force you to knock the customary social visits off your calendar, it doesn’t have to dim the lights on your merry-making. With just a few thoughtful ways, you can plan for a memorable Diwali, while staying safe and taking precautions for COVID-19.

From spiffy window seats and shutters to quaint moulding and eye-popping window shades, your windows can offer you a view of an entirely different kind, with just a little facelift. Luckily, giving your windows prime place in your decor isn’t as hard as you think. Turn to these homes for inspiration.

If you’ve always preferred your decor to be as perfectly curated as a shopfront display, perhaps it’s time to toss out the matchy-matchy rule book and embrace the mix-and-match approach. A mix of wood grains, patterns and tones can lend your decor a characterful spirit and a genuine sense of style. Yet, marrying various woods in a room can often prove to be a challenge. If you’ve been contemplating mixing and matching wood tones in your home, but have been apprehensive about how to get started, consider these tips your guiding light.

As social distancing and self-isolation become par for the course, our homes are taking on a veritable range of avatars – as workspaces, as entertainment zones, as makeshift gyms and more – to accommodate our newfound home-centred lifestyle. If sequestering yourself inside your home is proving to be no bed of roses, take heart. With these easy-breezy tips, you can make staying at home a fun and fulfilling experience.

Bringing home a baby can lead you to make many decisions with regard to your home; from baby-proofing furniture and rearranging layouts to creating a dedicated nursery for slumber, storage and more. If you’ve been longing to add a nursery to your home but have held back due to a desire to co-sleep, a sheer lack of space, or anything in between, take heart. By turning a corner of the master bedroom into a nursery nook, you can ace the decor game and keep your baby close. Can’t wait to get started? Consider these tips your guiding light.

Moving to an unfurnished apartment can entail some big spends — a rental deposit, packing and moving charges, and society fees to name a few – besides furniture, furnishings and decor, of course. And while some expenses might not be in your control, you can certainly up your home’s style quotient on the cheap with a little inventive thinking. Need a little inspiration? Get going with these easy-breezy budget hacks.

Do you often find yourself lost in the pages of luxury home decor magazines? Or scouring for designer inspiration online, wishing you could conjure a similar look in your home? If you’re guilty of either, take heart. Take a look at our Houzz directory of interior designers and find a professional that can help you with your home’s transformation. And to further aide the journey – here are ideas that can turn your living space into an abode à la mode, without breaking the bank.

A home theatre system can serve as a magic ticket to a private, at-home cinematic experience. It has a definite edge over your TV’s built-in speakers, thanks to the combined effect of an A/V receiver, subwoofer and satellite speakers. However, when it comes to choosing a home theatre system for your home, zeroing in on the right model, brand and features can be a challenge. If you’re on the road to investing in a home theatre system, this guide should help show you the way.

Do you toss out your pillows when they become stained, smelly or dusty? If you answered in the affirmative, you are not the only one. Pillows are in close contact with our faces for long periods of time every day (or night), making it important to keep them in pristine condition. At the same time, they act as magnets for dust mites and dead skin cells. However, that doesn’t mean you need to throw them out at the sight of a stain or the whiff of an odour. Worn pillows can be cleaned and restored with a thorough hand-wash or machine-wash (specific types only; more on this later).

Gone are the days when an outdoor stroll meant a ticket to an unlimited supply of fresh oxygen. With air quality constantly on the decline in major cities around the world, clean air is becoming a remarkable luxury. While we might enjoy the benefits of living in a garden city, Singapore also experiences horrible air pollution, especially during Hungry Ghost Month and the haze season. If you’ve been considering an air purifier to battle the spiralling pollution, yet have been constrained by questions, seek comfort (and answers) in this guide.

A slimline kitchen, characterised by an elongated shape, with cabinets along one or more walls, can sometimes be tricky to manoeuvre in. Unless you incorporate functional upgrades, that is. Here are some clever ways you can make the most of your narrow kitchen.

Are you constantly lamenting the lack of storage space inside your home? If you are, it’s likely that the solution to your problem is staring you straight in the face. All you need to do is look outside (and into your balcony). With a few clever tips and tricks, you can turn your balcony into a delightful storage haven without compromising on style. Fuel your imagination with this trusty guide.

Have you ever wished you could conjure an extra room in your home – as a study, a TV room or a cosy den, perhaps? If you’ve resigned yourself to a small home with limited bedrooms, take heart in knowing that the key to creating multifunction in a compact home lies in creating zones within existing spaces. With a little inspiration, you can magic up an additional room without having to call in a builder. Here are some simple ideas to turn one room into two.

A dining table can form the heart of any home, acting as a convenor of mealtimes and a maker of memories. With such an important role to play, it’s only fair that you give it the thought it deserves. If you’re considering buying a dining table and don’t know where to start, let these checkpoints be your guiding light.

From upgrading your hardware and facelifting your tiles to introducing lush foliage and investing in statement light fixtures, here are some ways to make your kitchen look like a million bucks – for a fraction of the cost.

A bathroom is more than just a space for your early morning routine and your in-between calls of nature. It’s a place reserved for self-indulgence, for respite and relaxation, for long and lavish baths. If there’s one ingredient that can instantly charm a bathroom into becoming a restful, rejuvenating oasis, it’s foliage. Whether in the form of a wall garden or as hanging planters, creepers and vines, or glass-jar succulents, greens have a way of magicking life into a lacklustre space. If you’ve been looking to add verdure to your bathroom, look no further than this guide. Go on and seek inspiration from these fresh and luxuriant plant-peppered bathrooms.