Transforming a Singapore apartment from the ’70s into a serene family home

Situated in the leafy precinct of Taman Serasi, this 1970s apartment in Botanic Gardens Mansion caught the eye of a couple in their 30s. With a child and pet poodle in tow, they decided they wanted more space. The 1,800 sq ft unit, set on the ground floor, is surrounded by nature and located just a stone’s throw from the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The peaceful site boasts a laid-back vibe all year round, with the Gardens’ close proximity also serving as a solid incentive to lead an active lifestyle.

Given the verdant surroundings, it was only natural for the couple to desire a contemporary home with timber design elements. Joey Khu Interior Design popped up on the couple’s radar through social media and was later boosted by a number of credible recommendations from friends. They admired the firm’s extensive interior design works, mainly its timeless, modern spaces. An initial meeting took place in early 2023, leading them to share their vision and preferences with one of the firm’s designers, Jerry Tan.

The apartment’s original space was in dire need of a transformation to cater to a modern young family. Tan was given carte blanche to redesign the home; the couple’s only requirement was to create a purposeful, functional abode enriched with tasteful furnishings and lighting that would stand the test of time.

The entire project took three-and-a-half months to complete, and the resulting aesthetic encompasses various spaces that lure you in to unwind and relax. The first thing you will notice when you step into this Singapore apartment is the timber flooring in the hall. Glancing up, you’ll find that the ceiling is also clad in solid wood. The presence of wood not only injects warmth into the apartment but also lends a welcoming touch. Tan also proposed a masculine colour palette for the home, replete with materials such as stone and stainless steel, besides wood.

The entryway leads to the open-plan living and dining space. On the left is the floor-to-ceiling home entertainment storage fixture, with a dark-hued veneer that adds depth to this area. The custom storage also does double duty as a decorative shelf on which the couple’s stylish keepsakes are proudly displayed. Besides, it offers a space at the entryway where the family can store their shoes.

The homeowners trusted the designers to source the furniture and lighting pieces to jazz up their space. “I think once you’ve been given free rein to shop for your clients, you know you’re on the right track,” says Tan.

In the living room, the Cinder Block sofa designed by Luca Nichetto for Wendelbo takes centre stage. Complementing it is the solid wood square Horizon coffee table by Matthew Hilton for De La Espada and the asymmetrical Offset stool by Philippe Malouin for Resident, both add plenty of character to the space.

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Vietnam is on the ascent, and with it is its vibrant cuisine that is making waves on the international culinary stage. While it is still popularly known for its street food offerings, thanks to the usual suspects of pho and banh mi, a vanguard of Vietnamese chefs are pushing the gastronomic boundaries of their food culture with reimagined takes on traditional dishes anchored in the country’s rich history and culinary traditions.

In Singapore, we have Quỳnh Brown, the affable executive chef of modern Vietnamese cuisine Lộ Quậy under F&B group The Dandy Collection. At this stylish 54-seater restaurant on the bustling Amoy Street, she serves up what she has coined “New Vietnamese” cuisine and marries the familiar flavours of her motherland with modern presentations and Western culinary techniques.

Lộ Quậy, which loosely means ‘discover’ in Vietnamese, is a fitting name for Brown’s first headlining concept given that its menu is reflective of her personal journey in getting in touch with her roots. “I want people to discover Vietnamese cuisine beyond the popular street food,” expresses Brown, who grew up in Saigon in the mid-1980s and learnt foraging on hunting trips, self-sustaining farming practices, and butchery skills from her grandfather. This experience taught her the importance of utilising every ingredient, and it is a life lesson she took with her as she moved to the US and expanded her culinary horizons working for Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Nobu.

While it was at Nobu where she mastered the intricacies of Japanese cuisine, it was at contemporary izakaya chain Zuma which opened her mind about how cuisines could globalise and evolve, pushing her to dig deeper into Vietnamese cuisine. Having said that, her life’s journey and discovery of her heritage inform every dish at Lộ Quậy, with the result being a version of the cuisine that is very different from most preconceived notions. “Our interpretation offers you the authentic flavours of Vietnam with a unique point of view. This food is an invitation to share that world,” she shares.

She invites diners to explore Vietnam’s spectrum of flavours and ingredients with the Discover Menu, comprising a parade of tantalising bites influenced by the land and sea. Take the pho, for instance, a Vietnamese beef broth, which arrives in an unusual palm-sized bowl. In it lies assorted jewels of Wagyu beef—raw brisket, deep-fried honeycomb and omasum tripe—and bean sprout jelly with a tableside pour of an intensely flavourful Southern pho-style broth. Crispy fried beef tendon is added to give texture in between sips of the collagen-rich, gently spiced broth. Contrary to its name, bahn mi doesn’t come in the form of a sandwich but as a moreish one-bite wellington that combines the goodness of grilled Ibérico pork jowl, pork crackling, housemade liver pate, kombu butter and a sprinkle of Maggi seasoning.

What Brown and the team offer at Lộ Quậy is a reintroduction to Vietnamese cuisine—and one that local diners probably have never seen nor tasted before. “We hope to share a taste of my heritage, memories of my youth, the values I was raised with, and the beliefs I hold dear,” quips the chef, and now, we can do so, one delicious dish at a time.

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In 1955, Heuer (this was before ‘Tag’ was added to its name) created the Twin-Time, becoming one of the first brands to launch a GMT model displaying two time zones simultaneously. Since then, other major watch companies have gone on to develop their own travel timepieces, and the GMT watch has become more commonplace.

Tag Heuer later incorporated this practical and convenient function—an essential companion for the frequent traveller—into its Aquaracer, Autavia and Carrera collections. 

As GMT Magazine, the Swiss partner of Tatler GMT, celebrates its 24th anniversary this year, LVMH Watches CEO Frédéric Arnault (formerly CEO of Tag Heuer) has agreed to create a Carrera with a GMT function, limited to 24 pieces—three of which are exclusively available to reserve for Tatler GMT readers.

A flagship collection that has just celebrated its 60th anniversary, the Carrera was a natural choice to mark GMT's milestone. The limited-edition Carrera Twin-Time Automatic GMT’s distinctive features include a bronze dial (which is normally blue), a blue second hand (normally silver), a blue dual-time pointer (normally red), and a blue numeral “24” under the date. The GMT magazine masthead is discreetly placed above the date window. Each of the 41mm stainless steel watch is individually numbered on the caseback, which also reveals the automatic Caliber 7 with 50-hour power reserve.

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The fashion industry today reflects a broader societal reckoning with its shift towards sustainability and ethical consumerism. This is mirrored in the personal and professional trajectories of Susannah Jaffer, the founder of Zerrin, a Singapore‐based curated marketplace and media platform championing emerging brands and sustainable consumption.

After moving to Singapore from the UK in 2012, Jaffer worked as a magazine editor, gradually shifting her focus towards emerging brands committed to environmental and social responsibility. Over time, she noticed the absence of sustainable retail platforms that merge careful curation, community involvement and engaging content. Motivated to counter the overconsumption of fast fashion, she founded Zerrin in 2017. Today, Jaffer is recognised as a steward of sustainable fashion in Singapore. However, for all of the sector’s strides towards sustainability, therein lies a growing challenge of consumer desensitisation, brought on by the overuse of terms such as “sustainability” and “sustainable fashion” in the media and retail spaces, as well as on a governmental level. Jaffer observes: “[The situation has] reached a tipping point [where,] much like buzzwords such as ‘Black Friday’, [such terms] don’t excite us anymore from a marketing perspective.” 

To navigate this challenge, Jaffer turned to pop‐ups as a strategic tool to connect with consumers. More than sales opportunities, they are what she calls “concentrated learning experiences” for Zerrin, as they offer direct insights into attitudes towards sustainable products. Whether through pop‐ups or its e‐commerce platform, Zerrin distinguishes itself from other sustainable retail sites or independent shopping fairs by playing curator. “There’s significant competition ... but we make our smaller and more intimate events feel like curated stores,” she says, sharing that she is “selective and strategic” in her approach, which involves research, building relationships with brands, and attentiveness to cultural trends and consumer preferences. She strives for diversity in her selections as well, catering to different fashion sensibilities, from minimalist designs to bold prints and artisanal pieces.

This curation also involves refreshing pop‐ups with new‐to‐Singapore brands. Zerrin’s recent Crafting Change: Best of Asia event in Anchorpoint, for example, featured both local and international names. “I always find that mixing them uplifts both parties, as it [offers more harmony among] independent designers, responsible brands and sustainable practices. It’s not often that all of these brands are together in one place,” she says.

In selecting for Zerrin’s pop‐ups and online store, the team scrutinises each brand’s collection to assemble a diverse and unique selection based on an understanding of customer preferences and the synergy among the different brands. “We make sure that the brands don’t compete. We want each of them to stand out from a design and value proposition perspective,” Jaffer expounds. Zerrin is also committed to providing constructive feedback to brands on aspects such as fit and silhouette, which is not commonly practised in the industry. “This is one of the things that makes us different. Quite a few brands have said that no other retailers give them so much feedback. I find that quite surprising,” she muses.

This collaborative ethos highlights Zerrin’s dedication to fostering a supportive environment for sustainable brands, driven by the belief that better products
and well‐thought‐out designs not only benefit the brands, but also enhance Zerrin’s mission. “I offer this feedback sincerely, aiming for both the brands and us to succeed. We want to reinforce the perception of independent brands being truly good quality and worth the higher price points,” she explains. 

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