Revamped Bvlgari boutique reopens at MBS

The Bvlgari double-storey store at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has reopened after more than four months of renovations, unveiling uber-luxe interiors designed by Peter Marino.

The award-winning American interior designer drew inspiration from Roman architectural masterpieces such as the Pantheon to design the interiors which showcase Roman tradition juxtaposed with Italian innovation.

An eight-pointed burgundy-coloured star inlaid in the gleaming, creamy marble floor greets visitors as they enter the boutique.

And the reason why it is so strategically placed at the entrance of the store of one of Italy's oldest jewellery brands? It is the Condotti eight-pointed star, made with red porphyry, an igneous rock containing large-grained crystals and the unifying emblem of Bvlgari's first store in the Via dei Condotti in Rome, built in 1905. It signifies balance, harmony and cosmic order.

The eight lines represent the four cardinal points and time represented by the two solstices and two equinoxes. It is now found in all Bvlgari boutiques around the world.

The star also stands for "Roma Caput Mundi" which is Latin for "Rome is the capital of the world" as well as the phrase "All roads lead to Rome".

Mr Marino, has also designed oval-shaped counters in light galvanised iron that are inspired by the works of celebrated Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.

Shoppers are invited to browse the boutique and look at classic collections such as the Bvlgari Serpenti, which has stylish snake-like curves; and the Fiorever, which is the four-petalled floral design that is the Roman symbol of happiness and joy.

There is also a private oval sales room that harks back to the days of Elizabeth Taylor, when the actress visited Via dei Condotti during the 1960s, also called the golden years of Italy's dolce vita (Italian for "sweet life").

The redesigned store is just one of several major undertakings in Singapore undertaken by the Italian luxury house this year. In July, Bvlgari flew in more than €200 million (S$309 million) of jewellery from its feted Magnifica High Jewellery Collection. Shown at the MBS Theatre, the pieces included the Imperial Spinel necklace with a 131.21-carat spinel, the fourth largest known in the world; and the Mediterranean Queen necklace, with five outstanding oval cushion-cut Paraiba tourmalines weighing about 500 carats.

The showcase featured about 170 high jewellery pieces - including those from previous collections - and 55 timepieces.

Furniture brand King wins Australia's Good Design Award

Award-winning Australian furniture house King has added another feather to its cap. At the 2021 Australian Good Design Awards in October, the brand's Fleur sofa and armchair range was named the winner in the product design category for its outstanding design and innovative features.

Fleur has a soft silhouette with a sophisticated and versatile design that is great for lounging or entertaining. The jury citation pointed out that the range felt like a departure from the usual look and feel of King's pieces.

"The flexibility of the back-rest system does not look like the typical 'flexible' sofa back, but rather a stunning collection of chairs and sofas that exude comfort from a clean and elegant form," the judges wrote.

The awards, dating back to 1958, are Australia's oldest and most prestigious for design and innovation.

In Singapore, King has a 12,000 sq ft showroom at 01-00 Hong Aik Building, 22 Kallang Avenue. The Fleur range is going at festive sale prices now - starting from $1,890 (usual price is $2,951) for a lounge chair to $3,890 (usual price is $6,008) for a three-seater sofa.

Info: King Living website

Singaporean artist tops Giphy list with 38.5 billion views

Peter Draw, a home-grown digital artist and animator who has been creating art for more than 20 years, is the world's most-viewed digital artist on Giphy - the leading depository and exchange for images in gif (graphics interchange format).

The 37-year-old, also known as Peter Zhuo, has garnered more than 38.5 billion views and was announced as the Most Viewed Artist on Nov 29.It is the first time Giphy, which is owned byFacebook, is recognising winners with trophies.

Draw's digital work - titled Ai and Aiko - features a little boy and his shiba-inu puppy and hasthe theme "Love can happen anywhere". It clinched two first-place wins - for carrying a strong message and for receiving the most views since its launch in August 2018. The work attracts more than two billion views a month.

Draw, a Nanyang Polytechnic graduate, says he created Ai and Aiko in 2000 after the death of his grandfather to console himself that "everything would be all right".

"From 2000 to 2018, I devoted my adult life to drawing, to make children smile," he says. "To me, the most beautiful curve in the world is the smiles of children."

Info: Check out Ai and Aiko on Giphy and Instagram

Festive gifts with tropical theme at This Humid House

Botanical design studio This Humid House has curated 10 nature-based gifts with a tropical theme for Christmas. They are designed to be elegant yet playful.

The Little Pine ornament ($100) comprises a brass cube packed with pine, dryandra and pink peppercorn, and finished with velvet ribbon. It can be hung on the Christmas tree, a clothes hook or doorknob.

Brighten up your house with floral arrangements like the the Micro BB ($60), where festive flowers are presented in a slim vase made of solid, machine-cored 100 per cent brass with a hand-polished matte finish. It is available as a single item or in sets of three.

Or go for a morerustic arrangement with the Winter Orange ($150), which is the studio's interpretation of winter in the tropics. It features frosty juniper festooned with dried citrus in the studio's signature coconut bowl.

Info: The gifts can be pre-ordered at This Humid House's website. Delivery ($18) is available until Dec 24.