I love the sight of no boundary between inside and outside. It makes sense in Singapore to build an awesome continuous terrace like this. I would gladly take my morning coffee sitting in the front bamboo garden. And have a look at their modern gallery kitchen. We would never guess that this is the interior of an Art deco terrace house.

The renovation of 31 Blair Road was completed in 2008 by Ong & Ong, a design studio specialized in architecture, interior design and landscape design.

Singapore-based architectural studio Ong&Ong presented us 31 Blair Road. A Contemporary renovation of an Art Deco style terrace house, results in an austere neutral living space. Continuity of spaces eliminate the boundary between inside and outside, in order to create multiple relationships between diverse activities that occur in a residential realm. Austere and Minimalistic with a constant analogy to industrial spaces.

+ Photos are by Tim Nolan for Ong & Ong

I am curious about this upscale folding camper that comes with luxury beds and an enclosed teak veranda. I perceived it as an extension of the glam camping (also known as glamping) trend that grows over the last couple of years. But Opera has the advantage of delivering comfortable camping wherever you wish to camp. It is called Opera because the Sydney Opera House was the design inspiration.

Opera is scheduled to launch this December. I will be looking for more details. For now, you can watch a promotional slideshow on Your Suite in Nature.

+ photo: Your Suite in Nature

Michael Pinet is the Stylist for Private Brands Marketing & Development at The Bay. He recently treated us to a little lesson à la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman on the art of tablesetting.

Table coverings
Your usual starting point is your table cloth, runner or placemat. The key thing to remember here is: "The more formal the dinner, the more coverage." At a formal gathering, you always use a fabric tablecloth. "And always press your linens," advises Michael. "You want to show care."

Dishes
One thing Michael stresses is how "being a good host these days is making life easy for your guests, not trying to impress them." Traditionally, a formal table setting means all of your dishes, cutlery and glasses are on the table at the beginning of your meal. Nowadays this look has been edited down to make it easier on the guest.
A big trend right now is the charger plate. "This defines your space," explains Michael. A charger plate is a larger plate that frames your dinner plate. A different coloured (but matching) dessert plate over top of your dinner plate is also a very nice touch. You can remove it once dinner starts. Your bread plate is always to the left of your dinner plate. Your charger stays on through the meal and comes off with the dinner plate.

Dinnerware designer Rosanna Bowles plays by her own rules: "It's really 'anything goes' now for tabletop, which is so much fun!"

DOs and DON’Ts of table style Since launching Seattle-based Rosanna Inc. in 1982, the elegant entrepreneur has reserved a place on tables worldwide with her fashion-forward takes on traditional dishware. The self-confessed “dish freak” and doyenne of patterned plates shares her tips for making ordinary tables extraordinary.

Don’t overdose on white. We’ve all heard that white plates are a must for food presentation, but Rosanna’s not bound by that old adage. "It makes for a dull tabletop and doesn’t let your creative side come through when setting the table," she says. "Everyone should have a set of 12 white dinner plates, but you build on that."

Do dress your table as you would dress yourself. "Mixing and matching different styles and periods is big in fashion now," says Rosanna. "You may have contemporary white plates, but you can mix in antique salad plates as side plates, accessorizing with Edwardian silver sugar bowls as vases and using unmatched flatware."

Do invest in patterned appetizer plates. "You can inexpensively insert them into the white china you already have, and they totally change the look of a table setting," Rosanna says.

October 25, 2009 Etsy issue

This weekend’s Get the Look: Decor is inspired by the warm and inviting home of Tamar and Ronen. Four years ago, the couple, their three teenage sons and dog moved away from a life in the city and into a beautiful home in Shelburne, Vermont. Tamar's decorating style incorporates her family's artwork, bright patterned textiles, thoughtfully displayed family mementos, along with collections of vintage treasures and repurposed thrifted furniture. The many different textures and patterns throughout the home create a stimulating yet homey feel.

Tamar told me, "Our home is very laid back. The walls are white washed to highlight our ever growing art collection (many pieces from Etsy) but most of the pieces are from my family; my mother and sister are both painters. We use lots of textiles and our style is very eclectic, from modern country to funky and colorful. Nothing really matches, but that's how we love it."

Tamar works as an interior designer and runs NestDecorating, an inspiring blog focused on home decor, style and family life. She also has a successful Etsy shop, tamar, where she sells beautiful jewelry, accessories and home decor.

Visit Tamar on Flickr to view more photos of her charming home. Check out the Etsy Finds below for creative decorating ideas to add a bit of color, pattern and texture to the place you call home.