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These articles below can also be found in the 1 - 15 December 2009 issue of Square Foot magazine:
To view the Interactive Squarefoot eMagazine
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How will you decorate your home for the holidays? Jane Drew takes a look at the style predictions provided by Messe Frankfurt
Every year Messe Frankfurt, Germany’s largest trade fair organiser, produces an in-depth paper on Xmas style trends, which to the dedicated home decorator translates into a pre-Christmas wish list. It details all the must-have items, most fashionable colour schemes and timeliest ambiences to aspire to.
The four key trends for this year are ‘airy’, a style that radiates modernity and lightness to create a fairytale fantasy world; ‘sweet’, a mix of everything kitsch and girly; ‘comfort’, where contemporary style facilitators are combined with traditional elements; and ‘obsession’, in which feminine elegance meets luxurious opulence.
Essentially then, there’s something for everyone, and you’ll easily spot the style that suits you and your home best. No matter that seasonal decorating budgets may not be what they once were: this year, simply work with what you have and add in a very few new statement pieces to bring out the look and ambience you seek.
If your home’s winter wardrobe is naturally opulent, chances are your trend of choice will be ‘obsession’. The colours used express both elegance and exclusivity. Quartz pink and mauve lighten up mahogany, aubergine, violet and gold. Exclusive materials underlining the luxury of the style include lead crystal, precious and paste stones, marble, top-quality wood, silk and satin. Here the fantasy of a lavish lifestyle turns into reality – transferred to a stylish family party or extravagant soirée.
For a slightly more homely look, go with the trend for ‘comfort’. This theme plays around with contrasts: modernity meets nature and high design meets tradition. Natural stone, in a variety of nuances, meets metallic surfaces like chrome and aluminium. Mirror and glass are used together with sheepskin, bark and cord. Designs include both Norwegian patterns and geometric motifs and stripes, as well as stone and wood grains. They include muted colours like slate grey, graphite and caramel combined with brick red. This style represents both a desire for functional aesthetics and trusted comfort.
In a smaller more modest home, you’ll probably want to go with the ‘airy’ look, where everything combines to give a fragile, sensual and transparent effect – that is still contemporary. The colour parameters are created by chalky pastels ranging from cream to pink and pale grey, all combined with lots of white.
Translucent materials are as light as the colours, and they include facetted crystal glass, mother-of-pearl, chiffon, silk and glazed porcelain. The delicate theme finds expression in fine, linear drawings, reliefs and engravings, as well as light and dark shadow effects. The festive decorations which reflect this style are both romantic and modern.
‘Sweet’ is a harder trend to pull off, which you’ll appreciate given the adjectives used to describe it: artificial, fancy, intense, playful and naïve. This is a sensuous, feminine theme in which the milky palette extends from sand, aqua and turquoise to violet, lime and slate grey. Decorations and prints are floral, and materials used include plastic, varnish and porcelain, tulle and satin. The manner in which the festive occasion is celebrated is as carefree as the style: with spontaneity and countless accessories.
To stay bang on trend this year, Messe Frankfurt suggests you take your inspiration from fashion, at least for the tree – decorating it in every shade of purple. You can also give a new lease of life to traditional Christmas baubles by combining them with glittering wire stars, glass icicles and little birds.
In line with the trend towards the natural, the subject of sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant in the decoration sector. A climate-neutral organic candle made from sustainable biomass is one new product. Energy-saving LED lights are also making unstoppable progress. Manufacturers are increasingly using brushwood, bamboo and hand-dyed wool.
There will also be a kitsch element to the 2009 festive season: garish plastic trees, disco balls in all sizes, and baubles embellished with fairytale figures and sayings that bring back childhood memories. Look out for delicate Christmas figurines nestled inside glass baubles, music boxes and retro radios.
In general, Messe Frankfurt notes that there is a trend towards quality neutral decorative items, which can be reused for different festive occasions. Among year-round objects, the trend is on large-format decorative items, such as oversized vases in white, cream or beige, plus angel trumpets, birds, bird cages and butterflies. Manufacturers are designing their collections so that they can be used after the Christmas period as decorations for other occasions or events throughout the year.
Recently, some potential buyers have started to worry and become ‘Botox required’ as more news have reported that local property market was likely to be in “crisis”. In addition, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced that loans on properties valued at 20 million Hong Kong dollars or above would be capped at 60 percent, resulting in fears of a possible bubble in the property market.
Shouldn’t all the interested buyers make a beeline for the nearest plastic surgeon? Headland Homes, an independent Real Estate Agency specializing in luxury residential properties for sale and rent in Discovery Bay, give its professional opinion on the market.
Hong Kong’s property market has often been on an emotional rollercoaster. Well, so far so good, we have avoided the peaks and troughs in the market. Most “canny and well advised” clients are still in good financial conditions.
An area that seems to have weathered the storm well is Discovery Bay. Indeed, Disco Bay has undergone transformation in the past few years. No longer can comparisons to The Truman Show, or Stepford Wives be warranted. It takes 25 minutes to Central and the Airport. With the planned Taxi access, Discovery Bay will become one of the best connected residential areas in Hong Kong.
Indeed, property prices in Discovery Bay have remained stable and experienced an upward trend as a whole. Headland Homes foresees that property price in the area is on the rise. “The foundations are already laid with excellent transport links. Residents here enjoy the unique membership to two Club Houses with no debenture or waiting list. The area boasts numerous shops, good bars and restaurants. For families, there are two international schools, with the choice of the International Baccalaureate and English curriculums. There are also a shopping mall, the hotel, the planned Taxi access and the second plaza which is almost completed. Discovery Bay can become a more popular place.” says Christine King, Director of Headland Homes.
Most of Headland Homes’ clients are ‘canny and well advised’ as mentioned above. Christine adds, “We don’t have a crystal ball or any sort of sixth sense. We would like to do the best for our clients and offer them some market opinions. Our first priority is providing our clients the best service. My agents always strive to do their utmost before and after the deal. This has earned us excellent reputation among landlords, buyers and tenants.”
So, what advice could we expect as the Headland Homes’ client? Here are their top tips for landlords, buyers and tenants:
Landlords – “Don’t go to Sole Agency. In the short term, you may get a better rate of agency commission, but potential viewings for your flat may be significantly restricted. In the long run, this will result in your property being on the market for longer. The cost may eventually outweigh the saving made on the agency commission.”
Buyers – “Buy the worst house on the best street. You can always buy a new kitchen or a new bathroom, but you will never be able to buy that view.”
Tenants – “Understand your lease agreement before signing. There are no standard tenancy agreements in Hong Kong. So, make sure you understand every clause before signing. It’s your agent’s duty to explain any terms you don’t understand.”
Headland Homes would like to offer our readers advices on whatever your position in the property market. For viewing our articles, please visit our website www.headlandhomes.hk and click ‘Top tips” on our “contact us” webpage.
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