SINGAPORE – Love is in the air this Chinese New Year, which starts on Feb 10, as lo hei and hongbao make room for champagne and red roses on Valentine’s Day on Feb 14.
And lifestyle stores are quick to woo shoppers with merchandise that celebrate the romance of design this festive season.
For instance, home-grown brand Supermama has created loving tributes to local crockery designs of the past, while French luxury house Baccarat has come up with crystal dragon sculptures.
What people fill their homes with speaks volumes about who they are, says Mr Timo Wong, 41, co-founder of local design firm Studio Juju. The different experiences in life make everyone unique in his or her own way.
“Therefore, to fill our homes with things that we love and value is important, because we are living in them. Just like the way we dress says a lot about our taste and preferences in aesthetics,” notes Mr Wong.
His ongoing exhibition Likeables, at the Peranakan Museum in Armenian Street, delves into how design can create a range of emotional responses in people almost instantaneously.
While the design process can be tedious – the designer constantly grapples with function, aesthetics, materials, colours and usability – the end result can be gratifying.
“One of the best outcomes is when the user or viewer interprets design as romantic or even poetic,” Mr Wong adds.
For the year of the Wood Dragon, the lucky colours are red and orange, which represent the fire element in fengshui; and also blue and black, which are linked to water, according to geomancer Mark Tan of Way Fengshui Group.
“In 2024, building solid connections with people is crucial,” says Mr Tan, 43. “Some ways to boost fortune in Chinese culture are through auspicious colours and plants.”
At popular florist chain Far East Flora, which opened an 11-storey floral-themed mall in Clementi in October 2023, younger home owners and couples are snapping up festive floral arrangements that are meaningful and thoughtfully designed.
Mr Alex Cheok, Far East Flora’s managing director, says millennial and Gen Z shoppers are more open to new festive interpretations of traditional plants deemed to be auspicious.
“This group is also more inclined to buy well-designed and styled prosperity plant arrangements, which feature auspicious flora such as pussy willow and lucky orchids, as gifts or statement pieces for their homes,” says Mr Cheok, 50.
These designs are typically priced from $68 for a Gold Series Table Garden.
The Straits Times scopes out some festive accents for the home this Chinese New Year, which are also conversation pieces that you can enjoy throughout the year.
Tribute to Chatterbox Chicken Rice by Supermama
Home-grown lifestyle and gifts brand Supermama takes a trip down memory lane with its tribute to the 1970s that celebrates Singapore’s most famous dish and its most distinctive dragon design.
The Toa Payoh Dragon Playground – opened in 1979 – features prominently in the brand’s 50th-anniversary tribute to Chatterbox Chicken Rice, which started at the Mandarin Hotel in 1971.
The Mandarin Hotel in Orchard Road was rebranded in 2022 and is now the Hilton Singapore Orchard. The acclaimed cafe is still doing brisk business there.
The fine bone china collection, called A Taste To Remember, is the brand’s collaboration with Singapore-based illustrator Tye Sok Kuan, who drew a chicken rice stall set amid 1970s images such as the Mandarin Hotel and dragon playground.
The collection – which comprises dining plates, sauce dishes, cups and bowls – has been one of the brand’s bestsellers, according to Supermama co-founder Edwin Low.
Mr Low, who recently replenished stocks for 2024, believes the line of collectibles also makes good conversation pieces during Chinese New Year get-togethers.
“If you look at the design closely, you will be able to pick out many elements that are familiar in traditional crockery designs in Singapore in the 1980s,” says the 44-year-old, who co-founded Supermama in 2010 with his wife Lee Mei Ling, 43.
Supermama won Design of the Year in 2013 at the President’s Design Award, the nation’s highest recognition for design.
“These include chickens running around, and a boy and girl playing ping-pong. Of course, it also features the tradition of queuing for our favourite chicken rice since 1971.”
Info: Prices range from $22 for a dinner plate to $28 for a set of three sauce dishes. Go to Supermama’s flagship store at 213 Henderson Road or shop online at supermamastore.com
Chinese New Year trinkets by Qua
Metallic zodiac trinkets specially designed for pussy willow displays in the home are perennial favourites with shoppers, says Ms Ho Meng Yee, founder of local artisanal brand Qua.
“They’re available as a set or individually,” says Ms Ho, 55, of the box of 12 zodiac signs, which include a dragon motif. “Some of our shoppers find lots of joy in picking out zodiac animals such as the rabbit, horse or pig that remind them of family members.”
Established in 2002, the brand also features quality lacquerware made in a Vietnamese workshop in Ho Chi Minh City by skilled artisans.
Ms Ho says the name “Qua” was chosen not only to reflect the partnership with the workshop, but also because “qua” refers to “gifts” in Vietnamese.
As a brand, Ms Ho says Qua is synonymous with meticulous artistry that lasts for generations.
Besides the trinkets, the label also stocks a wide range of gifts such as lacquer condiment boxes, tiffin carriers and wall hangings.
Info: Zodiac trinkets are priced at $148 for a box of 12 or $13 a piece. There is a curated range of Qua’s Chinese New Year designs at Metro Paragon’s Chinese New Year Shoppe at Atrium, Level 1, 290 Orchard Road; and Tangs Orchard at Level 3, 310 Orchard Road. Go to qua.com.sg
Auspicious dragon collection by Shanghai Tang
Hong Kong luxury label Shanghai Tang has collaborated with Shanghai-born contemporary artist Jacky Tsai to launch its Auspicious Dragon Collection comprising fashion, homeware and accessories, in time for the brand’s 30th anniversary in 2024.
Since its founding in 1994, the label has been supporting the development of contemporary art in China. It has partnered a number of Chinese artists to launch limited-edition products.
Tsai’s works have been exhibited around the world, with major shows in London, Moscow, Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Shanghai. He recently staged an exhibition with Shanghai Tang at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Planning in Shenzhen, China, titled A Journey Of All And None, which fused elements of East and West.
The Shanghai Tang x Jacky Tsai tie-up features the dragon prominently in its luxe homeware collection with a signature deep red hue applied to serving ware, scented candles and boxes for jewellery and festive condiments.
To achieve the rich red embellishment in the octagonal candy boxes, for instance, 10 layers of lacquer were applied and polished to a high-gloss finish.
Info: Prices for the Auspicious Dragon Collection start at $205 for a scented candle to $755 for a candy box. Go to Shanghai Tang boutiques or shop online at www.shanghaitang.com.sg
Crystal dragon sculptures by Baccarat
French luxury house Baccarat has released a range of Chinese zodiac dragon sculptures for 2024 as part of its 260th anniversary.
The history of the crystal brand goes back to 1764 in eastern France, when a group of craftsmen gathered to find out how they could harness the four elements of nature – earth, fire, air and water – for high-quality glass.
It was only in 1816 that they perfected a process to create crystal that traps light inside the glass because of its purity. That process is a well-kept secret till today.
Baccarat crystal became such a prized luxury that it was fashioned into custom furniture for maharajahs in British India. It was also designed as lighting fixtures for the sprawling Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Zodiaque Dragon designed by American artist and sculptor Allison Hawkes, renowned for her artworks featuring animals, shows its regal stance, which is in keeping with how the mystical animal is depicted in Chinese tradition.
The sculptures range from $600 for a Zodiaque Dragon to $67,000 for a Dragon Legendaire.
Info: The Baccarat boutique is at B1-68 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 8 Bayfront Avenue. Go to baccarat.sg
100 Years Collection by Royal Albert at Takashimaya
Vintage country roses painted on fine bone china became a hallmark of luxury British tableware brand Royal Albert, after the company received a Royal Warrant in 1901 due to the commemorative pieces it had created for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897.
The 100 Years Collection by Royal Albert (1950-1990), which is available at Takashimaya Department Store as a five-piece set of mugs, celebrates romanticism and nostalgia since the early 1900s.
For this collection, designs that feature motifs and patterns from 1950 to 1990 showcase some of the most emblematic styles from each decade.
Info: Takashimaya’s 100 Years Collection by Royal Albert (1950-1990) range is on sale for $299 (usual price $545) for a five-piece set which comes in a gift box. Go to B1 Takashimaya Department Store, 391 Orchard Road, or online at takashimaya.com.sg
Silk rose bouquet at Strange & Deranged
The luxury lifestyle and home decor store’s 2024 Chinese New Year range includes customised arrangements of bouquets that feature hyperrealistic silk flowers paired with gold-sprayed foliage.
According to store founder Alex Tan, unlike plastic blooms, high-grade silk flowers not only look like the real thing, but also have a delicate tactile quality that mimics the feel of real flowers.
“This year is special because not only is it Chinese New Year on Feb 10, but it is also the season to be celebratory with Valentine’s Day just a few days later,” says Mr Tan, 58, who founded the store in 2013.
He adds: “The silk flowers are not just visually stunning, but are also fully malleable, allowing for myriad arrangement possibilities.”
Mr Tan worked with Netherlands-based flower group Silk-ka to curate an assortment of foliage and blooms. Known for its traditional Dutch-designed collections, Silk-ka’s flowers are meticulously handcrafted according to centuries-old techniques.
Each bloom reveals fine veining, authentic textures and colour gradients. A rose spray with gold leaves (122cm), for example, is $199. Vases are sold separately.
Info: Strange & Deranged is at 04-47 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road. Go to www.strangeanderanged.com
Copper Champagne Cooler from Huls Gallery
A chic red copper receptacle for bubbly signals a perfect start to festivities revolving around Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day.
The Copper Champagne Cooler, which can also be used as a vase, is from Momentum Factory Orii in Takaoka City, in Toyama prefecture in Japan. The enclave was founded in the 17th century and specialises in the colouring of copperware.
The deep red tones of the cooler are produced through a special process, making it a coveted work of art.
It is one of a wide range of Japanese crafts showcased in Huls Gallery in Duxton Hill. Founded in 2017 by entrepreneur Yusuke Shibata, 42, the gallery focuses on fine artisanal works that are rooted in the land and produced by master Japanese craftsmen.
These include copperware from Takaoka, lacquer works from Echizen and ceramics from Hagi.
Info: The Copper Champagne Cooler is priced at $680 and available at Huls Gallery Singapore at 24 Duxton Hill and 01-36/37 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard. The gallery also has a permanent space at the Japanese tableware section at B1 Takashimaya Department Store, 391 Orchard Road. For details, go to store.huls.com.sg
Dragon year lucky plants
Home owners will be out in full force looking for festive plants to spruce up their homes for Chinese New Year, which is from Feb 10 to 24.
Throughout the celebratory period, plants with auspicious names are placed at the main door and inside of homes to usher in the new year.
But not all plants are suitable. According to geomancer Mark Tan, some plants that have sharp edges should be avoided. In Chinese culture, thorny and spiky plants may lead to disagreements.
“Cacti, agave plants, iron trees and dragon shrubs are associated with ‘sha qi’, or negative energy, and are not advised for Chinese New Year,” says Mr Tan.
Some plants are in greater demand during a dragon year, says Mr Cheok.
“Crowd favourites this year are dragon heart limes and dragon willows,” he says. “They are believed to have a special association with the dragon in the Chinese zodiac and make prized additions to the festive decor.”
Here are five plants to start the Year of the Wood Dragon on an auspicious note.
Hyacinth
Those born in a dragon year usually buy hyacinths as they are plants associated with their Chinese zodiac. It is considered a lucky plant as its abundant blooms signify rebirth and good health.
Bleeding Heart Vine
This fast-growing tropical climbing vine is popular with those born in a dragon year as it symbolises abundance. It produces heavy clusters of flowers with a distinctive red “heart” and glossy oval leaves.
Dragon Heart Lime
This is a popular plant among Chinese businessmen as its name, “long dan ju”, refers to a dragon’s courage. Its plentiful yellow limes also signify abundance and wealth.
Dragon willow
Dragon willows have distinctive curled stems and are called “long liu” in Chinese. They are believed to radiate fortune and prosperity when placed prominently in the home.
Phalaenopsis
Called “hu die lan”, which means butterfly orchid in Chinese, this bloom is a festive crowd-pleaser as it resembles a pair of butterflies in flight. It symbolises unity, harmony and good relationships.
