Wooden upholstered chair

Alvan Koh describes himself as a Jack of many trades. Over a decade in the corporate world, he’s been a business owner, a banker and a teacher. Today, he is a woodworker, handcrafting gorgeous wooden furniture pieces, who adheres to traditional Japanese woodcraft philosophies. That means all of his products have to be crafted by hand and held together by interlocking pieces in embrace. No nails and screws are ever used, even when building a table or a cupboard. Alvan became enthralled with the Japanese philosophy of woodcrafting some two years ago. After trying to teach himself the craft, via YouTube videos, he finally decided he needed to go to Japan and pursue his passion properly. He travelled to Japan and tutored under a master temple carpenter. He set up Mokko Wood Studio upon his return to Singapore. His ambition is to not only craft heirloom furniture, but also to build a community of enthusiasts. To that end, he is also starting courses to introduce Japanese woodworking to a … [Read more...] about Creative Capital: How this former banker-teacher became a woodworker that handcrafts heirloom furniture

When work-from-home was first implemented, many of us looked forward to sitting on our comfortable beds or couches for the day. It sure beats the office chair, doesn’t it? But while lounging around for hours might seem like a great thing, it can have unexpected consequences on your long-term physical wellbeing – specifically on your glutes. Some of us might have started to notice some soreness around the posterior, perhaps even while sitting on a cushion. Others might start to feel an ache in the same area on the rare occasion we’re standing up or walking around the house. Sitting around for extended periods can even cause issues in other parts of the body, specifically the back. Who knew sitting down could literally be a pain in the backside? CNA Lifestyle spoke to several experts to find out more about taking care of your glutes, and what you can do to help tone up those cheeks. READ: Is binge-watching giving you a backache? Here’s how to prevent it HIDDEN … [Read more...] about Is your bum sore from sitting all day? What to do when cushions don’t work

BALI: It had been weeks since a customer last stepped inside Safira Klau Gallery, a small art and furniture shop in the Kerobokan area of Bali, Indonesia. The area used to be buzzing with tourists and interior designers from all over the world looking to refurbish their apartments, houses and villas, or to buy statues and small ornaments to decorate their homes. But since the pandemic, the area resembled a ghost town with very few cars passing the small, winding road, let alone stopping to shop. Gallery owner Vincen Klau said last year he could make a gross income of between 40 million rupiah and 70 million rupiah (US$2,669 and US$4,670) a month selling chairs, dining tables, wall decorations and small statuettes - carved in the rustic and abstract style of Eastern Indonesian wood art. “Now, it is quieter than my quiet months,” he told CNA. Klau said he would count himself lucky if he could get 15 million rupiah a month, which is barely enough to pay rent for his … [Read more...] about As tourist flow stops, Bali’s craftsmen struggle to market their work online

SINGAPORE: There are fewer than 50 books in this children’s library, but it has already proven to be a hit among some residents in Ghim Moh. “One of the families here, they have young children, and then a few floors down as well. They’re still toddling so they will walk up the stairs, they will come over … Sometimes I see the books being removed or reshuffled and I know they (were) here. And then my neighbours (will say), oh yeah, we see little children coming up,” said Ms Yvonne Looi with a laugh. The self-described full-time mum is the architect behind the Little Library, which is a small reading nook that she set up at her lift landing on the 39th floor. Less than two months old, it boasts two chairs, several cushions and a lot of natural lighting - an ideal environment for a quiet afternoon of reading. Most of the books are children’s books, and include classic titles from Enid Blyton and collections of fairy tales and bedtime stories. There are one or two books for adults … [Read more...] about Ghim Moh resident sets up community children’s library at her lift landing to share the joy of reading

Liew Yu Hua makes beautiful, thoughtful wooden furniture under the brand, Secret Life of Trees, which was launched “in the middle of 2019”. But this former civil servant didn’t jump head-first into the trade. After feeling “miserable working in an office behind a computer” – despite having “wonderful bosses and colleagues” in the international relations field – she went to work at a local furniture restoration shop for a year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 華 / Hua (@secretlifeoftrees_) on Feb 10, 2020 at 6:54am PST After that, Yu Hua spent “a good part of my savings” on a furniture-making, design and restoration course in Scotland. “Even after that, I wasn’t sure if it was possible for me to pursue furniture design and making as a profession. It was only after my time in Canada that I decided to pursue it professionally,” she said. WHAT’S THE MEANING BEHIND YOUR BRAND NAME? It is a … [Read more...] about Creative Capital: This designer-maker is carving a niche for bespoke furniture