CB2

If Crate&Barrel is too contemporary, strict or even boring for you (although I beg to differ) well, her younger sister CB2 might be the store for you. CB2 is fresh and young but oozing with character and attitude.

It is housed on the 2nd floor of the historic Peranakan Place along Orchard and can be reached via the lift at street level. Entrance is a bit inconspicuous because the space is unmanned and it just seems to be a modern art installation of sorts. But once you take the lift it will open up to a space filled with funky furniture, colorful knick-knacks and delicious décor.

The store interiors definitely has a youthful vibe and is very artsy with striking colors here and there which is mellowed down by the stone walls of the old structure painted white and the bare concrete floors. The old arched windows let some light in and act as a beautiful backdrop to the furniture groupings. CB2 also infuses the oriental culture by incorporating just the right amount of local flavor in the accessories.

What we love: The mix of old and new. It’s inspiring how modern furniture and accessories can blend well with vintage finds and even junk, provided they are showcased with proper accent lighting and a big space to breathe.

We will definitely come back soon. Meanwhile check out their offerings here.

Crate&Barrel

Crate&Barrel opened their first store in Southeast Asia earlier this year to positive reviews from all over the city-state. I usually have a “What We Love” section at the end of my recent articles but not with this post since we love almost everything! And I love how their logo’s ampersand has no spaces like my blog title, Me&MyGirls.

We adore the store’s collection of home furnishings which has that modern contemporary feel. Most of their products are on the “upmarket range” especially for bigger furniture, but there is definitely no compromise when it comes down to design, workmanship and quality. Their products come from various sources- Mexico, Indonesia, and The Philippines just to name just a few. Some items are directly from the United States and some are from China.

The Singapore store welcomes customers first with their outdoor furniture range, followed by the kitchen and dining furnishings, and lastly, the living and bedroom pieces just like when you enter a real house. And as my new favorite place, I definitely would not mind having a home furnished with Crate&Barrel products.

Their products can be viewed online via their website. And they also have an international shipping service. In Singapore, their store is strategically located on the 4th Floor of ION Orchard. There is also a small annex on the 3rd floor.

King & King Wong

Tucked in one corner of the huge Nex Mall in Serangoon is King & King Wong. They dubbed themselves as The Legend of Home Empire. The store covers two levels of everything you need to furnish an empty home – from rugs, furniture, beddings, lighting, decorations, and even stuff for the garden. It’s a warehouse-like establishment with plain concrete floors but is filled with a myriad of products of different styles and themes.

Although I prefer fresh plants and flowers at home, their collection of silk flowers is impressive and is sorted by color. Shabby chic aficionados will also be spoilt for choice with their massive collection of French furniture and accessories. They are a Top 100 Singapore Excellence Awardee for 2011/2012 and received the Patron of Heritage Award 2011. They are also highly recognized by various interior and home design publications in the region.

Having stated their accolades and the fact that we love most of their products, I really hope that they revamp their website. It’s a bit dated and doesn’t reflect much of the brand.

What we love: Not only that King & King Wong’s location is just a bus ride away from our current location, we love their wide collection of apothecary jars, decorative mirrors and tufted armchairs.

We’re looking forward to our next store visit and a possible membership to go along with it.

Until next time.

Francfranc

We’ve been frequenting a lot, or should I say A LOT of home furnishing stores lately since July while waiting to move-in to our new place and I would like to share some of our favorites.

Since I now work near Vivo City, let’s start with Francfranc. Although at first the name reminds me of France, it is pronounced as Furanfuran (フランフラン) and is not French. It is actually a well-loved Japanese home furnishing store which also has branches in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and 2 branches here in Singapore. One in Vivo City and the other in JCube.

Francfranc is relatively new in Singapore. They just opened their stores here last year and regard their brand concept as "casual stylish". Noticeable are their use of humongous armchairs and giant wine glasses in the store. There’s even a life-size giraffe at the entrance! All these give a quirky feel and a sense-of-humor to the place.

There are a lot of decorative pieces to buy for every room in the house and are priced reasonably. Furniture pieces are of high-quality and of good craftsmanship. The sizes look smaller and lower and seemed to be customized. Their two-seater sofas however are either low and small or oversized. You'll get what I mean on how they play with scale when you visit their stores. In addition, their beds are on a non-standard size so don't look for king or queen sizes.

I'm sure we'll find some ornaments for our sideboard top, or display cabinet here. And probably some Christmas decorations very soon.

What we love: The store is spacious, bright and cheery. Their products are displayed well and are showcased in artistically-designed tableaus.

Check them out here.

New Do

It’s Ashrie’s first haircut at the salon (well, a kid's salon). We used to cut her hair when she was younger but now that she’s has grown it to one length, it’s thicker, and she’s not a toddler anymore, it’s about time to give her a proper haircut.

Here’s the before and after photos!

Although it will take a while for me to get used to her new look, she definitely loves her bob!

Story-Telling Finals Night

Ashrie placed 3rd in the recently concluded Story-Telling Finals Night. And we as parents couldn’t have been any prouder. It was a rainy Monday night but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the kids who gave their best in the competition in front of their parents, teachers, and friends. Not to mention the scrutinizing look of three judges.

Here are the photos.

We hope for more triumphs in her life in the future. And we bring all the glory to God!