The Arts & Crafts designer William Morris said, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” His phrase has become something of a reference point for Habitus magazine – the quarterly regional publication produced by the Sydney office of Indesign Media. Now, it is with much pleasure and anticipation, that the Indesign Media’s Singapore team releases the first ever Singapore-focused special issue of Habitus.

La Cornue’s W. kitchen designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Available at Kitchen Culture

This edition represents the emergence of a new voice for Habitus – one that speaks specifically about living here in Singapore, and the nuances of living in this dense ‘city in a garden’. Our intention in compiling Habitus Singapore special issue – kitchen and bathroom was to hold a lens over two of the most important spaces in contemporary homes, which also happen to be two of the most rapidly changing spaces – especially here in Singapore. The magazine takes a deeper look at what makes these spaces specific in Singapore – in both functional and cultural terms.

House at Neil Road designed by ONG&ONG. Photo by See Chee Keong (courtesy of ONG&ONG)

What has emerged is how Singaporean kitchens and bathrooms have been expanding in recent years. It’s been a spatial and cultural expansion. For many families here, cooking has been gaining greater prominence as a shared activity and a time for social interaction. And with that, the everyday kitchen has been bursting out from the back of house and connecting with the more public spaces of the home.

Historical Curve designed by WY-TO. Photo by Frank Pinckers (courtesy of WY-TO)

Singaporean bathrooms have been expanding too – especially across the boundary between inside and outside. Maybe it’s due to the influence of resorts in Bali. Maybe it’s a greater interest in living more intimately with our climate. But more and more bathrooms here are connecting with nature and positioning that most private act – bathing – in spaces that link directly to the open air and gardens.

The Raw Apartment designed by Mimi Daraphet and Dan Foreman. Photo by Brett Boardman (courtesy of Mimi Daraphet and Dan Foreman)

This inaugural annual Singapore issue contains kitchen and bathroom features from the likes of K2LD Architects, A D Lab, RT+Q Architects, ONG&ONG, Linghao Architects, Super Fat Designs, Chen + Choi Collaborative, WY-TO, ipli Architects, Park + Associates, and many more. Also within the pages are a showcase of some of the most desirable kitchen and bathroom products on the market; explorations into aspects of wellness, eco-living, the culture of the kitchen, and the history of these two important rooms; the stories of some of the leading brands in this arena; tips for constructing your dream kitchen and bathroom; and interviews.

The stories captured here are just a start to the Habitus Singapore story. We’ll be continuing our explorations of Singapore homes online with a new Habitusliving Singapore portal. Habitusliving.com.sg is soon to be launched, so look out for all the latest news from online Editor Janice Seow and do subscribe to receive regular updates direct to your inbox.

Note by Habitus Singapore special issue Editor, Narelle Yabuka