Boutique home concept

		Saturday, Apr 07, 2012 The Star/Asia News Network
By Mae Chan EUT Marketing Sdn Bhd managing director Wendy Eng is a go-getter who doesn't believe in doing things in half measures especially in decorating her own home. Click on thumbnail to view As a successful businesswoman, Eng knows exactly how to make things work. Her company is part of the EUTFashion group that has a distribution network of 900 outlets that cover Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The company operates the Blush! Lingerie outlets but also the Point B department store located in USJ, Subang Jaya. The last time StarProperty.my met up with Eng was when our portal featured her "glass" house in Kota Kemuning in 2009. She has since sold the property lock, stock and barrel last year, when a newly-married couple fell in love with the concept and insisted on purchasing it. Her new home is a villa built on 929sq m (10,000sq ft) of land that she bought years ago as an investment. Located on the exclusive Mines Resort and Golf Club grounds, the three-storey building has a built-up space of about 830sq m (9,000sq ft). The villa has six bedrooms, an entertainment room, two lounges and a dining hall. It is also equipped with an elevator, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gymnasium and billiards corner. Though it was a challenge for Eng to design and build a house from scratch, it was a decision that she has come to relish. "It helped that I already had in mind the rooms and space that I wanted," said the property owner who credits her architect for creating what she had envisioned. "Teamwork is key, so I was lucky to ultimately work with people who were on the same wavelength," added Eng. Being hands-on, meant weekly site visits, which Eng revealed was rather unglamorous and even dangerous. "The contractors feared for my safety, as I tended to climb up and down various parts of the construction site!" said the imperturbable lady. Sleek and timeless Eng described her home concept as modern contemporary and uncluttered and perhaps, even simplistic. The flow of space was important to her. Other important features include a high ceiling and a layout with minimal divisions that better connect the space. As with her previous home, Eng preferred to keep things modern, sleek and easily maintained. Her philosophy was that a home's décor should be timeless. "You will not find knick-knacks in my house," explained Eng, who confessed that she has hidden storage space to ensure minimal upkeep. The interior features a predominantly, white colour scheme. "My friends say I'm colour blind for always choosing black and white but stylistically you just can't go wrong with it. It is also practical," pointed out Eng, who hesitatingly conceded to her architect's suggestion of a grey-and-orange combination for the exterior. Her decorating secret is to use splashes of bright colour against a white or black setting, creating a focal point in the room. "It will give a lasting impression, as opposed to a room which has too much going on," pointed out Eng. While her favourite room is her bedroom, which is actually a suite that takes up most of the top floor, Eng conceded that the focal point of her home is the wide dining hall, albeit an unintended one. "The architect imagined that I would entertain often with big parties but I hate neglecting my guests or not being able to give my full attention," explained Eng, who now limits her invitation to a maximum of 12 guests which is the number of seats at her custom-made dining table. Overlooking the swimming pool, the dining table serves as a centrepiece in the impressive space. Yet, the focus is the unusual light bulbs that resemble ping-pong balls. Featured in Blush! boutiques, the bulbs were an inspired decision by Eng, dramatising the ambience of the hall and invoking a simple yet artistic feel. Lighting is certainly important to Eng, as evident throughout the house. Designed to let in plenty of daylight, the home's atmosphere undergoes a transformation in the evening due to creative lighting. Explained Eng, "Lighting is a vital part of my work with retail space and boutiques, so when I come home, I prefer the space not to be too different from my workplace ambience. These lights help keep me in the zone, so to speak." Boutique concept Eng's house is reminiscent of a boutique hotel, with each room having a different theme and unique features sourced by her. It is an inevitable comparison as Eng enjoys visiting boutique hotels when she travels. "I am definitely inspired by boutique hotels and am actually working on another boutique house concept now as a side project," said Eng. The creative lady believed that renovation can enhance the value of a house. In fact, Eng planned to offer a "retail" package deal to buyers, turning properties into dream homes rather than just a shell. "It is hassle-free and you get what you see," said Eng of her venture, which is a natural extension of her love for interior decorating. It is more of a labour of love than a business project, another channel to pour her creative energy.