Bring the farm home

Grow and harvest your own veggies and herbs at home with this eco-friendly indoor “farm”.

TEXT Michelle Wong

Singapore is heavily reliant on the world for its food needs. In fact, more than 90 per cent of our food is imported. But, what if something were to happen to our food supply? What the Covid pandemic has shown is that we can’t afford to take food security for granted.

Singapore aims to meet 30 per cent of its nutritional needs through locally produced food by 2030, and the Indoor Smart Eco Farm, now retailed at Gain City, was created to help with this goal. Measuring 1.7m in height, 77cm in length and 44cm in width, this mini-

Bringing the outdoors in

No garden? No problem. Feel like you’re out in nature with these tips.

Spending time in nature is good for your emotional well-being and a great way to destress. If you can’t be outside, however, or if you don’t have a garden, try these easy decorating ideas to transform your living space into a peaceful, outdoor-like oasis.

Fill your home with flowers and plants
Turn your space into a green sanctuary with potted plants and fresh flowers. Studies show that when plants release their moisture into the air, it can help bring the temperature of the room down. So place them by windows and doors, in corners, and on tables and dressers. Plants like succulents, the snake plant, the Chinese money plant, orchids, monstera and ferns are low-maintenance and thrive indoors. Potted herbs on your kitchen counter are a

Living with fengshui

Geomancy Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong practises what he preaches, as evidencedin his new home.

Those looking to buy a new house or renovate their current abode may want to consider cultivating some good fengshui. Understanding how to apply the principles can be a daunting task for firsttimers though, so we speak to Singapore’s very own fengshui Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong, Chief Geomancer of Way Fengshui Group, who recently moved into his new home, to get some advice.

What is the design concept for your new house?

Tan: My wife wanted this house to be where we spend our old age, so our main concern was the ease of convenience for our living. Naturally, my wife’s needs take precedence over everything else, so she has the first say in the design. My needs come in

Smart changes for BIG savings

Practical ways to save energy, reduce your electricity bills and do good for the world.

There’s been much in the news recently about electricity costs creeping up. The bad news is experts anticipate these costs to rise in the future. So it’s now more important than ever to choose options and adopt solutions that aid in saving energy at home so as to lower household bills in the long run. That said, the key to an energy-saving home is setting it up to conserve as much energy as possible without you having to do extra on a day-to-day basis. Here’s how you can do it.

Opt for LED lights

When buying lights, go for energy-efficient options such as LED bulbs. To produce the same amount of light, LED bulbs use u