By Tharmini Kenas tharmini@thestar.com.myThe best way to welcome a celebration and spread the festive joy is by decorating your home. Chinese New Year is almost here, and it is not too late to start filling your home with all things red and gold to usher in prosperity and good luck. While most of...

By Tharmini Kenas tharmini@thestar.com.myMalaysians have plenty of exciting stories stemming from the multitude of interesting cultures and traditions.With Chinese New Year just around the corner, I am reminded of one particular tradition that fascinated me when I was in primary school. I was told...

Heritage buildings give us a better understanding of the present BY NG PAU LINGpauline@thestar.com.myHeritage buildings are some of the most precious assets to modern cities. They have withstood the test of time and are pieces of living history that allow us to look back at the past to have a...

Optimising small space The Rooms at Design Street will showcase some savvy design tips that can be used in limited built-up areas – perfect for SoHo, SoFo and SoVo-type of units.BY YVONNE YOONG yvonneyoong@thestar.com.myLAND, being a limited resource, is becoming increasingly scarce in cities...

by Justin SantiagoDid you know you too can refurbish and 'up-cycle'? That old grille you're throwing away could be reclaimed and turned into a unique designer coffee table.There’s something to say about antiques, wine, or even wisdom – age does matter.Wood, steel, or glass that has aged has a...

One Man’s Meat by PHILIP GOLINGAIBecause something as ominous as an unknown car parked in front of your house may just belong to them.It is 9.25pm and an Audi A4 saloon is parked right in front of your double-storey terrace house. You don’t know who owns the Audi blocking your driveway.Nobody...

Though any form of green is a good thing in my opinion, you may want to invest a little effort in choosing plants that can match well, but more importantly thrive well in your garden.Of course, the basics to know are the conditions of your garden, or the space in which you want to place your...

Just like a blank canvas or empty house, to plan a garden can be difficult. More specifically, it can be hard to choose what to plant and which plants go together.Most people often consider which plants are easy to maintain. For example, the bougainvillea has become unpopular with many despite its...

For most property owners, landscaping is often an afterthought. Once all the high gloss tiles have been laid and customised kitchen cabinets fitted in, there is little time or money to go beyond calling in a rag tag team of labourers to put in some grass and “plant a few trees here and...

Dear StarProperty,I recently moved into a new 3 storey link house in Seksyen 11, Kota Damansara, it’s a gated and guarded community with individual title. In the Deed of Mutual Covenants signed with the developer, it was stated that the developer will provide security services for 12 months from...