Celebrity Life

By now, your bosses and colleagues have probably seen more of your abode than you would've ever expected to show them.

With many of us working from home these days, meetings held over video conferencing apps the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal. Inevitably, this means letting colleagues into our residences — albeit virtually — and having them catch glimpses of it via our backdrop. Depending on where your workspace is located, this view could range from a boring blank wall to windows or cluttered bookshelves.

Your makeshift office may not be the most glamorous, but there are several easy interior design tricks that you can employ to quickly jazz up the background of your Zoom calls.

Textiles and cushions

If your workstation of choice is the couch or bed, all it takes is a few snazzy throw pillows wrapped in eye-catching fabrics and prints to provide visual interest in the space behind you. Consider dressing your cushions in the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli collection, which is inspired by modern art — specifically works by Henri Matisse, Vasilij Kandinskij and Paul Klee.

It showcases striking colour blocks embellished with embroideries, ikat details and intertwined motifs. These are available in various patterns and shades ranging from pastel to neutral hues. More details here.

Houseplants and greenery

Adding houseplants to your home office will help the space look less spartan and bland. Smaller plants like cacti, succulents and spider plants can be displayed on shelves or tables, while larger ones such as philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plant (Zanzibar Gem) can be placed on the floor to break the monotony of blank walls.

Online plant retailer Flora Houses offers a wide variety of houseplants that will thrive indoors and are generally low-maintenance. Its range includes Japanese fir, fiddle leaf fig and Bird of Paradise. The store provides free doorstep delivery with a minimum spend.

Artworks and paintings

Perhaps houseplants may seem like too much of a commitment, or you simply don't have green fingers. This is where paintings and art pieces make an easier alternative. You can simply hang a couple of them on the wall that constantly forms your video call backdrop.

An Andy Warhol or Basquiat will certainly impress your co-workers, but your art doesn't necessarily have to be expensive or by big name artists. Consider procuring artworks instead from indie galleries such as Odd One Out, which boasts an array of creations by local and international printmakers and illustrators. We can't take our eyes off the above acrylic painting by Micke Lindebergh, which is titled 'Small Yellow Flower Pot' and features colourful blooms accented by quirky squiggles and bright hues.

Statement ornaments and furniture

Inject a dose of quirk into your meeting setup by peppering your background with assorted decorative items and statement furniture pieces. These can be anything from figurines to colourful tiles and dramatic room dividers.

Our go-to is Lala Curio, which is a whimsical wonderland of objets d'art such as brass monkey sculptures, cloisonné birds, and, one of our favourites — an adorable trio of cranes adorned with rock crystal feathers and perched on crystal balls.

Wallpaper

Why settle for one specially curated work area, when you can turn your whole room into an Instagram-worthy space? Wallpaper is a bold and easy solution — if every wall in your room is clad in beautiful prints, you can essentially park yourself in any corner and still have an envy-inducing Zoom backdrop.

Designer wallpaper has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we're obsessed with Christian Lacroix's exquisite Oiseau Fleur vinyl wallpaper, which depicts vibrant botanical and bird motifs against a silk effect embossed base. It comes in two colourways of pink and grey.

(Main image: Brina Blum/ Unsplash; Featured image: Christian Lacroix)

The post Celebrity Chef Recipes to Try at Home This Weekend appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Omar Allibhoy is a Spanish celebrity chef, the founder of the Tapas Revolution Group in London. Today he sat down with Felicity Carter and share with us one of his favorite recipes. Grilled lettuce with a sweet and sour bacon vinaigrette by Omar Allibhoy Also known as ‘Cogollos de Tudela con Vinagreta de pancetta’ this […]

The post A  Recipe Piece from Celeb Chef Omar Allibhoy appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

In an exclusive interview with Chef Oliver Lange, Corporate Executive Chef of Zuma, we discussed his early experiences in the kitchen, culinary philosophy, the process of creation and more. A sophisticated twist on the traditional Japanese Izakaya style of informal eating and drinking, Zuma has 11 venues globally and 3 pop up locations. Chef Lange […]

The post Chef Oliver Lange of Zuma on Creativity, Excellence, and Perfection appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

From designing luxury lodges and cruise ships’ first-class cabins to starring in Celebrity Masterchef and the Celebrity Jungle, leading TV presenter and interior designer, Linda Barker, has her talented fingers in many projects, both on and off our screens. Ten years ago, she and her husband, Chris, jointly bought a Roman-style villa in the tiny […]

The post Linda Barker – Lovin’ La Vie & La Musique in Provence! appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

Marco-Pierre White dubbed the first celebrity chef of the UK restaurant scene, opens a brand new restaurant-hotel in Singapore. The English themed transformation will leave you in awe.

The post Marco-Pierre White Carved A Piece Of England In Singapore: Your Next Restaurant-Hotel Destination appeared first on LUXUO.

Number one again, he reveals who he thought deserved to oust him this 2018.

The post Why Gaggan Doesn’t Want to Win Asia’s 50 Best appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

When I met Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen for the first time in 2016, he had just catapulted onto the world stage after clinching the accolade of a Michelin star for his first self-titled restaurant JAN. A lot has happened since then; filmed a television documentary about JAN, opened a second private dining room honouring […]

The post Jan Hendrik Van Der Westhuizen, a Michelin Star Chef appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

"All the traditional Cantonese chefs are over 50 years old. I don’t know what Chinese food is going to be like in 20 years."

The post Sydney Chef Dan Hong: What’s Going to Happen to Cantonese Food? appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

With National Caviar Day approaching on July 18th,  James Beard Award-Winning Chef José Andrés‘ shares with us his uber-popular “Jose Taco” recipe, which he adds flavor with Latin flair. Chef Andrés will be serving “Jose Taco” at The Bazaar at SLS South Beach while ditching the traditional recipe of Crème Fraiche and Blini’s. To create the dish, Andrés places delicious […]

The post Chef José Andrés “Jose Taco” appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

How did Auguste Escoffier, who apprenticed in a kitchen at 13, become synonymous with the title “The King of Chefs and The Chef of Kings”? Great grandson Michel Escoffier sheds some light.

The post Auguste Escoffier is the king of chefs appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The Perfect Partnership at Feast Portland 2017 Celebrity Chef Chris Cosentino and Washington State Wine united at Feast Portland 2017 to host a lunch extravaganza for media at the chef’s new restaurant, Jackrabbit in Portland, Oregon. Chef Cosentino, the season-four winner of Top Chef Masters and a contender on The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, collaborated […]

The post The Perfect Partnership at Feast Portland 2017 appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

A world-renowned master in the kitchen and a charismatic personality, Wolfgang Puck is a dynamic “chef-lebrity” who is globally revered for his combination of classic cooking techniques and the modern fusion cuisine he pioneered in his iconic restaurants all around the world. All of the accolades that have ensued are decidedly well-earned, given he began […]

The post Wolfgang Puck Reveals Ingredients for Luxe Living appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.