Tara Bernerd is a young British designer whose design has a charm of its own. Her style is more overt than Ikebuchi’s but also draws the eye straight out across the harbour by opening up the kitchen/dining room with a sizeable balcony, perfect for relaxing with friends or family. Hers also has a more contemporary feel, with built-in plasma screens and a small but funlooking music system. Despite the modern, cutting edge look, taking all the aspects together I detected an atmosphere very conducive to young families especially. The kitchen, is one place in which one can immediately visualise the ease of living in Suite 2. Though apparently compact, the kitchen includes all the modern gadgets one could hope for, and manages to allow space for an eating area, complete with high stools for children. Winningly for adults and children alike, space has also been found for a classic, full-size brass telescope. Personally speaking, this is a great attraction – though I fear that spying on boats and bridges could easily take up most of my day.
The Club-House The club-house is another reservoir of sedate charm, with a spacious armchair lounge and two dining areas set back close to the entrance. This is the perfect place to entertain - there must be capacity for 40 or 50 people. A pair of enormous fibre-frame lamps dominate the high ceiling, but once again the eyes of the visitor are drawn outside. This time, it is not just to the harbour, but also to the garden and the set-piece pool. True to modern form, the water appears to flow over the pool sides into vertical space (I eventually spot a very discreet barrier beyond). The deliberately tropical garden, with its stone banks and terraces, allows one to meander around a surprising diversity of plant-life. Altogether, the club-house allows precisely the kind of versatility of space that makes for a great social event. In other words, after spending some time sipping cocktails in the marble-panelled main hall, relaxing by the pool and then chatting with friends on the vast sofas at the far end of the club-house, it still remains for one to go and play snooker in the billiards room! Bringing to bear all the background and talent of the world-famous Grosvenor and Asia Standard International, the designers of The Westminster Terrace have created a truly unique refuge in one of the most crowded cities in the world. It’s a great achievement, and a delightful experience.
For more information, please visit www.thewestminsterterrace.com or call (+852) 2772 3889.
July/August 2011 • Vol 26 • No 7
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