Note from the editor, Diana Khoo:
It might be the exclusive pleasure of those in the northern hemisphere to indulge in the literal fancy of a summer holiday but summer may also, just as easily, be a state of mind. It is to this idea, warmed by words appropriated from the German poet and dramatist Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller who wrote of “warmth and light a blessing both to be”, that we dedicate this issue of Haven.
Naturally, the homes featured within all bear testimony to this: lush spaces illuminated by streaming sunlight; charming courtyards paved with beautiful tiles and surrounded by foliage and greenery; living spaces punctuated by decorative touches in eye-popping colours; dining tables groaning under the weight of a generous-hearted Mediterranean feast (complete with the brightest table accoutrements to boot) and a comprehensive round-up of villas — perhaps the best way to encapsulate the idea of summer — from nearby jungle settings all the way to the Sri Lankan coast.
We were also fortunate to have had the privilege of featuring design doyenne Kelly Hoppen’s stunning and spacious open-plan home in London. Hoppen is the talent behind a slew of celebrity homes, including those of Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and the Beckhams. Those who have fallen hard for her style (as we have) would be thrilled to know she will be debuting her first project in Kuala Lumpur soon, as part of KSK Land’s 8 Conlay development. Read about it on Page 48.
But back to the subject of summer. For beyond sunlight and salt-kissed air, it would be remiss if we forgot to mention that the season is also about taste, a series of sun-speckled flavours. And who better to grace our Entertaining section this issue than the celebrated chef, food author and television personality David Rocco? From antipasti suggestions (simply perfect for languorous dinner parties) to the simplest but most sublime recipe for a Negroni, may your summer days, likewise, be all about enjoyment, pleasure and escape.
Haven is complimentary with every copy of The Edge Malaysia (June 3 issue). Get the Summer 2019 edition at your nearest news stand now.
