Homes & Decor Superstore, the retail arm of the Matsushita Group, has just opened its flagship megastore in Bukit Merah showcasing home furnishing essentials spread over six floors.

Called King Koil Gallery/Ashley Furniture HomeStore @ 12 Jalan Kilang Barat, the 30,000 sq ft megastore sells environmentally friendly furniture made from non-polluting or recycled materials. Each floor is designed to focus on a different part of the home.

King Koil was founded in the United States in 1898 and is known for its pocketed spring technology and mattress innovations. Matsushita Greatwall Corporation, which was founded in 1968, is a manufacturer and distributor of top mattress brands such as King Koil, Dorma and Ashley Furniture.

The first and second floors, and part of the third floor, feature the Ashley range of quality furniture, an American brand established in 1945. From the third to fifth floors, shoppers can take their pick of more than 40 styles of sofas, lounges, home accessories and dining room furniture. An experiential show flat has also been set up on the third floor.

The sixth and highest floor is devoted to more than 40 mattress models, including King Koil, Silentnight, Dorma and Ashley, priced from about $3,000 for a queen-size mattress.

Ms Jenny Koh, group chief operating officer and executive director, says: "Our sales staff will recommend bedding products which are suitable for each customer's needs. For customers who are taller, or whose beds have to fit irregularly shaped rooms, mattresses can also be custom-made."

Shoppers are also encouraged to lie on the mattresses for at least half an hour to get first-hand experience before making a decision to buy. There are also more than 100 types of pillows and a full range of bedding and linens.

Info: Visit the King Koil Gallery/Ashley Furniture HomeStore @ 12 Jalan Kilang Barat, or go to this website for a list of other retail outlets

Home-grown studio Stuck Design has released an educational toy for interactive storytelling and discovery for children aged three years old and above. The toy, which is designed to look like a tablet, combines illustration, technology and tactility.

Used together with an iPad app, a child can move the physical Explorer Ring, like a "magical looking-glass", to explore the artwork and discover hidden surprises within. These interactive "books" have been designed in collaboration with illustrators and children's storytellers around the world. There are different themes - such as A-Z with animals and learning about the human body.

"The books are built upon the foundations of lifelong learning - curiosity and wonder," says Mr Yong Jieyu, one of the founders of Stuck Design and Matterkids. He worked on Peekabook with a team of 10 designers - user experience designers, product designers, design educators and software developers - for 10 months before releasing it on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. It has already surpassed pre-launch Kickstarter funding and the team plan to eventually release it on Amazon.

Peekabook comes with a continually expanding digital library of books. More books and artwork can be bought via the app as Stuck's designers expand the range.

It retails for $88 on Kickstarter and is expected to be in stores by year-end.

Info: Go to this website. To buy Peekabook, go to this website.

This year's Singapore Design Week, which takes place from Sept 16 to 25, is back with a new vision and a more immersive suite of experiences to explore design through three perspectives: Design Futures, Design Marketplace and Design Impact.

Highlights include the two immersive President's Design Award Tours: Design That Cares and The Hunt For The Green Treasure. These provide opportunities to experience some of Singapore's most outstanding and impactful designs first-hand.

Another segment titled Design Community Open Doors will look at more than 10 ground-up community programmes, including open houses, talks and workshops.

Find - Design Fair Asia will bring together the region's best talent in the design industry to share ideas in panel discussions and masterclasses.

Finally, the Emerge@Find segment presents a first-of-its-kind South-east Asian design talent showcase that shines the spotlight on more than 50 established and emerging designers from the region.

Info: To register, go to this website.

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MCI (P) 031/10/2021, MCI (P) 032/10/2021. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2021 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.