Hand-brushed aged finishes used on white oak fitout

Kaya Restaurant at newly opened Standard Hotel in Singapore chose to elevate its interiors with natural materials, but with an added touch.

For the American white oak flooring, Ministry of Design worked with timber specialists World of Wood Floors (WOW). Mohammad Zain Bin Abdul Hamid, WOW’s managing director talks passionately about wood, 'When we use wood, we’re not just thinking about how it looks, but how it feels in a space. It softens a room, makes it more inviting, and adds a kind of quiet depth. People instinctively connect with it. It grounds the design and gives it soul.'

WOW used traditional techniques including hand-brushing to give new timber the look and feel of a more aged hardwood. Each board was carefully worked to reveal the natural grain, enhance its tactile quality, and highlight subtle imperfections that brought warmth.'

Image credit: Jovian Lim