Singapore: Tour a Stylish Black and White Home with a Dutch Influence
What makes a house a home? It is a subject I give quite a lot of thought to and one that I ponder when I visit other peoples houses too. It is, I believe, at the heart of what we all wish to achieve with our abodes which is in essence, a sense of belonging.
Being able to translate who we are and reflect this in our interiors, and do it with style, is not always an easy undertaking. Why is it that some homes are able to radiate warmth and personality while others, try as they might (and with all the professional help in the world) still lack personality - even if they are technically stylish? I believe the answer lies, in part, in the time it takes to create a home. The most wonderful homes are those that evolve over time, being added to along the way - where the pieces displayed reflect the occupants who live there.
The beautiful Black and White home featured in todays post exudes this wonderful home-like quality. Wandering through the rooms, you catch glimpses of the personality of the family who call this place home. Little details that reveal where they have come from, where they have been, the things that are important to them and how they like to live. There is authenticity to their home and it oozes style without sacrificing a sense of homely comfort.
EXTERIOR
At the end of a long driveway flanked by tropical flowers and foliage, the Black and White house sits nestled in the greenery. The timber framed doors and casement windows, flung open to allow a through breeze, give the home an almost English country home look. Recently restored by the Singapore Land Authority, this home has been given a new lease of life and the Dutch family who live here, have furnished it with a light touch allowing it’s position amongst the greenery to take centre stage.
The underhouse area at the back of the property has been used as a covered outdoor dining and BBQ area with a variety of seating options for lounging around as well. Throughout the home the use of white as the base foundational colour allows for pops of colour in the form of traditional blue and white pottery or texture in the case of scatter cushions to add interest.
Why this works…
The use of a simple colour palette combined with a mix of materials - timber, rattan, a woven basket, modern chairs, embroidered linen cushions. Nothing has been matched but everything complements. This is one of the keys to successful styling.
LIVING AND DINING
As you ascend the stairs, a large acrylic painting takes centre stage and leads you into an open plan space that feels calm and quiet…surrounded by windows and doors, opened to the jungle beyond, the living space feels like a retreat from the world.
Styling Tip
Follow the 80 / 20 rule when combining styles. In this home, 80% of the furnishings are contemporary and classic mid century with 20% antique.
KITCHEN
It is rare in a Black and White home that I might even consider photographing the kitchen as typically, the kitchens and bathrooms in these homes are functional at best. Not so with this renovated property. The kitchen has been given a complete makeover with marble bench tops and white subway tiles. As with the rest of the upstairs, windows flank the kitchen space - it makes a refreshing change from the location of most Singaporean kitchens which are usually located at the back of a property, tucked away and lacking any, let alone an abundance, of natural light.
What I love…
Aside from the view from the sink, I love the use of little vignettes in the kitchen. Even ordinary items have been elevated to something beautiful by being thoughtfully styled. A stack of cookbooks, some traditional wooden mooncake molds, a little enamel teapot on the stove - they all lend themselves to a sense of home.
CHILDS BEDROOM
A beautifully conceived girls bedroom - with mismatched bedlinen, a Mathieu Challieres pendant light and an antique desk from the owners childhood. Being a Dutch family, this time of year it is all about Sinterklass for little ones, so a timber tree has been hung in the bedroom to display pictures and books related to this festive time of the year.
What I love…
Mismatched pattern: if you are going to mismatch then don’t hold back. This look requires being bold. Gingham, florals, graphic printed - don’t be afraid of things not “matching”
Full length drapes: the drapes help to give the room a cosy feel and the soft lilac colour is pretty without being too saccharine.
Relaxed styling: the styling in this room feels authentic and full of personality. The owner has not strived for perfection - and in doing so has created a room that feels joyous and fun without sacrificing style.
MASTER BEDROOM
Calm and retreat like, the Master Bedroom has been styled in keeping with the rest of the house with the larger pieces being mid century or contemporary, combined with Chinese antiques to add interest.
DOWNSTAIRS LIVING
On the ground floor of the home, a second living space has been created and it feels grown up and sophisticated in all the right ways. This room is a slight departure from the styling of the main upstairs living areas of the house - which is a great styling decision. It is a room to itself, so it feels right to have it act alone. The use of a darker colour palette and richer materials is also a great choice for the ground floor which receives less light. It helps to make the room feel intentionally moody and a touch masculine.
STYLING TIPS
Find a good base colour: Grey is a wonderful neutral base colour that will lend itself to other colours. In this living space it has been used beautifully for both the sofa, ottoman and the rug. From pale, to mid, through to charcoal, the combination of greys work harmoniously in this room
Use colour: Bold colours can work together particularly when they are unified by being in the same fabric. When combining colour, look for similarities (in this instance the black outline of the cushions provides continuity across the colours).
Size matters: Don’t be too formulaic with your cushions. Combine square with rectangle and in different sizes. When you have a large modular sofa, place your cushions in varying numbers - a pair here, one there, a cluster of three somewhere else.
White and Bright: A pop of white against the predominately moody colour palette provides the perfect contrast and lifts the entire look
SHOP THE LOOK
