My First Home: A ceramic artist’s new life in a rare HDB Terrace House at Jalan Bahagia

Most Singaporeans have never stepped into a HDB terrace house, much less lived in one. For Maureen Cheng, discovering this rare corner unit was like finding the perfect blank canvas—solid bones, a generous garden, and a chance to start over. After years in publishing as a creative director, she left the corporate world to rediscover herself through clay. This house, located closer to her workplace and her ageing mother, became the space for that reinvention.

“I wanted a home where I could slow down, live with my mum, and create,” she says. “The garden sealed the deal.”

From Creative Director to Ceramic Artist

The shift from magazine deadlines to ceramic-making didn’t happen overnight. Maureen took a sabbatical, ran into her old ceramics teacher, and picked up clay again just to see where it would lead. It led to a complete career pivot. “Clay taught me patience and how to let go of control,” she reflects. “Every piece is a reminder that beauty can come from imperfection.”

Now a practising ceramic artist, she spends her days creating moon jars, vessels, and handmade objects from her in-house studio, a converted section of the former garden that now opens directly into her living and kitchen spaces.

A Kitchen That Works for Two

One of the most striking parts of the home is the light-filled kitchen anchored by a long island counter. “We used to squeeze past each other in the old kitchen,” says Maureen of cooking with her mum. “Now she has space to cook while I bake.”

Full-height glass panels bring in light and views of the garden. Vintage-style cabinets house her ceramics and an enviable collection of baking tins, including a copper mould from Paris. “I was on a fashion shoot, but all I wanted was that baking tin,” she laughs. “Not Chanel, not Louis Vuitton.”

A Studio That Centres the Home

Maureen’s ceramic studio is compact, quiet, and fully functional. From throwing wheel to kiln, every step of the creative process happens here. Her moon jar series—rounded forms inspired by Korean traditions—are the emotional core of her work. Many have “flaws” she treasures: a drip from an accidental upside-down glaze, a dented form that collapsed. “The mistakes became the pieces I loved most,” she says.

It’s a workspace that feels deeply personal. “Now, I can take my time, wake up, have breakfast with Mum, think through an idea before even touching clay.”

Bedrooms, Skylights, and Soft Curves

Upstairs, Maureen created a tranquil, all-white bedroom. With no windows, a skylight was installed to mimic natural daylight. “I wanted a blank canvas to take me away from distractions,” she explains. Wooden furniture, like a simple platform bed, adds warmth and contrast.

Even the shared bathroom reflects her design sensibility. With a curved basin, round mirror, and soft finishes, it echoes the natural shapes found in her ceramic work. A smart en suite setup allows the toilet to double as a guest bathroom when needed.

Lessons from a Renovation Done Solo

The renovation journey was anything but smooth. Maureen began work just as COVID-19 hit, delaying everything for months. Without an interior designer, she managed the entire process directly with her contractor. “No 3D drawings, just lots of trial and error,” she says. “If I were to do it again, I’d get a designer.”

Still, the experience taught her a lot about resilience, flexibility, and trusting her vision. “Everything is a learning process,” she adds.

A Life in Progress, A Home That Reflects It

Maureen isn’t done evolving. She’s now headed back to school to pursue a Master’s in fine arts, hoping to deepen her understanding of what it means to be an artist. “I want to think more critically, create more meaningfully,” she says. “This house is just one chapter.”

For now, she’s content living in a home shaped by her hands, one that allows for rest, creativity, and reflection in equal measure. A place where nothing needs to be perfect, only true.