This is one of three pre-war terrace houses along Kim Yam Road. It is named “Sireh”, which translates to betel leaves, a vine that is commonly cultivated and consumed in South-east Asia.
Sensitive renovation to this house preserves its old-world charm while injecting modern touches.
Jonathan Roelandts and Katrien Bollen moved to Singapore in 2010 – Katrien, to pursue her MBA, and Jonathan, on a posting as the business development manager of international furniture brand Ethnicraft. They used to frequent the River Valley area and were thrilled when the opportunity to purchase this conservation shophouse in Kim Yam Road arose 2½ years ago.
The shophouse is part of a development comprising three pre-war terrace houses and a new 10-storey condominium extension, which explains why the Belgian couple was able to own it despite being foreigners.
Restoration works had been carried out between 1998 and 1999, so the shophouse was still in relatively good condition. The interior however, looked dated, so the homeowners decided to renovate it before moving in after their tenant’s two-year lease had expired.
They opted for a colonial-style interior with a modern touch. “We wanted the charm of a black-and-white bungalow, but with a fresh look,” says Jonathan, who is now Ethnicraft’s sales director for Asia-Pacific. To achieve this effect, they introduced natural elements and kept the styling to a minimum. The original layout was retained, together with the original air well – a feature that, in addition to its architectural style and structure, gives the home a lot of its character.
Working directly with contractor Heavenly Homespace, they hacked and revamped the kitchen and three bathrooms. Minimal intervention was done to the rest of the house, with some repainting of walls, polishing of the timber staircase, changing of the air-conditioning system, and replacement of the flooring on the first storey.
The living room is where Jonathan and Katrien spend most of their time. It takes them back in time to the colonial era, with its open concept, the breeze from the ceiling fan and a view of the neighbourhood.
The original kitchen was still in good condition, but it was somewhat dated so the couple had it redone in a sleek black-and-white theme.
The sloping roof gives the guest room on the third storey a unique character. It overlooks the air well, which brings in natural light for an airy and welcoming feel.
How did you go about selecting furniture, fittings and materials?
We appreciate well-designed, quality furniture that comes with a fair price tag. Being in the furniture industry made furniture shopping a breeze as we are no strangers to brands. We are wood lovers and want our furniture to last. Thus, we went for brands such as Ethnicraft, Universo Positivo, Mr. Marius and Kartel, which met our likes and tied in with our modern colonial theme. Bloomingville was another go-to brand to accessorise the home, and the look was completed with handwoven rugs and cushions from The Grey House.
Baby Louis’ room that leads off the second storey landing is simply furnished but cosy, allowing it to change according to the growing child’s needs.
The black-and-white colour scheme of the bathroom is inspired by the colonial bungalows that the couple love.