Home Tour: A rustic 4-storey bungalow inspired by traditional Native American ‘Pueblo’ clay houses

This open, rustic home wasn’t just built—it was lovingly composed as a symphony of natural elements and cherished memories, designed to incorporate nature and the homeowners’ sizable collection of Native American objects gathered over decades of thoughtful collecting. Walking through the front door feels like entering a different world, one where the boundaries between indoor living and the natural landscape have been gently blurred. 

The couple had a strong affinity for the Native American culture, and wanted to build a family-friendly home reminiscent of the Pueblo or Adobe (sundried earth) houses found in Native American reservations of the Midwest.

4-Storey Bungalow in Singapore

The couple built their 4-storey bungalowto be as close to nature as it could possibly be, creating a living space that breathes with the surrounding landscape. This explains the dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors on the ground and second levels, which flood the interior with dancing patterns of natural light that change throughout the day. 

The effect is mesmerizing—a living canvas that changes with each passing hour, transforming what could have been a standard bungalow into an ever-evolving natural observatory.

Treehouse design

This “treehouse” built on stilts above the carefully designed playground creates a magical intermediate zone between earth and sky, offering an elevated veranda for alfresco dining that has become the heart of their family gatherings.

The materials chosen were not just natural and earthy to match their aesthetic vision, but also low-maintenance and pet-friendly.

Natural building materials

Stone and slate floors feature prominently on the ground level, cool beneath bare feet in Singapore weather. Hardwood flooring graces the upper levels, each plank telling its own story through grain patterns and natural variations.

Inside the house, the walls are painted a soft, luminous white to better show off the Native American artifacts that represent not just collections but relationships and experiences deeply woven into the fabric of the couple’s shared history.

Native American furniture

There is a tasteful mix of Native American pieces with rustic wood furniture from Indonesia, creating a global dialogue of craftsmanship that speaks to the couple’s well-traveled life and appreciation for indigenous artisanship across cultures. 

On the grand piano, there are displays of star pieces from the wife’s handmade jewelry designs. These personal creations add another layer of intimacy to the space, transforming it from a showcase into a deeply personal narrative of passion and craftsmanship.

Attic library

The attic, bathed in natural light from strategically placed windows, has been turned into a library that feels like a portal to another era, holding an extensive collection of 1950s American pop-culture memorabilia that creates a fascinating counterpoint to the home’s predominant Native American influence.

The space invites hours of exploration, with comfortable reading nooks positioned to capture the changing light throughout the day and shelving that seems to emerge organically from the architecture itself.