Fashion is revived and made fresh every 20 years, but old is gold when it comes to so many other things in life. This Tanglin Park resale condo, made over by ID company Fifth Avenue Interiors, takes you back in time to the golden age of the 60s, replete with Peranakan and old world vibes, and here’s how they did it.
Time capsule of dark, vintage charm with >20 tile designs
The house has no store room, so storage space has been cleverly built in behind the TV.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
The homeowner had always wanted a Peranakan-themed house, reminiscent of her childhood growing up in Malaysia. Her love affair with Peranakan tiles and stained glass led her on a hunt through the Peninsula, before she finally landed on more than 20 different styles of handmade and hand-painted tiles, which the ID worked into the final design.
Topped with Italian marble, the kopitiam-style table is yet another nostalgic piece, albeit made-to-order in Indonesia.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
You’d almost feel like you’ve stepped into a Peranakan mansion in Malacca or Penang, with a Peranakan-inspired doorway in the living room that hides shelving behind. There are the signature panels of stained glass, and a signage of Chinese calligraphy above━it reads 宁静致远 (níng jìng zhì yuǎn), adapted from a famous saying by Chinese strategist and statesman Zhu Geliang in China’s Three Kingdoms period.
To translate, the quote asks that one seeks tranquillity and embraces simplicity in order to clearly see your goals and gain success in your ambitions. With the serene dark veneers that line much of the home, accented with curated pieces of furniture and Peranakan tiles, one cannot help but be enveloped in a sense of calm━an immediate slowing down of time and space from the hectic modern world━once you step in.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
Vintage glass pendant lights hang over a dark wood dining table, matched with rattan-backed chairs from Taobao. The elegant yet simple custom-made mirror, with its similar wooden trim and rounded corners, enlarges the space visually.
Old-school furnishings that give the home an old world flair
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
Step out into the spacious balcony, and you’ll find another blast from the past in the form of a teakwood kopitiam table and chair set sourced from Country Haven in Rail Mall. Even the tiles, painstakingly hand-laid by the homeowner before installation by the tilers, were specially picked out to complete the kopitiam vibe.
Image credit: @valovision
A glass cabinet and sideboard, also sourced from Taobao, add to the old world flair in this dark Peranakan condo━within the glass display are a Peranakan tingkat and kam cheng set, as well as a framed copy of the homeowners’ wedding invitation. A banker’s lamp and a simple whisky tray are the only other accessories on the sideboard; a vintage wall clock above signalling the passage of time.
A very Peranakan kitchen inspired by the homeowner’s childhood home
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
Ventilation blocks are a key feature of many old Peranakan mansions, and a memory from childhood that the homeowner wanted to bring into her dream home. Rather than placing the green breeze blocks close to the ceiling, as is traditional, they were here integrated into the dividing wall between the kitchen and service yard, allowing more light and breeze to enter the kitchen.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
Shaker-style cabinetry in cream match the tiles of the backsplash, as well as the cream countertop━all of which serve as a neutral backdrop to the patterned tiles which run along the wall.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
Originally an enclosed kitchen, the homeowners decided to open it up, creating a breakfast counter that leads into the elongated space. More ventilation blocks were stacked here to make up this end of the counter.
Image credit: @valovision
A swivel window and bifold glass door, both reminiscent of old Shanghai with their stained glass panels, hide the service yard from view when you walk into the kitchen. Immediately in front of the window is their coffee corner, recessed next to the full-height cabinets housing an oven and microwave.
Custom bathroom basins from Morocco & Turkey
In keeping with the theme, each set of bathroom doors also sees old-school tinted glass panels.
Image adapted from: Fifth Avenue Interior
Elsewhere in the house are more of the same dark wood colours and Peranakan tiles━all the toilets were individually done up with large-format tiles matching the veneer of the wooden cabinets, complementing yet more intricately designed Peranakan-style tiles.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
But perhaps the most stunning pieces in the bathrooms are their washbasins, which were bought from separate stores on Etsy. Both were hand-painted and finished, then shipped into Singapore from Turkey and Morocco.
Brushed bronze Hans Grohe fixtures complete the regal old-school toilets.
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
The master bedroom━a colonial-inspired sanctuary
Image adapted from: @valovision
The serene tranquillity of the home extends into its master bedroom, where colonial-style louvred wardrobes bring to mind more old world charm that’s elegant in its simplicity. Custom bedside tables are lit by travertine marble and wood wall lamps━operated by an old-school chain pull.
This dark Peranakan condo is an ode to the 60s
The words 宁静致远 (níng jìng zhì yuǎn) stand at the forefront of the living room in this dark Peranakan condo, and their essence underlines every element that makes up the overall design. “Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it,” is the piece of advice this homeowner shared, and her gorgeous home is a labour of love both on her part, as well as her interior designer’s, that brought her dream house to reality. It may have cost $240k, but the result was well worth it.
For more reno inspo:
- Ryokan-inspired HDB resale flat
- Minimalist terrace house inspired by Kiragami
- Ultimate man cave with 200sqft bathroom & walk-in wardrobe
Cover image adapted from: @valovision, Fifth Avenue Interior
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