Relaxing on the chintz sofa in this vast living space in Singapore, you could be fooled into thinking you were sitting inside an English country home, and that is fundamentally the point. ‘My clients are British, so I wanted that sense of familiarity and a home-from-home feel,’ says interior designer Elizabeth Hay.
The exterior, too, has a vaguely British feel to it, with its mock-Tudor-style black-stained timber and whitewashed walls. ‘These historical houses really lend themselves to that classic country look for that reason,’ explains Elizabeth. Colloquially known as ‘black-and-whites’, these late 19th-century properties, built during British colonial rule, have an English aesthetic blended with Malay house design features, including wide verandas, tall shutters, and a topsy-turvy layout that prioritizes living spaces on the top floor.
Kitchen (left): The scheme is based on the original black and white kitchens these 19th-century homes would typically have, but with a modern twist. Elizabeth went to a local supplier for the tiles. Percy pendant light, Pooky. Scallop rattan baskets, Serena & Lily. En suite (right): A sailor’s valentine and shell prints sourced from an auction add character and interest to this space, while a blue vanity unit ties in with the main bedroom color scheme. Mirrors, custom-made. Wall lights, Pooky. Basin taps, Toto.
Despite this rich history, the interiors lacked the same charm as the exterior when Elizabeth first visited. ‘It was a complete blank canvas in the literal sense, white tiled floors, white walls… it all felt quite sterile.’ Elizabeth had previously worked with the couple and their two young children on various projects, and the clients had always admired Elizabeth’s own black-and-white home. ‘They liked my east-meets-west approach and cozy English style,’ Elizabeth says.
Given it was a rental property (the vast majority of black-and-whites are leased by the Singapore Land Authority), structural changes were limited, so Elizabeth focused her attention and budget on soft furnishings, while making modest yet impactful changes to the kitchen and bathrooms.
In the kitchen, the clients wanted a monochrome theme to maintain a sense of tradition. ‘The kitchens in these houses are usually black and white, so we went for a more modern interpretation that was still sympathetic to the house, but fresher,’ says Elizabeth.
To keep things cost-effective, she added new cabinet fronts to the existing frames, as well as overlaying the old tiles to form a new splashback. On top of the wall cabinets sit two huge Spanish lidded jars, another piece of visual trickery. ‘The ceilings are almost four meters high, and the rooms feel vast, so you need bigger pieces to fill them, too many small fiddly things can feel a bit off,’ says Elizabeth
Ground floor living space (right): A rich red and blue interior makes for a sophisticated place in which to entertain. Star side table, Elizabeth Hay. Curtains in Keros embroidered linen in Blue; lampshades, Vaughan. Study (right): The owners, a heart surgeon and a lawyer, increasingly work at home, so a study that could cater to both of them was essential. The ‘his and hers’ lacquer and rattan desks were custom-made to fit the space and add color. Jaipur wallpaper; blind in Jaipur fabric, both Antoinette Poisson. Indian Palace dhurrie rug, Elizabeth Hay.
The ground-floor spaces, which are typically designated for formal entertaining. ‘These rooms are inherently darker due to the balconies above, so it makes sense to use them in the evenings,’ explains Elizabeth. In the sitting room, Elizabeth used a richer color palette of rhubarb red and cerulean blue, re-covering the family’s existing sofa and adding a striking pelmet to frame the tall windows.
A mirrored cabinet cleverly conceals the television, a design device Elizabeth frequently uses. ‘I’ll often find antique pieces and convert them into media units,’ reveals Elizabeth. ‘In Singapore, you don’t have fireplaces as you do in British homes, so there’s no central feature to the room. Including a piece like this can help to give it a focal point.'
Upstairs, the main living space became the priority of phase two, which needed to work as a multifunctional space for the parents to relax in, while also providing a play area for their youngest daughter. The L-shaped sofa became the linchpin of the design, upholstered in a bold floral. ‘I like to select one key pattern first, then build up the scheme from there,’ says Elizabeth. ‘The secret to mixing patterns is to be mindful of the scale of your secondary fabrics. Tone is also important; the colors have to be harmonious to the eye.’
Upstairs living space (left): Elizabeth painted the ceiling in a soft blue to highlight its interesting shape and height. Sofa in Braquenié La Riviere Enchantée, Pierre Frey. Blinds, Namay Samay. Custom-made ottoman in an Elizabeth Hay antique textile collection, suzani. Daughter's Bedroom (right): The brief for this space was ‘super feminine’, so the floral wallpaper became the starting point, with the bed treatment designed to feel like a ‘princess bed’ and very cozy. Bed upholstered in Luna block-printed linen, Molly Mahon. Artwork, Molly McGuire. Kantha bedspread from India, sourced by Elizabeth Hay.
Play area (left): Elizabeth created a desk with a pretty scallop trim and integrated storage as a space for the youngest daughter to do arts and crafts, while her parents can keep an eye on her from the main living area. Electra Globe pendant light, Hector Finch. Chairs and curtain in Check fabric in Sage Green, Ian Mankin. The Gabriella lamp, Elizabeth Hay. Main bedroom (right): The brief for this space was ‘old-school elegance’; Elizabeth chose a four-poster bed for its classic style and also to help fill the space and make it more intimate despite the high ceilings. Bed, custom-made and hand-carved. Antique mirror, The Lacquer Chest. Sofa in Ikat Diamond in Aqua, Penny Morrison. Perla lamp, Richard Taylor Designs. Shade, Alice Palmer & Co.
Because the living area was so large, Elizabeth partitioned off a corner and turned it into a guest bedroom. ‘It’s a real jewel box, with wallpaper that reminds me of the inlay work in the palaces of Rajasthan,’ she says. ‘It feels very special and cozy.’ In fact, the designer's favourite room is the tiniest space – the couple's long, skinny study. Elizabeth added wall-to-wall shelving, backed with the client's much-loved Antoinette Poisson wallpaper and rug from Elizabeth's own collection pulling the scheme together.
Bedroom (left): This bijou space is packed with character and charm. Elizabeth chose a 19th-century-inspired design for her ‘hero’ fabric on the headboard, which determined the room’s pink and aquamarine scheme. Headboard in Paradise, Bennison Fabrics.. Avebury lamp, Vaughan. Lampshade, Pooky. Wallpaper, Tissus d’Hélène. Dressing room (right): Elizabeth has a soft spot for the clients’ vanity area, which links the en suite and couple’s bedroom. ‘It’s very feminine with romantic loose blinds and soft pink walls,’ she says. Pendant light, Soane Britain. Chair upholstered in Petite Paisley fabric, Les Indiennes. Dressing table mirror, Graham and Green.
The clients regularly remind Elizabeth of how the work has enhanced day-to-day living. ‘It’s lovely to get positive feedback and feel you’ve made a difference.’