MSD-HOUSE,
Singapore

An homage to traditional shophouses, MSD-House is home to a family of five spanning three generations and their helper. Located in a leafy suburb close to the city centre, this three-storey inter-terrace house is replete with architectural features typical of peranakan homes of yore, including a charming pintu pagar gracing the centralised main doorway. This enables cross ventilation while maintaining privacy for the occupants within, reducing the need for air-conditioning on cooler days.

The expansive living and dining area features a polished marble floor and a selection of furnishings redolent of yesteryear. This nostalgic theme continues in the kitchen with wood-effect cabinetry and a backsplash of bright majolica tiles which are typically seen on shophouse facades. Above the kitchen is an airwell – another vernacular architectural element ideal for both shophouses and terrace houses as they draw daylight and air into the otherwise dim interior areas.

The upper floors contain the family’s bedrooms. The principal suite includes a walk-in wardrobe, bathroom with double vanity. A strong connection with indoor-outdoor living reminiscent of the colonial-era is found in the doors leading out to a large balcony with black and white tiles laid in a checkerboard design. Timber floor strips in a warm honey tone enhance the homely ambience, while the vintage theme is carried across the bathrooms, albeit applied a with a playful contemporary touch through a variety of encaustic tile motifs. A home office on the third floor is enclosed in full-height glass panels, allowing the owners to maintain a visual connection with their family, while bathing the space in light.

Other touches that hearken to a simpler time include vintage style louvered windows, retro glass blocks that bring more light into a bedroom on level 2, and, on the exterior, terracotta clay roof tiles that will weather into mottled tones over time.

MSD-House promises to be a home in which the family can build a trove of delightful memories.