Holiday vibes in Jalan Gembira terraced house 

SINGAPORE – Surrounded by greenery, and designed with shaded patios and a geometric silhouette reminiscent of coastal villas, this three-storey terraced house in Jalan Gembira, MacPherson, evokes the Mexican Riviera. 

Ean Chu, founder of design studio Wonder+, was put in charge of renovating the freehold property, which is home to a 39-year-old owner – who works in education and wanted to keep his family’s details private – and two dogs. 

The house’s three levels amount to some 1,500 sq ft of built-up area. On the ground floor are the living and dining areas, kitchen and one bedroom. The master bedroom, bathroom and walk-in wardrobe are on the second floor. The third floor is just for the study, which can also be converted into an extra bedroom. 

Chu and his team preserved the house’s original air well – a vertical shaft on the house’s ground floor, designed to let in light and fresh air – and planted a tree in the middle. 

While many homes built in Singapore before the 1990s used asbestos roofing, the house’s previous owners had already replaced the roof, saving the new owner considerable expense and effort.

In line with his desire for a bright, airy aesthetic with natural materials, the staircase also has a wooden balustrade, plus windows for a peek at the greenery outside. 

The stairs are lit by LED strips beneath the railing, along with pendant lights from international lighting manufacturer Luxxbox.  

The light streaming through the air well illuminates the kitchen, which is decked out in a neutral, earthy palette with carpentry in light hues. A Miele oven and stove are paired with a concealed Fisher & Paykel range hood. Wooden slats in the ceiling camouflage the air-conditioning unit. 

A quartz island separates the kitchen from the open-concept dining area, which has a travertine tabletop and another Luxxbox pendant light.

The centrepiece of the living area is the floor-to-ceiling shelving unit filled with ceramics and other works of art, including pieces by Thai pop artist Gongkan. The shelves’ curved edges mirror the sofa, designed by Chinese brand United Strangers, and a large circular carpet. Behind the bookshelf is a hidden storage area.

Many terraced houses in Singapore have two or three rooms on the second level, but this house’s entire second floor has been converted into a large master bedroom, complete with an ensuite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe with a bench. 

The sleeping area is partitioned off, creating a restful space with a platform bed for extra storage. Fluted-glass panels provide privacy from the walk-in wardrobe, while still letting in light from the balcony. 

In the master bathroom, the toilet and shower are separated from the vanity by a door. Above the water closet is a powder-pink shelf in humidity-resistant material from a Kartell x Laufen bathroom collection, combining Kartell’s plastic design and Laufen’s ceramics. The floors and walls are all tiled in a natural creamy tone.

“In a condo, you don’t deal with roofs, facades, car porches or external maintenance. With a landed home, everything is suddenly your responsibility. It’s more work, but there’s also more freedom,” the owner says.

The renovation and rebuilding cost $500,000 and the owner moved into the home at the end of 2024.