Spruced-up shophouse

Mr Peter Ow's love of conservation shophouses began with a cafe he owned some years back. It was operating out of a conservation shophouse in Armenian Street and the renovation provided him with experience in conserving and transforming such properties, as well as helped him develop a deeper appreciation for them.

So when he had the chance to own a conservation shophouse in the Joo Chiat Conservation Area, he seized it.

Belonging to the Second Transitional Shophouse style, it was built in the late 1920s and had features such as Peranakan floral patterns. Being a corner terrace, it also had a balcony, which was a rarity.

But its condition had deteriorated over the years.

A provision shop occupied the first storey while the second storey housed a multi-generation family. The original timber doors and windows had been changed to aluminium, the rear airwell roofed over and the provision shop had roller shutters and retractable metal gates. These were the result of previous renovations that had been carried out insensitively or out of necessity due to its commercial usage.

Fortunately, the unit was still structurally sound, so the original structure could be retained.

Mr Ow, a finance professional in his 50s, went for a very extensive additions and alterations scheme to restore the unit and convert it into a two-storey home for him and his wife, who is also in her 50s and in the banking industry, and their son. "I set out to restore the shophouse to its former glory, keeping to the original intent as much as possible."

To achieve this, he did research to ensure proper restoration and accurate replication, including details such as the pilasters, plasterwork, fanlights, vent blocks, fascia windows, mouldings and motifs.

He worked with Meta Habitat and Ong & Ong on the project. Planning took a year, with rebuilding taking slightly more than 12 months. The entire cost was about $1.5 million and the family moved into the home in 2016.

As it is a conservation property, it needed to follow the Urban Redevelopment Authority's conservation guidelines. The change of use from commercial to residential also needed approval from the authorities.

The facade was scrupulously restored with the help of skilled craftsmen from China. Mr Ow copied drawings of the original mouldings and had them fabricated in China. The original roof was repaired and reconditioned, and the roof tiles replaced.

As it is a corner unit, it has a chamfered corner with a rare balcony on the second storey that projects beyond the five-foot-way below, overlooking the Koon Seng Road and Everitt Road junctions.

The interior layout of the 5,090 sq ft shophouse is very close to the original, barring a few partition walls that have been removed to open up the spaces.

On the first storey, antique furniture gives the living room an Oriental look. Amid the vintage chairs and opium bed is a zebra-print ottoman for a touch of modernity.

A full-height open shelf showcasing Mr Ow's pottery collection separates the living room from the kitchen and dining areas. Unlike a solid wall, the open shelves maintain a porosity that visually connects the two spaces, while allowing light to penetrate.

Beyond the dining and kitchen is the courtyard, which had been enclosed by the previous owner. Mr Ow opened it up so that it can let natural light and ventilation into the interior.

The family room on the second storey provides a more informal and private space for the family to hang out. The choice of furniture gives it a more contemporary feel that contrasts with the living room downstairs. However, the presence of a few Ming cabinets ties the overall scheme back to the Oriental theme.

Three bedrooms are spread out on the second storey, each with its own unique spatial quality.

The sparsely furnished master bedroom evokes a quiet elegance, while the guest room next door is the brightest and greenest room among the three, with planter boxes and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the courtyard below.

The son's bedroom faces the opposite side of the shophouse. The limited amount of natural light has the effect of giving the room a cosy ambience.

For Mr Ow, this is not just a home, but a dream come true. "I have always admired the beautifully restored houses in Emerald Hill and Blair Road and desired to own a conservation house," he says. With the successful restoration, "it has become a piece of Singapore history that future generations can appreciate and treasure".