5 Ways Venice Influenced Singapore Design
Let Venice, the world’s most beautiful city state, revitalise your approach to designing your home
Eliot Koey
19 March 2017
My interests lie at the crossroads of history, culture, and design.
Singaporeans have always taken inspiration from the world, as we can see from the popularity of the Japanordic trend. Perhaps we should also cast our eyes to a city state whose origins, way of life and development was not too dissimilar to ours: Venice.
Just like Singapore, Venice in its heyday was a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, and much of The City of Water’s design inspirations came from both directions. Singapore remains at the crossroads of multicultural influences throughout the entire Southeast Asian region.
Like many of the shophouses and townhouses in the early history of Singapore, the beautiful Venetian palaces along its famous Grand Canal served both functions of commerce and living. Author and television personality Francesco Da Mosto wrote in his book Francesco’s Venice, that Venetian homes reflected the entrepreneurial nature of its inhabitants’ life. “A vibrant harmony of stone, water, light and air” he calls it.
Just like Singapore, Venice in its heyday was a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, and much of The City of Water’s design inspirations came from both directions. Singapore remains at the crossroads of multicultural influences throughout the entire Southeast Asian region.
Like many of the shophouses and townhouses in the early history of Singapore, the beautiful Venetian palaces along its famous Grand Canal served both functions of commerce and living. Author and television personality Francesco Da Mosto wrote in his book Francesco’s Venice, that Venetian homes reflected the entrepreneurial nature of its inhabitants’ life. “A vibrant harmony of stone, water, light and air” he calls it.
The Venetians, due to their geographical location, have always been influenced by their neighbours: mainland Italy, Northern Europe, Greece (Byzantine Empire) to their East, and the Muslim and Arab empires that they traded with across the Mediterranean sea.
Similarly, Singaporeans have also welcomed design influences from around us. From the 19th century and earlier, Chinese, European, and Indian immigrants to Singapore brought with them their culture, jewellery and clothing, furniture and art. These intertwined with existing local tastes.
Similarly, Singaporeans have also welcomed design influences from around us. From the 19th century and earlier, Chinese, European, and Indian immigrants to Singapore brought with them their culture, jewellery and clothing, furniture and art. These intertwined with existing local tastes.
But what are the subtle Venetian design influences that have made it to Singapore, and how can we apply it today?
Terrazzo
The marble-like quality of a terrazzo surface is distinctive. Speckles and shades of different colours decorate a floor of the room it adorns. Terrazzo almost has an artistic quality to it and comes in an unlimited colour range, dictated by the aggregate options from mother of pearl, to marble, to recycled glass. Low-cost yet beautiful, terrazzo is a timeless floor or surfacing option.
Terrazzo
The marble-like quality of a terrazzo surface is distinctive. Speckles and shades of different colours decorate a floor of the room it adorns. Terrazzo almost has an artistic quality to it and comes in an unlimited colour range, dictated by the aggregate options from mother of pearl, to marble, to recycled glass. Low-cost yet beautiful, terrazzo is a timeless floor or surfacing option.
Venetian homes also have floors of terrazzo tiles – prized for their aesthetic beauty, but more importantly for their low-cost, water resistance, and hard wearing nature.
Terrazzo is not an unfamiliar material to Singaporeans. Those of us who’ve grown up, or visited relatives living in older HDB flats might have walked on this kind of flooring.
The flooring also serves as a great backdrop to a variety of interior design styles. It can serve as both a canvas and point of interest to your home.
In this living room, Chapter B made use of the timeless and enduring nature of terrazzo to complement the vintage-style furniture of this retro home.
The flooring also serves as a great backdrop to a variety of interior design styles. It can serve as both a canvas and point of interest to your home.
In this living room, Chapter B made use of the timeless and enduring nature of terrazzo to complement the vintage-style furniture of this retro home.
Many designers have opted to retain older HDB’s terrazzo flooring, or to install it as a design feature of a new home. Here, Chark Design has used it as a intricate backdrop and contrast to a more muted colour palette of furniture and wall tones.
Read about this home
Read about this home
Patterned Flooring
The Venetians also took inspiration from pattern tiling from their Greek and Turkish neighbours. Venetians used patterns on the ground floor of their homes. Such patterns have been used traditionally by the well-to-do in Singapore during the late 19th and early 20th centuries – when patterned tiles were imported from England, Belgium, or Japan.
The Venetians also took inspiration from pattern tiling from their Greek and Turkish neighbours. Venetians used patterns on the ground floor of their homes. Such patterns have been used traditionally by the well-to-do in Singapore during the late 19th and early 20th centuries – when patterned tiles were imported from England, Belgium, or Japan.
Venetian tiles with foliage or floral motifs have been found in archaeological digs in the old city.
In The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s book Venice and the Islamic World, 828-1797, these motifs are thought to be inspired by the Chinese Ming Dynasty. They were subsequently imitated by tile makers in the Middle East and Turkey – a sign of the far-reaching contacts that Venice had.
In The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s book Venice and the Islamic World, 828-1797, these motifs are thought to be inspired by the Chinese Ming Dynasty. They were subsequently imitated by tile makers in the Middle East and Turkey – a sign of the far-reaching contacts that Venice had.
The use of intricate and elegant patterns in the home is not something new. When used properly, it gives a sense of movement and vitality to a home.
And Singaporeans have been using such patterned tiles, most commonly in Peranakan homes. These were also known as Victorian encaustic floor tiles in the rest of the Commonwealth countries.
A Singaporean spin on patterned tile
A Singaporean spin on patterned tile
These days, patterned tiles cost far less, thanks to modern production methods. A similar aesthetic can be had for less with vinyl flooring options as well. Fatema Design Studio created a beautiful entryway into this Serangoon North home with a patterned tile floor motif.
In this Tanjong Pagar apartment’s kitchen, Studio Wills + Architects used a floral motif floor to dramatic effect, complementing the surrounding cabinetry’s colours.
Read about this home
Read about this home
Carpeting is another way to bring pattern to the floor of a home. The intricate pattern in this woven carpet brings a sense of movement to the room.
Pattern and geometry work particularly well in a home with a strong colour identity. Take a look at how the carpet becomes the central visual feature in this monochromatic living room by Mr Shopper Studio.
“Then came that luminous evening of April 20, 1768, while Venice shone under the pink twilight, the subtle hues of which Canaletto had observed so often in his camera obscura” -Octave Uzanne, “Canaletto”
Mosaic
Venice has always been a colourful city (think of the terracotta brick, green-blue window shutters) and that plays a key part in the vibrant image that has attracted tourists from all over the world.
Mosaic
Venice has always been a colourful city (think of the terracotta brick, green-blue window shutters) and that plays a key part in the vibrant image that has attracted tourists from all over the world.
In Venice, mosaic has been a traditional decorative feature in churches’ walls and arches throughout the city. The small pieces of coloured stone that make up its intricate details can be marble, glass, and stone.
As with most handicraft, mosaic conveys delicacy, effort, nobility and exclusivity.
As with most handicraft, mosaic conveys delicacy, effort, nobility and exclusivity.
In this living room by Free Space Intent, a feature wall rich with colour echoes similarly coloured decor pieces throughout the space. It’s no accident that natural sunlight is key in bringing out the rich hues of the multicoloured mosaic in this living room.
Read about this home
Read about this home
Studio Abby’s use of mosaic on the floor of the entry in this home adds a little geometry and pattern to match the muted colour scheme.
Mosaic can also be used sparingly, often in the backsplash. Perhaps hinting at a wonderful spectrum of flavours that will be dished out from this cookspace?
Mosaic magic everywhere
Mosaic magic everywhere
“Glass allowed the palazzos to shimmer and shine in the glory of the Venetian light reflecting off the canals.” - Francesco da Mosto, “Francesco’s Venice”
Glass
While the Venetian use of glass seems to reflect a love for luxury and splendour (which they enjoyed to the fullest when they became an important European power between the 14th and 18th centuries), it also had the functional purpose of encouraging light, or the effects of light, into a home.
Light was historically appreciated in the Venetian home because many were packed together in a land-scarce environment. Sounds familiar?
Glass
While the Venetian use of glass seems to reflect a love for luxury and splendour (which they enjoyed to the fullest when they became an important European power between the 14th and 18th centuries), it also had the functional purpose of encouraging light, or the effects of light, into a home.
Light was historically appreciated in the Venetian home because many were packed together in a land-scarce environment. Sounds familiar?
Moreover, glass adds a sense of delicacy and comfort into a home. Interior Design Journey demonstrates this with tasteful glass decor pieces displayed in this condominium.
Read about this room
Read about this room
The bottoms of these champagne glasses from the same home look just like Venetian glass windows too.
“Venice pioneered the production of window glass, when other cities had only canvas or rags to keep out the wind and the rain.” - Francesco da Mosto
The Venetians knew that coloured glass added accents, and can also diffuse or dramatise the natural light coming in. They adopted this traditional use of glass from the rest of Italy as well as the Greeks. This use of coloured glass is also common in Singapore – as part of decorating screens, doors and windows.
The Venetians knew that coloured glass added accents, and can also diffuse or dramatise the natural light coming in. They adopted this traditional use of glass from the rest of Italy as well as the Greeks. This use of coloured glass is also common in Singapore – as part of decorating screens, doors and windows.
Coloured glass can also become the centrepiece of a room or home. These internal doors to a study have Peranakan-styled frosted coloured glass.
Natural Light
In general, you’ll want to have an abundance of natural light in your home. In Venetian homes, this meant full-length windows.
In general, you’ll want to have an abundance of natural light in your home. In Venetian homes, this meant full-length windows.
In an attempt to bring in light into a dark home, Tulus ID transformed the balcony of this home into a sun room. The effect on the mood of this home is undeniably cheerful!
Read about this room
Read about this room
This condo by i.Poise Design basks in a flood of sunlight. It helps that the balcony windows are floor to ceiling, just like the wealthy Venetian merchants’ homes overlooking the Grand Canal.
A Venetian from the past or even the present would feel at home in this Joo Chiat apartment. Natural light illuminates the rich colours and textures (and there’s no lack of it) while mirrors and a glass chandelier give the perfect finishing touches. This would be a contemporary take on the Venetian love for fine detail.
Though our 21st century lives are certainly very different from the Venice of old, Singaporeans have consciously and unconsciously found ways to adapt timeless and practical design cues from the older city state into contemporary living.
TELL US
Do you have a Venetian influence in your Singapore home? Share a photo of it in the Comments section.
TELL US
Do you have a Venetian influence in your Singapore home? Share a photo of it in the Comments section.
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So interesting!! I've never picked up on the the similarities - but this so makes sense! Fantastic examples. Especially love the full length windows!
Mosaic magic everywhere indeed! Especially turning the tiles into a piece of art.
Love how this article talks about old trends transitioning into today's design without us realising!
Would love to read more about these.
@sushiiphoto spot on, and that's how I went down the rabbit hole writing this one.
@Olivia thank you!