Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Eclectic Elegance in a Classic Black-and-White Bungalow
A designer creates a home for her family using harmonious hues and an array of prints and patterns
“As this is a black-and-white, I wanted to embrace the colonial feel,” says British designer Elizabeth Acland of boutique interior design house E & A Interiors. One of Singapore’s iconic 19th century bungalows, so-called because of its distinctive painted facades, Acland’s family home features interiors that “are eclectic and bohemian in feel”, where antique furniture sit side by side with new custom-made ones. Amidst the home’s gracious rooms are a well-curated miscellany of patterns, from fabrics and rugs to the master bedroom’s four-poster bed. “I love a layered, lived-in look,” Acland says.
Most of the furniture in the home is custom-made, including this brass metal coffee table. “I like a mixture of relaxed and formal elements,” says Acland. “I love understated glam. Mixing linens and textures with brass and great lighting can give a chic look and feel without being too shiny and over the top.”
Throughout the house, she uses colour not just as accents but to define each individual space. She says, “painting the walls a [different] colour immediately gives a room character and a more cosy feel, even if you do a neutral off-white.”
Throughout the house, she uses colour not just as accents but to define each individual space. She says, “painting the walls a [different] colour immediately gives a room character and a more cosy feel, even if you do a neutral off-white.”
A dining table with an aged plank wooden top and brass wishbone legs dominates the dining area. It’s one of the many pieces of furniture that Acland designed for her home. In keeping with the colonial look, custom-made Roman blinds feature a delicate palm pattern, and complement the ceiling’s exposed, white-washed wooden beams.
Keeping an eye on every detail, Acland also carefully selected woven ceiling fans to match the house’s overall look.
Keeping an eye on every detail, Acland also carefully selected woven ceiling fans to match the house’s overall look.
The dining chairs are upholstered in thick ikat weave fabric from France, its colour echoing the soft pink that Acland used on the walls. Framed prints of scenes from old Japan hang from the wall, their deeper tones a foil to the delicate air of the room.
“I collect items from, and am constantly inspired by, my travels,” says Acland. On a trip to India, she fell in love with a very old chair, which became the inspiration for the pair of blue shell chairs in the upstairs living room. One of the things she also collects is antique textiles, which feature prominently around the house.
A bamboo-green desk enlivens the work area – a nod to tropical accents characteristic of the colonial style. The graphic print on the rug makes its own bold statement.
Acland designed the master bedroom’s four-poster bed as a study in patterns, as much as the rug and other upholstery. Like the brass lamp hanging over the bed, she also made use of a lot of decorative lighting in traditional, classic lines throughout the house. “They are made of solid brass or nickel and so never tarnish or rust; they are investment pieces that you will have for life.”
Lighting: Vaughan Designs
Lighting: Vaughan Designs
Subtle yet playful touches abound in the kids’ room. The upholstered headboard’s shape adds a touch of whimsy, while a large neutral rug gives texture and warmth to the space.
“All of the fabrics featured in the house are from our extensive fabric library,” says Acland. In fact, they have dozens of brands from all over the world that run the gamut from printed to blocked to woven.
Texture is key in the kids’ room, with even the coloured woven baskets – great catch-alls for toys and knick knacks – adding to the room’s decor.
Texture is key in the kids’ room, with even the coloured woven baskets – great catch-alls for toys and knick knacks – adding to the room’s decor.
One of the major renovations that had to be undertaken was on the bathrooms. White tiles with a subtle sheen set a calm tone and a contrast to the vibrant, painted concrete tiles.
“The bathrooms were extremely old so I wanted to modernise them yet still keep a colonial feel and to keep some character. Hence the use of painted concrete tiles,” says Acland.
“The bathrooms were extremely old so I wanted to modernise them yet still keep a colonial feel and to keep some character. Hence the use of painted concrete tiles,” says Acland.
“I wanted the house to feel like we were on holiday when we are there so we built the attap where we could relax and eat outdoors,” says Acland. The breezy outdoor area with thatched roof is a form of traditional architecture found throughout Southeast Asia. “Attaps are sympathetic to these old black-and-white houses and their surroundings.”
Against a backdrop of tropical foliage, cosy furniture in dark wood and vivid, azure-toned fabrics add to the resort-like ambiance.
Against a backdrop of tropical foliage, cosy furniture in dark wood and vivid, azure-toned fabrics add to the resort-like ambiance.
The family indulges their love of entertaining with a fun pool bar in one corner of the outdoor attap area. Acland describes this nook’s look as “retro Florida ’70s”. She adds, “I did green and white striped blinds rather than the standard black and white. A fun way to freshen up an old classic and to add some colour!”
The facade of the black-and-white house is unmistakable and unique amidst Singapore’s more modern structures. “A heritage house already has a lot of character,” says Acland. “To me they lend themselves to an eclectic look and feel, mixing old and new.”
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Who lives here: A British designer and her family
Size: 325 square metres (3,500 square feet); total land area is 743 square metres (8,000 square feet)
Project duration: 8 weeks
The living area is a light, airy space where family and guests can lounge in generous chairs and sofas in varying shades and prints of soft blue. “This house reflects our lifestyle and travels,” Acland says. “We like to entertain and to be surrounded by the things we love.”
Another thing Acland likes is using a rich variety of rugs throughout the house, some with subtle textures, others with dramatic prints that draw the eye. “It is important to have large rugs in big rooms to ground the furniture,” she advises.