What a peranakan house looks like from the inside

Yippee! Out of the blue my friend Sue invited me to go check out a Peranakan house for rent. She knew how much I really wanted to see one inside so there wasn't much begging on her side but more a case of "Erica jump" and Erica saying "how high?".

So I spent 10 minutes figuring out what to wear as I wanted to look sophisticated and girl-about-town but being the worst day in my brief Singaporean history in terms of heat and humidity I opted for my green linen dress and sandals that make me look more like a mediaeval dairy maid than a lady of leisure but with 35 degrees out there and 90% humidity I decided fresh was best.

With Sue forgetting her bus pass and having to go back to her flat to find it I was fretting away in anticipation so when she finally got back I whisked her away on bus 36 and 10 minutes later arrived sweaty and late to our appointment. So much for cool composure.

To say the truth the initial feeling while walking down the road looking for n. 125 was of doubt. A massive construction of some new condo was taking place right in front of the house and right behind it is a main highway with heavy traffic. To the right and side of the house a refurbishment project was in full flow so I could see why this should have been a no-no from the start.

Sue and I exchanged worried glances but by now it was too late to scuttle away so in we went. To both sides of the entrance door large old tiles with a pale green background depicting parrots and other exotic birds. Inside the house unexpected silence and one large reception room with a tiled floor in a simple dark red and white geometric pattern. The main attraction is the high ceiling that shoots directly up to the roof meaning all floors overlook the reception room. Opposite to the entrance a glass door that takes you to the courtyard, back entrance and....the kitchen. Yes, the kitchen is in the garden and if I was surprised at first I also realised that food preparation was meant for servants and not the masters of the house and this also means that cooking smells and heat are no bother to anybody in the house.

A wooden staircase takes you up to the 2nd and 3rd floor, the dark stained wood complementing the white walls and giving the property a very colonial feel. All the rooms have dark timber windows that open up onto the reception room. While this does not make for a lot of privacy it allows however for light to pour into what would otherwise be a rather dark, if cool room.

The external windows are decorated with stained glass motifs of red, yellow and blue though what the motives represents is not very clear.

Overall a beautiful house smack in the centre of Orchard Road but the lack of facilities such as a swimming pool or a proper garden make it a not very suitable proposition especially for families with children.