East Coast Shophouse

Light & Airy Living in a Singapore Shophouse

This beautiful 2,500 sq ft East Coast shophouse was designed for a returning Australian executive client who Havana Interiors had had the pleasure of working with over several years.

Spread across two generous levels, the property had all the character and charm associated with Singapore’s distinctive shophouse architecture. However, its long and enclosed configuration also presented one of the challenges typical of these properties - limited natural light through the centre of the home due to the neighbouring residences on either side.

The design brief was therefore clear: to create an interior that felt light, airy and sophisticated while retaining the warmth and character of the shophouse.

Rather than introducing heavy finishes or overly dark furniture, we developed a softer material palette designed to reflect light and visually open up the interiors.

Lighter timber tones were introduced throughout the home, complemented by creamy travertine and warm neutral finishes. Sofas, dining chairs and bar stools were upholstered in lighter fabrics, helping to soften the spaces and create a brighter, more relaxed atmosphere.

Texture played an important role in ensuring the neutral palette still felt layered and inviting. Natural stone, timber, tactile fabrics and carefully selected furnishings brought depth and warmth without weighing down the interior.

Across both levels, furniture was selected with careful consideration of scale, proportion and flow. The objective was not simply to brighten the home, but to create a sense of continuity between the different spaces and allow the distinctive architecture of the shophouse to remain an integral part of the interior.

The result is a home that feels calm, contemporary and effortlessly elegant — balancing the heritage character of a Singapore shophouse with a lighter, more modern approach to executive living.

For Havana Interiors, it was also a pleasure to work once again with an existing client, evolving the design to suit a new property and a different chapter of her life in Singapore.

A character-filled Singapore shophouse transformed through light, texture and a beautifully understated natural palette.