British expat JODIE BISHOP and her family fell in love with the bones of this gorgeous, spacious house in Singapore. Leading a busy school, work, sporting and social life, they wanted to have a relaxing space to come home to. With some vision, minor tweaks and plenty of time in the garden, they’ve made this old ‘good class bungalow’ (as you call this type of Singapore property) their own personal sanctuary.
About this house in Singapore
Size and type: Six-bedroom good class bungalow
Location: Yarwood Avenue, Bukit Timah
Occupants: British expats Jodie, Andrew, Darcey (14), Mara (11), Thea (6), helper Joy, and dogs Stanley and Roly
Where’s home for you and what brought you to Singapore?
Andrew and I met at law school and moved to London on qualification. After the arrival of our first daughter, Darcey, Andrew got a job offer in Hong Kong and we made the move for what we thought would be a couple of years. That was the beginning of our expat journey! Mara and Thea were both born in Hong Kong, and we enjoyed a happy 11 years there. Andrew has a regional role and having endured a long period of COVID restrictions in Hong Kong, we were able to make the move to Singapore in 2022.
What was your dream property checklist?
It was a challenge to find a suitable house in Singapore at the point we moved; the rental supply was low and properties were being let unseen. Coming from Hong Kong, we really wanted space, a bedroom each and a garden.
How did you know this one was “it”, and did you do much work to get this good class bungalow looking so fabulous?
The house was run-down when we first viewed it, but the proportions and footprint set it apart. The bedrooms are all ensuite and a good size, the main reception area has a high ceiling and the additional rooms to transform into an office, gym, pool room and guest suite made it an attractive proposition. You know you can make it a home when you can immediately place the Christmas tree! A delayed move in date allowed for the time required to carry out basic improvements to make the spaces work for our family.
Most of the renovations went into creating the outdoor entertaining area – we connected the outdoor terrace to an attap which is joined to the indoor pool room, gym and guest area. We love to entertain when we’re all at home and this area enables us to carry on whatever the weather; there’s enough room for every age group to enjoy time together or apart depending on the occasion.
Your outdoor space is incredible; tell us about your garden.
Outdoor space is hard to come by in Hong Kong, so the large garden was a big selling point for this house. I discovered my green-fingered side and planted extensively around the pool area to enclose the space and hide areas we would rather not see. With the help of our gardeners Far East Flora, I’ve taken great pleasure in learning about and placing native plants and watching them flourish in the tropical climate. Friends and family often arrive to find me covered in mud and talking to the plants!
How would you define your interior style?
I’m the first to say I don’t feel like I have a style and find myself adapting my taste according to my surroundings. In Singapore, I’ve been drawn to the laid-back tropical style. I like to keep things fairly minimalist but at the same time I had to incorporate the furniture we’d accumulated in Asia over the years. This good class bungalow is such a big property that it was hard to furnish it all immediately and there was an element of living in the house to decide how best to assign each area.
What’s your go-to space in this house in Singapore?
If ever I get the chance, my favourite place is sitting in the attap reading a book with a G&T in hand. It’s a little escape away from the chaos of the main house, surrounded by nature and of course the wildlife.
Where do you source your furniture and décor from?
We’ve slowly accumulated pieces on our travels around the globe. Since living in Singapore, I’ve purchased items from Originals, Island Living, House of AnLi, Lims, Castlery, Ikea, Smallable and A Raft of Otters. And I’ve enjoyed buying distinctive items at auction from Hotlotz.
Your eldest daughter has just started at boarding school back in England. How did you decide to make this transition and how is she going?
Darcey is halfway through her first year at boarding school in the UK. This has been quite an adjustment for all of us, but she hasn’t looked back and is truly thriving. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly and was predominantly hers after visiting a couple of schools. She would describe herself as British but having never lived there she is particularly enjoying “living” the traditions – and, dare I say, the weather! It makes family time back in Singapore more important than ever; she loves to get back to her bedroom, sisters, friends and dogs.
What is the allure of Singapore for you?
We all enjoy the relaxed pace of life here. We spend more time than ever together as a family, frequenting the Swiss Club, which is very close to home; and we have capitalised on travel in the region – being a few hours away from a tropical island without getting on a flight is very unique.
You’re an active family – what are your favourite sports and clubs?
We run a pretty hectic sports schedule in our house, and love having the convenience of our home gym! We all play tennis, paddle and golf and enjoy walking and running but I would say our favourite family activity is skiing. The girls play netball for ANZA. I play hockey for SCC and I’ve also had the opportunity to represent Singapore at the Asian Continental Cup and the World Masters Tournament in South Africa. That was not only a lot of fun but a once-in-alifetime experience with an amazing group of people and will always be a highlight of my time in Singapore. We have been working hard as a group to raise the profile of women of all ages getting into and continuing to play the sport in Singapore. For anyone over 40 looking to get involved, check out #sgwomenshockeymasters!
Jodie’s Singapore recommendations
Restaurants & Cafés
- Lino Binjai Park (“our local Italian, so easy and within strolling distance”) | linorestaurant.com
- Plain Vanilla (“for delicious cupcakes and coffee”) | plainvanilla.com.sg
- An Açaí Affair | anacaiaffair.com
- 1932 Story (“our go-to coffee shop on the green corridor”) | IG @1932Story
Family Photographer
- Katie Martin-Sperry Photography | katiemsperryphotography.com
Furniture & Homeware
- Originals | originals.com.sg
- Island Living | islandliving.sg
- House of Anli | houseofanli.com
- Castlery | castlery.com/sg
- Smallable | smallable.com
- A Raft of Otters (“fab for gifts”) | araftofotters.com
- Hotlotz (“great for second-hand quality auction pieces”) | hotlotz.com
Hair, Beauty & Fashion
- The Nailist (“the Holland Road Shopping Centre branch”) | thenailist.com
- The Hair Lounge | thehairlounge.sg
- At Ease (“for relaxing body and foot massages”) | atease.sg
Gardens & Flowers
- Far East Flora | fareastflora.com
Entertainment
- Eagle Wings Cinema | eaglewingscinematics.com.sg
Butcher
- Meat the Butcher | meatthebutcher.com.sg
Social Clubs
- The Swiss Club swissclub.org.sg
- Singapore Cricket Club scc.org.sg
This showcase of a good class bungalow house in Singapore appeared in the February 2025 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
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