• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Singapore HomepageExpat Living Singapore

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • Chinese New Year lanternsChinese New Year: What to do (and not do)
        • Men’s shirts10 of the best places to buy men’s shirts
        • Hospitals in Singapore patient and doctor hospital roomShould I go to a public or private hospital?
        • Performers Ballet Academy ballet dancer on stage activities for kidsExciting enrichment activities for kids
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • Chinese New Year lanternsChinese New Year: What to do (and not do)
        • bookGreat books: What to read this month
        • super soulGreat podcasts we are listening to!
        • queens gambitWhat to watch – or listen to…
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • Mark WenzelMeet the new Superintendent!
        • Performers Ballet Academy ballet dancer on stage activities for kidsExciting enrichment activities for kids
        • childrens mental health covidCOVID Fatigue – How it’s affecting us all
        • Tanglin Rugby Club young boy and girl playing touch rugby kids rugby clubs in singaporeKids’ rugby clubs in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • Bungalow 55Having a party of eight?
        • The Cinnamon roomRugs and carpets – who bought what?
        • 2021New Year’s Tech Resolutions
        • Nassar Persian RugsWhere to buy Persian carpets in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • The Fullerton Hotel kids room tent4 fun family staycays – with deals!
        • Merdeka - Where to stay in ThailandWhere to stay in Thailand, reviews & more
        • Covid-19 travel woman mask airportCOVID-19 travel: What to expect
        • Hong Kong with kids - SuperParkThings to Do with Kids in Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • LyresDry January: Alcohol-free drinks to try!
        • vietnamese food que beef pho singaporeIn the mood for Vietnamese?
        • Barista CoffeeNew Nibbles: Foodie news!
        • online groceries singaporeTop websites to get your groceries
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • Men’s shirts10 of the best places to buy men’s shirts
        • how to look good on zoom face treatments aesthetic clinic singaporeHow to look good on Zoom
        • jewelleryJewellery gift ideas for all budgets
        • Weekend sunday clothesShopping from home – a new online marketplace!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • Hospitals in Singapore patient and doctor hospital roomShould I go to a public or private hospital?
        • childrens mental health covidCOVID Fatigue – How it’s affecting us all
        • getting fit best gym The Viva Group Pilates And WellnessBest Gyms – getting a fitness regime that lasts
        • how to be happy and maintain happinessDon’t worry, be happy – but how?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close
Home » Homes » Readers Homes » East meets West in this heritage home

East meets West in this heritage home

6th September 2018 by Amy Brook-Partridge 6 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/heritage-home-singapore-mount-pleasant-black-and-white/

Rosalind Boots explains the thinking behind her career change after 28 years in the corporate world, and her desire to live in a heritage home. The idea came to fruition when Rosalind and her family took on a four-bedroom, black-and-white in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood in Singapore.

Who lives here: Singaporean Rosalind, Dutchman Onno Boots and their four Siberian huskies. Teenage daughter Layla studies in Holland and visits often.
How long have they lived here: Two years.
Size of house: Two-storey, four-bedroom black-and-white house.
Style of home: East meets West, drawing on their Dutch and Singaporean roots, with a warm, masculine edge.

Heritage home Singapore kitchen
The kitchen is from IKEA.

Rosalind has very distinct memories of black-and-white houses from her youth. “When I was little, my grandfather worked as a chef for a colonial British family, and my grandmother would sometimes come along to take care of their children, and take me with her. I remember looking around at these big houses and thinking it was just so ‘jungle’, and wondering how someone could live here,” she laughs; it’s an ironic laugh, given that, as we speak, we are sitting in the heritage home she now rents in the jungle.

Growing up, Rosalind lived in Sembawang, then she and husband Onno moved to a house off Dunearn Road, within a cluster house complex.

“It was a lovely semi-detached, with a great community and all the facilities we needed, but after a while Onno felt it was too close to everything and we needed more space with our huskies.”

Heritage home Singapore ros and dogs

Scouting around, they stumbled across a black-and-white house that was part of a group of similar properties in Gymkhana Avenue, in the Mount Pleasant area. “It was in a very sorry state; these homes fall into disrepair very quickly, and you could see walls cracking, animals’ nests and droppings everywhere, but Onno was able to see through this.”

Taking the house on, they carried out some work (with SLA approval), including changing the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as the flooring. “We loved the space, and I loved being woken by the birds and wild chickens in the morning because they were making so much noise amongst the peace and quiet.”

Heritage home Singapore house
Rosalind and Onno tend to eat outdoors, so this area is used for more formal dinners, as well as when Rosalind needs to display her ceramics for private client viewing. The dining table is made from Indonesian wood, and the large white Chinese scholar chair is from Just Anthony

Making a move

At this time, Rosalind had been working in logistics for the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector for 28 years, spending 50 percent of her time travelling for business. “Onno travels a lot as well, but it was what we were used to.” However, in 2013, the family relocated to Turkey as Onno was appointed group CEO of a global aviation company headquartered in Istanbul. Making the tough decision to leave her highly successful career, Rosalind jumped into a new life in Turkey with both feet. “You really need to speak the language, otherwise you feel lost, so I went on an intensive crash course, which meant I was able to go out bargaining in the markets. I busied myself visiting the old town and travelling to the nearby areas in the Balkans, I did some work with charity organisations, and was quickly involved in a few international women communities in Istanbul.”

Heritage home Singapore living room
The Scruffy- and Chesterfield inspired Westminster leather sofas are from Timothy Oulton (“They just get better with age!”). All the lights are also from Timothy Oulton

Rosalind still felt “structureless”, and she knew she needed something else, having gone from being in the corporate world for 28 years, to this. So, she decided to study pottery, learning from two different ceramic artists in Turkey. “I was surprised that I could remain calm and stay focused making pottery.”

She quickly found her passion, and her influences were drawn from Chinese blue-and-white ceramics, and Dutch Delft pottery. “I started doing my own blue pieces, and I created my company, By Ros. It really just began with friends seeing the pieces and wanting me to make pottery for them too.”

After the first year, things became much more volatile in Turkey, with Rosalind and Onno living through a political uprising and coup (“it was the last straw”). She called Crown Relocations and managed to get a slot for them, their belongings and their dogs to be relocated from Turkey back to Singapore. “Having to get everything ready within those two weeks was a big challenge!”

Heritage home Singapore painting
The lamp is from Curio by Timothy Oulton and the print shows Onno and Rosalind.

Back to black-and-white

In view of their passion for living in heritage properties, it’s no surprise they were soon on the hunt for another black-and-white home. Rosalind carried out a recce, initially not looking for a two storey property. However, she found this house, and once her dad had given it his stamp of approval, she took it on.

Negotiating with the previous tenant, they agreed to keep the attap, some lights and the decking. Once they moved in, they renovated the kitchen and bathrooms, and reworked the decking area again.

Heritage home Singapore house outside

Rosalind stresses the importance of promoting these heritage homes to locals, and feels it’s vital to educate people about their history and inherent value. After we meet, she’s scheduled to welcome a group from Jane’s Tours; she’s happy to open up her home to groups if it will help foster a more positive perception of these properties. “I’m a Buddhist, and I thought I would have a bad feeling about living here – there are connotations about it being spooky as it’s close to the cemetery; but I sleep very well!”

Since returning to Singapore, Rosalind has focused on her pottery business, and has converted one of the ground-floor rooms into a studio. Enrolling in a local pottery school to learn a different skill set, she then brought in her own clay, and now she works with a “glaze chemist”. Besides the commissioned work she receives from her regular customers, her pieces are now available in Bungalow 55 and Badger & Fox, and she is also about to supply a well-known bakery chain with her work. She shows me some of the pieces that are to be stocked at said bakery chain, and I can see that they are unique and bespoke.

Talking in her studio, it’s hard to imagine Rosalind the corporate high-flyer. And, when she begins talking about the peace and tranquillity of living here in “the jungle”, it’s clear she’s heading down a very happy, albeit different, path.

Heritage home SingaporeHeritage home Singapore outside area
Heritage home Singapore 2
Heritage home Singapore black and white house
“This is the beautiful part of the house that we love the most; we so enjoy having a coffee or tea and just sitting here.” The outdoor rug (below right) is from Affordable Style Files, the two wicker chairs from Pasardina Fine Living in Dempsey. “I’m Hainanese, hence the pillow. It’s about time we have nice souvenirs like this!”
Heritage home Singapore bathroom 2
Heritage home Singapore 3
“This is the story of our relationship. We were living apart when we first met, travelling between Holland and Singapore. We flew with KLM, and each time you fly they give you one of these. For us, there’s a deeper meaning to this display!”
Heritage home Singapore bedroom
The master bedroom is a comfortable, masculine mix of textures and layers.
Heritage home Singapore
Just some examples of Rosalind’s By Ros ceramics. She works with her clients to develop customised bespoke pieces.
Heritage home Singapore entrance
An Eck&Art print of a black-and-white house and a map of Southeast Asia hang in the entrance hall; Rosalind uses Framing Angie or Merlin Frame Maker for the majority of her framing.
Heritage home Singapore bathroom
The striking mirror frame is from Laura Ashley
Heritage home Singapore patio
Heritage home Singapore study

Reccomendations

HOME DÉCOR

By Ros Ceramics 96810399 | www.facebook.com/ByRosBespokeCeramics

Curio Home Block 14C Dempsey Road 6479 7619 | curio-home.com

Framing Angie #03-02 Holland Road Shopping Centre 211 Holland Avenue 6466 0800 | framingangie.com

Just Anthony 379 Upper Paya Lebar Road 6283 4782 | justanthony.com

Merlin Frame Maker (various locations) merlin.com.sg

Originals #02-03 Sime Darby Centre 896 Dunearn Road 6471 9918 | originals.com.sg

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

Crown Relocations 6861 6818 | crownrelo.com

Jane’s Tour’s 9777 9549 | janestours.sg

WINE & DINE

Baker & Cook (various locations) bakerandcook.biz

Huber’s Butchers 22 Dempsey Road 6737 1588 | hubers.com.sg

Merci Marcel 56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-68 6224 0113 | mercimarcel.com

Want more home inspiration? See our home decor section!

Best furniture stores in Singapore for beds, dining tables, and more

Inside an Alexandra Park black-and-white

This article first appeared in the August 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!

Categories: Homes Readers Homes Tags: Black and White Houses Home Living In Singapore Mount Pleasant Readers Homes Sembawang

Amy Brook-Partridge

Amy has two kids, one dog and one husband - although she'd love to have more than one (dog, that is). She's mad about F45 training, running and playing Gaelic football, when she isn't injured or drinking a little too much wine.

You May Also Like

Bungalow 55

Having a party of eight?

New Year’s Tech Resolutions

Where to buy Persian carpets in Singapore

Primary Sidebar

Editor's Picks

where to buy furniture in Singapore

Where to buy furniture in Singapore – online too!

royal albatross yacht singapore romantic dinner

39 Cool & Fun Things To Do In Singapore

kate marsden facial review iyac med spa aesthetic clinic

Best facials in Singapore: Our reviews!

brunch st regis singapore

Best Brunch Places in Singapore: Champagne Sunday Brunches

hair salon in Singapore before and after

Best Hair Salon In Singapore – Our Favourites

What's On

Singapore International Photography Festival exhibition

Singapore International Photography Festival 2020

Four Letter Work - A Solo Exhibition by I Am Not David Lee

Four Letter Work – A Solo Exhibition by I Am Not David Lee

Stone Stacks Stefanie Hauger solo exhibition Miaja Art Collections

Stone Stacks

ThisConnect - Threading Worlds

ThisConnect – Threading Worlds

Battle between Rama and Ravana Faith Beauty Love Hope Our Stories, Your ACM Asian Civilisations Museum

Faith Beauty Love Hope – Our Stories, Your ACM

Perfect Stranger by Dawn Ng asian civilisations museum exhibition

Perfect Stranger

Expat Living Singapore 🇸🇬

expatlivingsg

Open
We are completely in love with the new Bvlgari Parfum Allegra that lets you customise your own scent...how cool is that! 
 
Step 1 - select your base fragrance 
Step 2 - personalise your fragrance with a magnifying essence 

The bottles are so pretty we want them all 💕 
 
The Allegra collection is available online at bulgari.com/en-sg and in-store at the Takashimaya Department Store from 19th January and if you can’t wait they also have a pop up only for today at ION SKY
Open
Say hello to our latest Kids' Guide! Want a free copy delivered to you? Visit 👉 expatliving.sg/KG and place your order before 30 January.
 
🧸 The guide has everything from finding an obstetrician and caring for your newborn, to fun activities and choosing the right schools for your child. There’s also lots of useful advice from other mums and dads.
Open
We love finding cool places to check out at weekends.

The Whiskey Library at the chic Vagabond Club Hotel is a must for Whiskey lovers. 

Be entertained by bespoke adventures such as specially curated (sung and told) Jazz stories, intimate theatre sessions, book readings, artist evenings, musical showcases, and even independent film premieres whilst enjoying delightful small bites. 

With a choice of over 1,000 rare and unique whiskeys you can even book a cool Staycation so you don’t have to travel home! @thevagabondclub
Open
So if you are still managing to cling onto dry January or still pondering whether to do dry February (like some of us here at EL), then you must check out our round up (link on stories) of alcohol free drinks to stock up on...we also spotted some pretty cool cocktail recipes on the links to help you out🍸🍹
Open
We are on the lookout for cute baby pics for our next issue. Have you or a friend just had a baby? Send over a baby pic with the date of birth and parents names to editorial@expatliving.sg and we'll feature them in our next issue (swipe to see an example of our baby noticeboard). Tag some friends in this post to share their news with us. 

All babies will receive a free personalised print from the gorgeous @hellosammyeve worth $150 (see 3rd pic). 

We just can’t wait to see the pics of those cute bubbas👶
Open
We are craving those pineapple tarts from @littlehouseofdreams packaged in a pretty eco-friendly canister with an engraved bamboo lid.

Check out their pretty gifts, hampers and roasts to help you usher in the year of the 🐂 

15% off regular items and 10% off gift sets until 31st Jan
Open
Hunting for new foodie places is a tough job but someone has to do it! 

Check out our stories link for a few new hot spots to try. There are more listed in our January print issue and others springing up next month!

Tag your favourite hot spots in our comments, we are always on the lookout 👀 🍽🍷🍻🍹
Open
We had some wonderful  celebrations today for our amazing Editor in Chief Rebecca. Happy Birthday and lots of love from all of the EL team ❤️ x
Open
We love cocktails in a can, what an easy start to kick off your weekend. Available in Espresso Martini, Margarita, Pineapple Daiquiri & Negroni - yum!  Order @curatif
Open
Time to get moving!

Our fitness experts share top tips helping to stick to those New Years resolutions 🏋️ 🧘‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ 

Link in our stories
Open
The rain and cold winds getting you down? A warm beverage and maybe a good book to snuggle up to might just chase the blues away!

If hot chocolate is too mainstream for you, could we offer up this red velvet alternative? @littlefarms have a wide selection of oat milks, almond milks and soy milk options. 

Since it's #Veganuary, we recommend using dairy free milks to recreate this recipe....

2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
4 medjool dates (pitted)
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon beet powder

Add the milk and dates into a saucepan.
Heat, over medium, until it reaches a simmer. Add the warm milk with the dates and the remaining ingredients into a high speed blender.
Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Serve and enjoy! 

Image and recipe courtesy of @darngoodveggies
Open
Read our January issue on any device for free! To get started, visit 👉 expatliving.sg/digital/IG
In this issue, step inside a heritage shophouse, find out where our readers buy their carpets and dining tables, discover amazing glamping locations, plus find out how you can win a glamorous home decor prize worth over $7K!
Open
🎉 We're so pleased to announce the winners of our Readers' Choice Awards! Congrats to all the companies who were voted among the best in Singapore, and to the voters who won the amazing prizes. See the full results online now at 👉 expatliving.sg/readerschoice

.
#expatlivingsg #sgbusinesses #singaporebusiness #elsgreaderschoice
Open
What better way to choose movers than to get the inside scoop from happy customers themselves.

We hear from some individuals and families about their successful moves. 

Whether you’re relocating across the globe or just moving to the condo next door, you’re probably going to need some professional and reliable help to pack and transport for you so check out some recommendations in our stories
Open
Now, to start the new year off with a bang, @areteculture is excited to give one lucky winner a home décor essentials package to refresh their space!  Read more about this amazing giveaway here 👉🏻 www.expatliving.sg/comp-arete  #expatliving #singaporelife #areteculture #giveaway #expatsingaporelife #beinittowinit #homedecor #goodluck.
Open
Recently engaged? Check out our recent story on how to find a fabulous elegant dress plus wedding tips and details of some upcoming wedding trunk shows.

Congratulations from the EL team 💍🥂🍾
Open
Whilst we are all keen to stay in bed on this drab morning, it’s giving us time to work on our New Year Resolutions for a healthier 2021. 

Take a look on our stories for some fab suggestions to start the New Year.
Open
Happy New Year from the team at Expat Living. 

Let’s raise a glass to welcome 2021 🥂
Open
As we welcome the start of a new year, it’s time to look back at the year that was. 

Obviously, a standard review of 2020 would be dominated by one global issue, however, we’ve decided to avoid any mention of the C-word and instead, we’re taking a look at some of the other things that happened in 2020 
month by month, from pop culture phenomena to mystery objects in our deserts and skies (full link in our stories)

Enjoy – and have a wonderful 2021!
Open
Cool light shows and fireworks....check out our guide on things to do (link in our stories)
  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2021 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.