• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
Get our Newsletter

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

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

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Property
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Work & Finance
        • White Room photography studio in SingaporePortrait photography in Singapore: the best studios in town
        • stamp duty investing in property5 Reasons to Invest in Property in Sunny Spain!
        • Costa Rhu: Jyoti’s spacious & central Tanjong Rhu condo
        • Shop dress shoes for men in SingaporeDress shoes for men – finding the perfect pair in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • solo exhibition in singaporeAmazing 3D-style artwork by Zhuang Hong Yi
        • VIP Glamourous Giving Sep 2023What’s on this week and beyond
        • Sailing Yacht Charter in SingaporeLuxury yacht rentals in Singapore
        • Where to watch the F1 2023 and party!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • White Room photography studio in SingaporePortrait photography in Singapore: the best studios in town
        • Nexus International School Singapore digital learning and managementCoding languages starts early at this school
        • early learning centre on holland roadSJI International opens a new preschool on Holland Road
        • Centre Stage performing arts and drama classes in SingaporeTop ballet, dance and drama classes in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Furniture & Décor
      • Real Homes
        • solo exhibition in singaporeAmazing 3D-style artwork by Zhuang Hong Yi
        • Looking for the best outdoor furniture in Singapore?
        • Where to buy antiques or vintage furniture – Reviews
        • Modern interior design with a touch of tradition!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Australasia
      • Rest Of The World
        • stamp duty investing in property5 Reasons to Invest in Property in Sunny Spain!
        • Indonesia travel - where to stay in BaliIndonesia travel – Where to stay in Bali & island resorts
        • Sailing Yacht Charter in SingaporeLuxury yacht rentals in Singapore
        • Beach Villas Wakatobi Indonesian island resort6 Reasons to Book These Beach Villas!
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • Oktoberfest 2023 singapore - the places for food and beerHow to celebrate Oktoberfest 2023 in Singapore
        • Deviate wine bar in Dempsey Hill - we chat to owner Joe Keats of Petersons WinesThis Dempsey bar is a best-kept secret!
        • Crossroads cafe at Orchard - where to eat in Orchard Road - alfresco dining SingaporeTry alfresco dining & happy hour at this café at Orchard Road
        • The best birthday cakes in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • anti-frizz hair treatmentFrizzy hair treatments – from keratin to hair botox!
        • hairdressers in singaporeBest Hair Salons in Singapore for Haircut, Colour & De-frizz!
        • sensitive skin moisturiser skincare steps productsTried & Tested: Sensitive skin moisturisers, serums & more!
        • Shop dress shoes for men in SingaporeDress shoes for men – finding the perfect pair in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • allergic rhinitis, allergy medication and insuranceFast facts about allergies, their symptoms and insurance
        • art therapy depression treatmentNavigating depression with Experiential Therapy
        • The best personal trainers and personal training gyms in SingaporeWhere to go for personal trainers in Singapore
        • Sport clubs in SingaporeWant to join a sports team?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • Close

Living a full life and giving back!

18th May 2023 by Georgina Hockley 4 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/living-in-singapore-kilburn-estate-house/

Philanthropist PATRICIA RODRIGUES JONES is a long-term expat living in Singapore. She’s managing a full and active life, embracing it in a conscious way. In a rare spare moment, she showed us around her grand home in Kilburn Estate!

kilburn estate singapore landed property

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to living in Singapore.

I was born and raised in Brazil, but I’ve been living abroad for over 25 years. I moved first to the UK in 1997, where I lived for 12 years and met my husband Rob. We moved to Geneva soon after our first daughter was born, in the beginning of 2009. We were happy living in Geneva, had two more children, and even bought a property there. In 2013, when I’d barely finished refurbishing the house, my husband said we were moving to Singapore. I didn’t want to come! That was almost 10 years ago (how time flies), and I love Singapore now. Our dogs Coco and Chip also love the outdoor lifestyle that this sunny country affords.

Tell us about your career and charity work.

During my London days, I owned a fashion boutique, but after moving to Geneva and having kids, I stopped working in paid employment. Since coming to Singapore, I’ve become involved with charities and non-profit organisations that support humanitarian and environmental causes – one of which, Green Bees Social, I founded a few years ago.

I love travelling and discovering new places, especially getting off the beaten track! Two of the non-profits I’m involved with, Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth, take women on expeditions to remote locations. I’ve been fortunate to go on quite a few of the trips. I’m also writing a children’s book about climate change, written in a non-confronting, accessible tone to encourage the next generation of environmentalists.

kilburn estate singapore landed property

Tell us about your experience house hunting – what was it about this place that sealed the deal for you?

When we first arrived in 2013, I was shocked by rental prices – the market was quite high at that time (as it is again now!). Luckily, we were able to find a beautiful modern house in Raffles Park. I wasn’t looking for anything specific, but I knew as soon as I saw the house that it would be ideal. It was the same for our current place in Bukit Timah; I just knew immediately that this was my family home.

With three very small children at the time, the house needed to be spacious, have a good size garden and a pool. Being Brazilian I do love a good barbecue, so a spacious outdoor area was essential. Also, it was a non-negotiable that the pool be fenced for peace of mind.

kilburn estate singapore landed property

How would you define your interior style?

When it comes to decorating, I don’t have just one style, which can be problematic. I may like something very rustic, something very classic, and something with animal print at the same time. What remains a constant is my love for bling! My style depends on the moment, but I will always have golden accents in the house. Since moving to Singapore, I’ve also developed a taste for Asian furniture.

Do you have any recommendations for budding interior designers?

As hinted at above, I’m very indecisive when it comes to mixing styles, so I’ve always engaged an expert for interior design services. In my first house I used Design Intervention, but since 2017 I’ve been working with Karin Rysgaard from Cocoon Styling.

I like the idea of restoring and upcycling furniture, and I’m opposed to the culture of throwing out and buying new. Karin has helped me to realise this dream and we’ve also added selective pieces to complement the house. Her advice has saved me money, and she’s also pushed me out of my comfort zone (beyond “bling vibe”) in different design directions. For example, she encouraged me to buy palm print cushions, which I wouldn’t have done by myself, despite liking them.

The project I’m most proud of is my leather sofa, which is now 20 years old. The leather was very stained, but the base was still in excellent condition. So I had it re-upholstered with beautiful Italian leather, and it was transformed into new again. I’ve also recycled some beautiful vintage mirrors given to me by a friend.

What three décor pieces would you save in a fire?

My dining table, my four-poster bed and my blue and green Asian cabinets.

Favourite thing about Singapore and the region?

Singapore is a place that grew on me slowly. At first, I thought life here would be too limited, but then I started appreciating it more and more. Coming from Sao Paulo, safety is a big issue for me; Singapore’s a great place to bring up children without worrying that they are going to get mugged on the MRT! I also like that everything is organised, works seamlessly and is relatively clean compared to other big cities. I think Singapore is a good introduction to Asia – other places like Bangkok and Bali may be more fun, but they’re also much more chaotic!

The best thing about living here is that it gave us an opportunity to discover other countries in this region, which would have been much more difficult from Europe.

What do you do for fun?

What makes me tick is organising events and parties. There’s nothing I love more, apart from my family, of course! I adore playing tennis, which I do every single day. Cycling around Singapore is another activity I enjoy.

Patricia’s recommendations

Home Furniture and Decoration

Island Living (“for Balinese style furniture and décor that I love”) | islandliving.sg

Emperor’s Attic |  emperorsattic.com

Teak & Mahogany (“for garden furniture”) | teakandmahogany.com

Kia Meng Trading (“for upholstering your furniture”) | kmtrading.com.sg

Restaurants and Cafés

LINO (“for pizza at the Binjai park location”) | linorestaurant.com

JAAN (“for the best romantic dinner”) | jaan.sg

Caruso (“for delicious Italian food”) | caruso.sg

Blu Kouzina (“for amazing Greek food”) | blukouzina.com

Tanjong Beach Club (“for a day at the beach”) | tanjongbeachclub.com

Baker & Cook (“for breads and patisseries”) | bakerandcook.biz

Social Clubs

Hollandse Club | hollandseclub.org.sg

1880 | 1880.com.sg

For Other Little Things

Cluny Court | clunycourt.com

This article first appeared in the March 2023 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!

Categories: Homes Real Homes

Georgina Hockley

When Australian ex-lawyer and serial expat Georgina isn't writing about life in Singapore, she has a side-hustle of ferrying about four active children. By and large, she’s successful at keeping them and her husband, two turtles and hamster Vanilla fed, watered and having fun!

You May Also Like

Modern interior design with a touch of tradition!

W Singapore treasure trove cove collection owners

A tropical treasure trove on Sentosa?

where to buy art in singapore artist work

An art exhibition with plenty of contemporary art

Primary Sidebar

  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2023 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.