• 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.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • HomeOutdoor Living at this West Coast house
        • book shops in SingaporeBook shops and cafes bookworms will love
        • ServiceSchool activities with a lot of heart
        • apartment homesearchLooking for a house to rent in Singapore?
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • Wyn-Lyn-Tan-FOST-Gallery-a-matter-of-timeWhat’s on this week and beyond
        • Image showing things to do in Singapore Garden By The BayFun Things To Do In Singapore
        • book shops in SingaporeBook shops and cafes bookworms will love
        • digital workshops in singaporeDigital workshops for social media & more
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • ServiceSchool activities with a lot of heart
        • kidsChildren’s shops & websites for kids’ clothes, toys etc.
        • kids' furnitureSeriously cool kids’ furniture
        • video gamesOnline games & how to keep safe when gaming
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • HomeOutdoor Living at this West Coast house
        • kidsChildren’s shops & websites for kids’ clothes, toys etc.
        • South Korean artist JIEUN PARKArt Exhibition: Travel Inspired Ink!
        • kids' furnitureSeriously cool kids’ furniture
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • DuxtonBest hotels for a staycation in Singapore
        • ThailandBest short breaks from Singapore
        • family-friendly resort family vacation boat12 great spots for a family vacation
        • Singaproe islands8 Easy Island Trips off Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • chiffon cake recipeAfternoon Tea – Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe
        • good curry best indian restaurantsReviews: Indian restaurants we loved!
        • Rooftop bar - ArtemisBest rooftop bars in Singapore
        • Bakalaki Greek Taverna- Greek restaurants in Singapore3 great Greek restaurants to try!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • Yours CLoud FactoryLatest beauty products, makeup and more!
        • laser treatment singapore10 laser treatments to try
        • Luxe Acne treatmentSkincare products for acne and pimples
        • best non surgical facelift plastic surgeryFacelift: is there a painless option?
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • comparing health insurance in Singapore doctor and coupleThree tips for comparing health insurance plans
        • COVID-19 vaccination vaccine doctor and womanFAQs about COVID-19 vaccinations
        • longest triathlon singaporeBreaking a record for the longest triathlon!
        • singapore-dentist-checkup-maintenance-cleanLooking for a trustworthy dentist in Singapore?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close
Home » Homes » Readers Homes » Contemporary cool meets heritage home in River Valley shophouse

Contemporary cool meets heritage home in River Valley shophouse

26th November 2018 by Amy Brook-Partridge 5 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/river-valley-shophouse-singapore/

Find out why this couple moved from Singapore’s East to buy their gorgeous River Valley shophouse.

Who lives here: Belgians Jonathan Roelandts and Katrien Bollen, their 17-month old son Louis, and helper Rose.
Size and type of home: Four-storey, three-bedroom heritage house that they purchased three years ago.
Style of home: Contemporary combined with the original elements of a shophouse.

River Valley Shophouse

I ’d coveted this property many years ago, when I first arrived in Singapore. Our first two years here saw us live in a condo overlooking this particular row of shophouses – three of them to be exact, attached to a small condo just off Mohamed Sultan Road. Walking down the road with my little girl in her buggy, I’d slow down as we passed this house with its high gates, and I’d try to get a peek in to see what it looked like on the inside; now, finally, I get my chance.

Its owners, Jonathan Roelandts and Katrien Bollen, run Soul & Tables (formerly Ethnicraft Online) in Singapore, Jonathan as its managing director, and Katrien as its marketing director, alongside her other job, a full-time position with Google. The couple purchased the property three years ago, having lived in the East for the majority of their eight years here. “We’d always lived in condos,” explains Katrien, “and although you can have nice furniture in condo apartments, and try to dress them up in the way you want, they can miss the mark when it comes to adding your own character. We really like a modern touch on an authentic style, and we felt we could bring that to life here.”

River Valley Shophouse

“We’re far more used to living in houses than one storey units,” continues Jonathan, “and ultimately we always wanted to come back to a more central location.” Finding the house on Property Guru, the couple almost immediately fell in love with it. “We visited it out of curiosity at first, as it was a little over our budget, but once we’d seen it we decided to make an offer pretty much there and then,” says Jonathan.

The house was tenanted for the first two years following its purchase. “This was ideal, to be honest, as it gave us time to think about what we wanted to do with it. Then, when the lease was up, we had two months of renovation before we moved in,” says Katrien, who also happened to be seven months pregnant at the time.

River Valley Shophouse

The Works

As the house is a heritage building, there are plenty of retained elements such as the lattice-work above the windows and doors; however, the downstairs flooring, lighting, kitchen and all the bathrooms were completely renovated. “We actually met our contractor by chance, while we were shopping for tiles. He was good, very responsive, and went that extra mile for us. He was also very conscious that Katrien was pregnant so he made sure the works got done in time.”

The couple brought only one suitcase with them when they moved from Belgium in 2010, so all the furniture in this house has been purchased during their Singapore stay, much of it from Ethnicraft Online. “This house is different from our previous homes in that we used to have teak Ethnicraft pieces, but this space suits oak better as it’s lighter,” says Katrien. She points to the coffee table and sideboard in the living room as examples, and there are many more to be seen throughout the house.

River Valley Shophouse
The oak Madra bed from Ethnicraft Online can be seen in the master bedroom.

For accessories, Katrien is a keen online shopper, favouring sites such as Etsy, Cluster-Cluster and 3LittlePicks. There are also plenty of pieces picked up from their travels, as well as soft furnishings from The Grey House and outdoor furniture from Fermob, two brands that Ethnicraft now stocks as well. “We bring these pieces in because we like them ourselves – we’re our own target market,” says Jonathan.

Aside from the property’s interior, the couple also love the exterior, including the amenities on its doorstep. “We rarely use the car as a family now, because everything can be done on foot. Louis’s preschool will be within walking distance, and we love going for coffee, brunch or dinner nearby,” says Katrien. “We have lots of friends in the area, and on the weekends we often sit out the front, and people walk by and say hi. Some look in, but we don’t mind,” she adds. (Having been one of those nosy people many years ago, I’m glad I’ve finally managed to get an official invite to see the place for myself!)

River Valley Shophouse
The kitchen cabinets were custom made, to work with the difficult configuration of the space

How the business began

The concept of an online furniture store was sparked when we found it challenging to find great-looking, high-end yet affordable furniture in Singapore that was immediately available when we moved here. It was brought to fruition with Ethnicraft, a reputed solid wood furniture manufacturer that produces sustainable, contemporary and high-quality furniture pieces. In 2012, Ethnicraft Online (now Soul & Tables) made its entrance into Singapore, as the first online branch of the international furniture brand. We offer functional, beautiful and eco-friendly solid wood furnishings, such as the contemporary teak and oak collection, the playful Universo Positivo series, vintage-inspired Mr Marius range and sophisticated Notre Monde collection.

River Valley Shophouse

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

Home

Sout & Tables #02-01 and #02-03 Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road 9272 1545 | soulandtables.com.sg

Heavenly Homespace (contractor) #01-06 LHK 2 Building 76 Playfair Road 6282 0880 | heavenlyhomespace.com.sg

River Valley Shophouse

Drinks

Potato Head 36 Keong Saik Road 6327 1939 | ptthead.com

Super Loco #01-13 The Quayside 60 Robertson Quay 6235 8900 | super-loco.com/robertsonquay

Brunch Common Man Coffee Roasters 22 Martin Road, #01-00 6836 4695 | commonmancoffeeroasters.com

Kith Café #01-28 Watermark @ Robertson Quay 7 Rodyk Street 6341 9407 | kith.com.sg

River Valley Shophouse
Bloomingville accessories can be
seen on the kitchen
wall shelf.

Dinner

Bakalaki 3 Seng Poh Road 6836 3688 | bakalaki.com

Cicheti 52 Kandahar Street 6292 5012 | cicheti.com

Don Ho Social Kitchen & Bar 1 Keong Saik Road The Working Capitol Building 6223 5001 | don-ho.com

Kilo 66 Kampong Bugis 6467 3987 | kilokitchen.com

River Valley Shophouse
River Valley Shophouse
River Valley Shophouse
River Valley Shophouse
The freestanding bath in Louis’s bathroom is from Luma; it can also come off its stand and sit on the floor as the baby gets older and more mobile.
River Valley Shophouse
Louis’s changing table is from Ethnicraft Online, the accessories gifts from friends.
River Valley Shophouse

Leisure

“We love biking along the river to Kallang Riverside, walking in the Botanic Gardens or taking a short break to Bali.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATIE MARTIN-SPERRY

See inside more Readers’ Homes!

Why these empty nesters love life in Ardmore

Resort style features in chic Sentosa home

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

Categories: Homes Readers Homes Tags: Ethnicraft Online Home Decor Readers Homes River Valley

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

Outdoor Living at this West Coast house

stop mosquitoes entering your home

Stop mosquitoes entering your home!

South Korean artist JIEUN PARK

Art Exhibition: Travel Inspired Ink!

Primary Sidebar

Expat Living Singapore 🇸🇬

expatlivingsg

Open
Order your copy of the March issue here 👉 expatliving.sg/mag/ig

Inside, we feature our best finds to make your bedroom look and feel great. Check out two renovated homes, get an insider’s view of Siglap, and discover useful tips and trends on the property rental market and plenty more, including delicious Mexican food, top quality meat, cool fashion, fab facials and fragrances to try. 

📕 Plus, there's a bonus mini guide on Preschools!
Open
Now facelifts can be non-surgical and non-invasive which we love.

This facelift in Singapore uses painless High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).

How it works.....
HIFU uses ultrasound technology to reach three different depths of the skin, in order to deliver focused beams of 60 to 70 degrees Celsius without disrupting the skin surface. These beams will melt the fats in the face, while tightening the skin and boosting collagen production; this allows your skin to continually lift and tone after the treatment. 

We thought this was super cool so we tried it out. Read the full review on our stories
Open
If you’ve just arrived (or been here a while) and wondering where to buy furniture in Singapore, we’ve pulled together this huge list of the best furniture shops on the red dot for you to start on! 

This comprehensive guide to Singapore furniture stores covers all areas, budgets and decorating tastes. 

There’s furniture shops for Asian, contemporary, chic, recycled and vintage furniture. So, whether you’re after a good sofa, antique lamp, modern dining table or a cute kid’s bed, grab a coffee and get scrolling via the link on our stories
Open
** Friday Giveaway**

Win a fabulous Glam Makeover & a 1 to 1 Makeup Workshop worth $350! 

How to join? 🤔

👉🏻Follow @expatlivingag and @falakamaar 
👉🏻tag the person who you want to win- it can also be you! 
It’s that easy! 

Falak Amaar is a Singapore based MUA trained and certified by celebrity Makeup artists (for Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande to name a few) Mario Dedivanovic and Samer Khouzami (aka the king of contouring)

She loves to share the techniques she has learnt from the Makeup Maestros in 1 to 1 as well as group makeup workshops and uses them to create the most natural to the most transformative looks.

She regularly posts videos for simple makeup tips and tricks on her Instagram & Facebook Page along with the stunning makeup looks she creates for her clients.
*
*
*
*
*
#makeup
#Falakaar 
#expatlivingsg
#singapore 
#expats
#beautifulmakeup 
#makeupartistsg
Open
In Singapore, the year-round summer weather means you can’t do without swimwear, and you’ll need a few. It’s a hard life! 

Whether you are wondering where to buy a bikini or a full swimsuit, or even something more sporty for swimming laps there’s a good range of shopping options. 

The round up (link on our stories) includes the best online and physical stores to buy swimwear for women of all shapes and sizes 👙
Open
After four years in Kampong Bahru, local eyelash extensions studio The Lash Company has shifted to a bigger and brighter space in Holland Village! We visited the new salon to review their eyelash extensions service.

Read the reviews on our stories
Open
Looking for a house in Singapore? 

We asked the Expat Team at real estate company Knight Frank to give us some insider tips for a home search and to reflect on some of the property trends arising from the COVID-19 situation. 

What’s the current situation if you want to lease an apartment, and how difficult is it to find a house to rent now. 

Read the full story on our stories now
Open
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Expat Living Team ❤️

All we really need is love, but if you do fancy something else then we have fun trivia, gift ideas and some lovely dining options on our stories
Open
🏮 Gong Xi Fa Cai to all our friends celebrating Chinese New Year!
Open
What would make a doctor like DR MENKA GUPTA transform herself into a functional medicine practitioner and nutritionist in Singapore? 

Her lifelong passion for healing is the answer – and she hasn’t looked back. Born and raised in Lucknow, India, she knew from the age of three that she wanted to be a doctor. After years of working as a specialist in the fields of gastroenterology, general medicine and gynaecology in leading hospitals in the UK, India and Singapore, she joined the Institute for Functional Medicine in 2012, and established Nutra Nourish here five years ago. 

Dr Menka is the the only IFM certified practitioner (IFMCP) in South Asia (there are less than 1,000 globally) 

Read the full article in our stories
Open
Noticed all the lanterns and bright lights across Chinatown? 

Yep, it’s that time of the year again! Chinese New Year is in full force in Singapore, so we’ve listed some great events and handy tips for you to experience a truly authentic, fun and prosperous start to the Year of the Ox 🐂 🍊 🧧 

Check out our guide (link on stories) of what to do (and also what not to do!)
Open
Striking a stylish downward dog in yoga or a perfect squat when working out needn’t only be about flexibility. 

Now there’s a selection of trendy and stylish active wear to inspire us at the same time! 

Yumi Active offers a range of uber-sleek, re-imagined performance gear. With active wear with gorgeous designs, bold prints and ethnic motifs, the brand is certainly getting us motivated with the right kit to get fit

Check them out on our stories
Open
Our CNY Sale starts today! Grab a year's subscription for just $29 (usually $82.80). Visit 👉 expatliving.sg/sale/IG 

🎁 If you'd like to buy this as a gift, go to expatliving.sg/sale/gift/IG

You'll get free access to the digital edition on the Magzter app too!

.
#expatlivingsg #expatliving #sgexpat #expatsg #igsg #sgdining #sghome #sgsales
Open
**FRIDAY GIVEAWAY**

Penhaligon's the luxurious British perfume house, that was founded in the late 1860s by William Henry Penhaligon, the perfumer to Queen Victoria, is giving away Changing Constance worth $420

Who is Constance?
Constance is what one might call A Very Modern Woman. She has no regard for custom, and does exactly as she likes. Cool cardamom, hot pimento, salted caramel – her contrary perfume breaks every rule!

To win, just follow and like @penhaligons_london , tag a friend and then click on the link in our stories to enter. 👈🏼
It’s that easy!
Good Luck and be like Constance!
❤️

#perfume
#giveawayfriday
#expatlivingsg
#panhaligons
#changingcandice
#noughtybutnice
#singapore
Open
Considered to be the most common cancers in women globally, breast cancer is a serious health issue that can happen to almost anyone. 

We may be more educated about the condition now but there are still breast cancer myths that can mislead and scare us unnecessarily. 

Here, the team at UEX debunk some of these myths, plus tell us how screening and treatment can be covered by health insurance (link in our stories)
Open
If you’ve spied an Insta-worthy floral arrangement that immediately had you wondering who designed it and where it came from, chances are you were looking at one of the arrangements of The Floral Atelier. 

According to the company’s floral artisans, designing a beautiful bunch of flowers is as much a science as it is an art. That may explain why they say it takes more than just a “good eye” to create their particular arrangements.

The Floral Atelier’s founder LELIAN CHEW is widely regarded as an authoritative figure in luxury events and florals – to the point where she’s been hailed as the “Million Dollar Wedding Planner” on a BBC documentary! Lelian gave us the lowdown about her creative process and how she and the team design their show-stopping products @thefloralatelier.co @lelianchew 

Link in our stories 🌸
Open
Navigating your daughters’ preteen years is probably one of the most difficult periods of parenting – for you and them. 

Issues around lack of confidence, body image and low self-esteem can start to surface during these years. With the added potential stresses of cyberbullying and social media usage, the pressure is real and the impact on families can be overwhelming. 

Empowering young girls (and boys, of course) is your responsibility as a parent, and it may mean having a guide or a mentor to help them through these preteen and teen issues. 

Establishing emotional literacy from a young age can positively impact how your daughter copes in life, right through to adulthood.

Ramita Anand the founder of Elevate.RA, spoke to us about the ways she helps mentor young girls to make sense of themselves and the world around them....
read the full article in the link in our stories
Open
Win a Ginger Jar Lamp from Lampton by Emperor’s Attic (worth up to $495)! 💕

Just launched is ‘Lampton by Emperor’s Attic’, a series of limited-edition Ginger Jar lamp bases with beautiful handmade linen shades in a variety of sizes and combinations. 

The store plans to launch new collections every few months ensuring there is something to suit every taste and home décor style, and priced from $295. 

To enter, just follow and like @lampton_  tag a friend, answer this: What do you use a lamp light for? 🤔  Then click on the link in our stories to enter. 👈🏼
It’s that easy! 
Good Luck!  #expatlivingsg 
#Emperorsattic 
#beautifullamps 
#everypiecehasastory 
#gingerjarlamps 
#singapore 
#expatlive 
#tanboonliat
Open
The new Spring-Summer launches from Uniqlo include gorgeous earthy and soft spring colours, pleats and comfortable fabrics under 3 lifestyle categories: 

Transitional Wear (from working at home to the office and out), Fresh Air and Fitness wear (for when you want to look good on your walks) and Home (comfortable loungewear that you can wear on Zoom calls!)

New collaborations from the ever popular Ines de Fressange & Hana Tajima will let you freshen up that wardrobe for the new way of living, exercising and working.
Open
Valentines ❤️ Giveaway!
Win a Diamond & Green Amethyst 
Pendant set in 18k Yellow Gold from @tandcgemstonesandjewellery and Jewellery worth $1,425 just in time for Valentine’s Day. ❤️❤️❤️

To enter, just follow @expatlivingsg and @tandcgemstonesandjewellery, tag a friend then click on the link in our stories to enter. 
 It’s that easy!

Giveaway ends 14 February 2021 and only in Singapore
  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2021 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.