• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

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

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • image of domestic worker for story on advice on hiring a helper in Hong KongGuide to hiring a helper in Hong Kong
        • Expat life in Hong Kong - advantages and disadvantagesPros and cons of living in HK
        • Moving to Hong Kong - taking a photo of the viewTop tips for newcomers to Hong Kong
        • Public transport Hong Kong - taxiGuide to Hong Kong public transport
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • 9 family-friendly hikes in Hong Kong
        • What to watch โ€“ or listen to…
        • Great podcasts we are listening to!
        • Key Chinese events and festivals in Hong Kong - Chinese New YearTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
      • Kids Offers
        • Language courses for all the family
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
        • Does your child need a little extra help?
        • 12 tips for bathing newborn babies
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Dรฉcor
      • Readers Homes
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
        • Taking the stress out of moving
        • Making Your Bedroom Eco-friendly
        • Inside a Kowloon home with history
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Top skiing destinations - Whistler, CanadaStunning ski stays in Europe and beyond
        • Mongolia - kidsA family adventure in Mongolia
        • Where to stay and what to do in Thailand - MerdekaQuick getaways: Where to go in Thailand
        • Best places to go shopping in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Meat-free meals: Quinoa Lentil Tabouleh5 meat-free meal ideas to try
        • Chocolate Tiffin - RecipeNo-bake Chocolate Tiffin Recipe
        • Fiamma Italian restaurant - tortelliniTaste Test: Peak Italian Cuisine at Fiamma
        • Cocktails - recipesCocktail recipes โ€“ make your own!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Paraben-free skincare for men!
        • Where to go for holiday pampering
        • Where to get eyelash extensions in Hong Kong - Eyelash ProWhere to get eyelash extensions
        • image of woman having eyebrows done for beauty services in Hong KongUltimate guide to HK beauty services
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Home workout5 workout moves you can do at home
        • Central & Stanley Wellness - functional medicine treatmentFunctional medicine and how it helps
        • KAMA CBD OilWhat is CBD and can it help your health?
        • ATP - weight loss - fitness trainingBody makeover: an inspiring journey
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • December โ€“ February 2021
        • DEC-FEB 2020 โ€“ $36 (USUAL PRICE $48)
        • City Guide 2020-2021
        • City Guide 2020-2021 – $28
      • View all
    Close
Home ยป Homes ยป Inside a family rental house in Singapore

Inside a family rental house in Singapore

28 July, 2020 by Melinda Murphy 7 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/rental-house-in-singapore-expat-family-home-in-clementi/

It’s always interesting to get an insight into expat life in other cities.ย In our new series showcasing homes in Singapore, we take a peek inside an expat family rental house in the western suburb of Clementi.

If you want to see a rental house in Singapore that really captures a familyโ€™s personality, itโ€™s the McPhail home. Walking through the front door, Iโ€™m always struck by the playful colours used in such a mature way. Thereโ€™s a certain ease and structure all at the same time. And thatโ€™s just how Iโ€™d describe my dear friend Sarah: sheโ€™s got an easy-going personality, yet you know she has a handle on things.

โ€œIโ€™ve always loved this house and I feel privileged to live here โ€“ we were very lucky to get it,โ€ says Sarah of their house in Clementi where theyโ€™ve lived for three years. โ€œThere are just so many architectural features that make it special. Itโ€™s nearly 50 years old, yet so modern in design โ€“ it just doesnโ€™t feel old. Weโ€™ve lived in Singapore for 16 years and this is my favourite home yet.โ€

expat family living in clementi

Design details

Those older architectural details actually made designing the main room a bit challenging. Sarah worked on it with designer Isabelle Walsh.

โ€œIt was really hard; I couldnโ€™t get my head around the pole right in the middle. My husband Shaun and I gave Isabelle very different briefs โ€“ I said cool blues; he said the room had to feel warm. So Isabelle designed the Air Force blue seats (my favourite items in the house) and married them with the bronze topped console and the use of teak.โ€

Isabelle sectioned the room into four distinct areas: a dining area; a seating area for entertaining; a family spot for watching television; and a table where the chessboard can always stay out.

โ€œOne of my favourite travel memories is watching Quillan learning to play chess with Shaun in Sri Lanka. Heโ€™s loved it ever since, so we wanted to leave it out to encourage him to continue playing.โ€

rental house in Clementi

Sarah added her own bits and pieces, including a playful copper light from HipVan and a beautiful blue textile they picked up in Yangon on a trip to celebrate her 40th birthday. Other bits, such as the vintage wood pieces, were purchased years ago from a popular Singapore furniture store called Originals. The coffee table is from Crate and Barrel, and the circular wall art from Soul & Tables, another of Sarahโ€™s favourite stores.

โ€œMy dad made the sideboard in our entrance and I brought it with us when we came to Singapore. I love having something special from him in the house. Also, the white display cabinet was my parents from the 70s; it was dark wood, so it didnโ€™t go with the dรฉcor. Isabelle arranged for it to be painted, and added new handles and a cornice on top. Itโ€™s completely transformed. We love it now.โ€

The master bedroom is also structurally different than most rooms, with a wall at an angle and wooden floorboards that go in different directions, meeting at an odd V-shaped angle. This actually made it easy for Sarah to figure out how to lay out the room, with the bed against one wall and a sofa on another. Some things came from back home in the UK, such as the squiggly tall chest. The end tables were a wedding present from Shaunโ€™s uncle and aunt. The bed is from Courts, the leather chair from Crate & Barrel, and the sofa from Ikea.

dining room in Clementi house

New perspective

Sarah loves Ikea; if you juxtapose the pieces with other pricier items, she says they can not only look great but also keep your budget down. She has a lot of Ikea items as well as rugs from iRugs interspersed throughout the house. She appreciates them now more than ever.

โ€œItโ€™s funny, really. Weโ€™ve had this sofa in here for a long time now, but we never really used it. During the Circuit Breaker (Singapore’s COVID-19 lockdown period), I found I just needed a quiet place to myself and a place to play my guitar sometimes. This sofa served that purpose.

โ€œIn fact, we used every space in the house more fully during the lockdown. Shaun used the guest room as an office. Phoebe used the dining table. And Quillan used the hallway landing as his spot for eLearning; this was an area that before lockdown Iโ€™d just thought of us a place to get from Point A to Point B. During the Circuit Breaker, though, it became the heart of the home. And now I see my home in a whole new light. Iโ€™m really so thankful we lived here during the pandemic.โ€

living room in rental house in Clementi

Personal touches

The landing is decorated with photos and art done by the children โ€“ 12-year-old Phoebe is quite the artist. Some of the items are framed by Danielโ€™s Frame Shop, one of Sarahโ€™s favourites.

โ€œUsing photos and childrenโ€™s art makes this rental house feel more like our home. It personalises the space. And it also shows the children how proud we are of what they make.โ€

The furniture in both childrenโ€™s rooms came from Piccolo House, a store on Singapore’s East Coast; smaller pieces such as the nightstands are from Ikea; Sarah dressed up the nightstands with hand-painted knobs. The bedding is from Pottery Barn, which has fantastic stuff for tweens such as the fun, furry bean bag chair covers.

expat family house in Clementi

To paint or not?

Colour is important to Sarah and that goes for the kidsโ€™ rooms, too. Phoebeโ€™s room is a beautiful turquoise and purple, and 10-year-old Quillanโ€™s room has a bright green wall that brings in nature from outside.

โ€œThis is the third home where weโ€™ve painted, so weโ€™ve got quite a bit of experience with colouring walls. It really brightens the home and makes it feel less rented, so I love doing it. You have to get permission from your landlord and then return the walls back to white when you leave. Shaun and I usually do the painting ourselves, but with this last move, I was so exhausted and busy that we hired a painter. It cost us $200 to have the kidsโ€™ rooms painted โ€“ so worth it.โ€

Family home in Singapore - study
Rental house in Singapore - Clementi home -boys room
Rental house in Singapore - Clementi home - girls bedroom

Isabelle designed the family room, too, charged with making it a cross between a study and an art/play room with easy access to materials for all. Before the pandemic, the kids used the family room a lot. It was Phoebeโ€™s sanctuary where she spent most of her weekend doing her art and her Zoom classes with arts school Centre Stage. Since then, Sarah has used it as her office. She jokes that it could now be called the Zoom Room.

Thereโ€™s an Ikea couch in there, too, but she ordered a velvet cover from Comfort Works, a vendor she found online, to give it a more custom feel. The walls are covered with photos in Ikea frames โ€“ a homage to favourite travels: Quillan with a kangaroo in Australia; snow monkeys in Nagano; monks in Myanmar and more.

Again, the photos make the home feel more personal and permanent. But the bookcases are the real star of the room. Sarah had them built for the space, but theyโ€™re modular and can be made shorter so that if they move house, the bookcases can come with them.

The neighbourhood

They chose Clementi to be closer to Dulwich College where Phoebe and Quillan go to school. Itโ€™s a very quiet area, but thereโ€™s a great sense of community, with a good park nearby that hosts Tuesday night Zumba classes and more. The house is very close to the river, which is a great place to walk their dog, Holly. Thereโ€™s a friendly neighbourhood restaurant called Jovis Cafรฉ that serves international food and a yummy chicken curry. Popular bakery/eatery Baker & Cook will open here soon, too.

The quiet nature of the neighbourhood is why Sarah really appreciates their massive yard and pool, something that took on all the more meaning during the lockdown. In the good olโ€™ days before COVID-19, Sarah threw a few dinner parties outside and hosted big events inside, too. Having spent Christmas with her, I can tell you that sheโ€™s quite the entertainer โ€“ and the house really lends itself to a good bash.

Some might think doing so much customisation to a rental home is extravagant, but Sarah doesnโ€™t see it that way. โ€œThis is our family home โ€“ a place to make childhood memories for Phoebe and Quillan. I want this to be a home that they will remember later and feel comfortable in now. The idea was to give our children the same sort of permanence and feeling they would have if we were living back in the UK. We donโ€™t think of the home as temporary. We think of it as ours. This is our permanent life, even if itโ€™s in a rental house.

bedroom rental house in Clementi

Sarah’s recommendations

Home

Isabelle W Design

Jovis Cafรฉ (โ€œour neighbourhood cafรฉโ€): joviscafe.sg

Soul & Tables (โ€œa great furniture storeโ€): soulandtables.com.sg

iRugs (โ€œlovely, inexpensive rugsโ€): irugs.com.sg

Danielโ€™s Frame Shop: framemaker.com.sg

Pottery Barn (โ€œfor linens and moreโ€): pbteen.com

Crate & Barrel (โ€œfor larger piecesโ€): crateandbarrel.com.sg

Comfort Works (โ€œcovers for Ikea, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Muji furnitureโ€): comfort-works.com

 

This article first appeared on expatliving.sg.

Like this? See more in our Living in Hong Kong section:

Revamping a Hong Kong Village House
Where to buy living room furniture

Categories: Homes Readers Homes Tags: Singapore

You May Also Like

Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats

Taking the stress out of moving

Inside a Kowloon home with history

Primary Sidebar

Editor's Picks

Kellett School

Best International Schools In Hong Kong, Preschool to Secondary

Furniture in Hong Kong: Guide To The Best Furniture Stores

sightseeing in Hong Kong

Top 30 Hong Kong Attractions & Best Places To Visit

Where to live in Hong Kong

Guide to Living in Hong Kong and where to live

Landing pads: places to stay in Hong Kong

Brunch in Hong Kong

Best Sunday Brunch Places in Hong Kong

What's On

Puccini's Turandot Opera

The MET’S “Nightly Met Opera Streams”

Students at Hong Kong Academy

Hong Kong Academy โ€“ Applications Open for 2021/22

CDNIS - Admissions

CDNIS Admissions Timetable: Apply Now for January and August 2021

Events & Weekend Activities - The Grounds is the city's first responsible entertainment destination

The Grounds: HK’s first ‘COVID-19 responsible’ entertainment destination

Elsa in scene from Frozen

FWD Presents: The Frozen Exhibition Hong Kong

You Rise art exhibition by JM Robert

โ€œYou Riseโ€ Solo Exhibition by JM Robert

Expat Living Hong Kong ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ

expatlivinghk

Open
Thanks Julianna for this delicious 
Easy Blueberry Oreo Cheesecake to start the weekend!
Serves 4, or 2 if you're hungry๐Ÿ˜‰

Preparation time: 15 mins Ingredients:
โ€ข 6 digestive biscuits
โ€ข 50g butter 
โ€ข 250g cream cheese (1 brick) 
โ€ข 6 Oreo biscuits
โ€ข 125g blueberries (1 box)
โ€ข 100g milk or whipped cream 
โ€ข 5 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
For crust:
1. Crush digestive biscuits in a big bowl and add melted butter.
2. Press together at the base of the cake mould.
3. Set aside to cool.

For filling: 
1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk or whipped cream on medium speed in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. 
2. Add crushed Oreos and beat until they mix evenly. 
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
4. Freeze for two hours and top with blueberries!๐Ÿซ
Open
If youโ€™re looking for a place to live in Hong Kong - particularly if youโ€™re moving here and want an easy landing pad - a serviced apartment can be a godsend! @hongkongparkview is like a mini town with everything you need from a Clubhouse with full facilities to a toy shop, clothes and food shop! ๐Ÿž๐Ÿ›
Open
Read our Winter issue on any device for free ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/digital/ig.
Inside: Two inspiring home reno stories, great dining room furniture ideas, insider's guide to Hung Hom Bay and plenty of other great reads, including easy dessert recipes!
Open
How cool is this - Hong Kong-based @ovolohotels is the first hotel group to go entirely vegetarian across its restaurants, bars and food services for a year! ๐ŸŒฑThis move is the latest in the groupโ€™s series of eco-friendly initiatives, and doesnโ€™t this look delicious!๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
Open
If weโ€™ve learnt anything this last year itโ€™s how much a magical view can do for your mind๐ŸŒฟThese are just some of the properties showcased by @knightfrank ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ Head to knightfrank.com.hk to see whatโ€™s currently available! ๐Ÿž
Open
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year from the team at @expatlivinghk โค๏ธ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
Thereโ€™s been a buzz lately around CBD (Cannabidiol, derived from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant) and its purported health benefits. 
Did you know itโ€™s available in Hong Kong? ๐ŸŒฟ

@kamacbdhk is a new HK-based company offering CBD products that can help a number of ailments, check out our article and their page for more information!๐ŸŒบ
Open
๐ŸŽ„ Merry Christmas everyone! It's been an extraordinary year and we're so grateful for your support. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿฅ‚
Open
This 1950s colonial-style walk up in Kowloon Tong has been styled so well by tenant Jerome, it is fascinating to hear about the place and itโ€™s history! For the full story and Jeromeโ€™s recommendations see our DEC-FEB issueโœจ๐Ÿ“–
Open
Whether youโ€™ve hiked up Old Peak Road or taken the tram, make sure youโ€™re hungry, as youโ€™ll want to consume most of the menu from @fiammahk ๐Ÿด๐Ÿ…
Open
5 steps for a stylish Christmas, courtesy of Hong Kong-based home furnishing retailer @indigo_living ๐ŸŽ„
 
#1 Decide on a Theme:
Every momentous Christmas feast begins with a stunning table-scape. Whether youโ€™re going for the classic red and green pairing or a contemporary setting, pick a theme that you can go all out with! 
 
#2 Organise Your Linen:
Generally speaking, a crisp white linen table-runner will do. But if youโ€™re looking to up the ante this year, go for one with subtle prints on it. 
 
#3 Choose a Centrepiece:
 A beautiful Christmas centrepiece is the fastest way to add cheer to your party. Itโ€™s also a great excuse to show off your creative flair to friends and family. 
 
#4 Invest in a Good Set of Tableware:
When it comes to tableware, most people play it safe with crystal glasses and porcelain plates. Why not take it up a notch by throwing a set of gold cutlery into the mix? Itโ€™s an instant pop of luxury that exudes warmth to traditional red and green themes. ๐Ÿด
 
#5 End with a Bang:
Whatโ€™s a Christmas dinner without some good old-fashioned crackers? Sure to put a smile on anyoneโ€™s faces, theyโ€™ll also ensure your party goes out with a bang! ๐Ÿ’ซ
Open
What a view ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
Less than five days left to vote for your favourite businesses! You could win fun family staycays and dining vouchers, so make sure to vote today by visiting ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Jazz up your dining area with these pretty picks!โšก๏ธ

Companies tagged in the photos for more details๐Ÿช‘
Open
Get ready for Christmas, CNY and beyond with these fab treatment packages now available at @amooma.spa โœจ

#1 BUBBLE & SPARKLE
A package for two, including an aroma steam shower, deep sleep tourmaline crystal massage, sparkling champagne facial and a glass of champagne ๐Ÿฅ‚

#2 HO! HO! HO! ITโ€™S ME-TIME!
Designed for one person, this me-time includes a ling organic forbidden rice scrub, ling nourishing body wrap, AMOONA signature blend and knesko gemological face mask ๐Ÿง–๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ
Open
How good do these look ๐Ÿ˜ New recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness. You can try a free sample by scanning the bar code on our online articles ๐Ÿ’œ

Recipe: Flourless Pecan Cranberry Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie base:

2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Chocolate Protein
1.5 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of hazelnut butter or almond *
1/2 cup of raw dark cacao powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/3 cup of dehydrated cranberries
2 teaspoons of Manuka honey ** Optional
White chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of Erythritol
Dark chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of raw dark cacao powder
1 teaspoon of Erythritol
Instructions

Brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease a square baking tray with coconut oil and line tray with parchment paper.
In a large blender, mix all the brownie ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the brownie mix into the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the brownies to cool on a rack.
Chocolate drizzle:

You will need two separate mixing bowls for the white and dark chocolate drizzle.
Melt the cacao butter at low temperature and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the chocolate drizzle over the cooled brownies.
Pop them in the fridge to set or enjoy them as warm brownies.**
Optional: Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate and dried cranberry seeds onto the brownies (after cooling in the fridge for 20 minutes).
Open
TGIF ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒฟ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
Open
In our new winter issue we take a look at Dutch expat Nicole Hessingโ€™s impressive home renovation in Clearwater Bay ๐Ÿก Check out the article for all her tips and local recommendations ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/digital/ig
Open
Good morning! Weโ€™ve got another delicious recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness ๐Ÿ’•

Recipe: Persimmon Vanilla Chia Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

PERSIMMON-VANILLA-CHAI-PORRIDGE.jpg
Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

1/2 cup of chia Seeds
1.5 cup of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Vanilla 
1 tablespoon of tahini paste
2 Medjool dates
2 slices of fresh persimmon
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

1 whole persimmon chopped
1/2 cup of coconut yoghurt
2 tablespoons of coconut flakes
1 teaspoon of almond butter
Instructions

Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together apart from the chia seeds.
Once the mix is well blended, add the chia seeds and mix well. Place in a glass jar and leave overnight in the fridge.
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. Place in a glass jar, leave overnight in the fridge.
The next morning you can enjoy your porridge by layering your chia porridge with the persimmon porridge.
Optional: Add in between crunchy texture by sprinkling some raw buckwheat groats already activated or quinoa puffs
Open
Pre-order your copy of the Winter issue here! ๐Ÿ‘‰ expatliving.hk/mag/ig
Inside this issue: Great festive dinner options, Christmas gift ideas for everyone, a guide to furnishing your dining room, travel tips to Singapore, plus plenty more great reads!

.
#expatlivingsg #ighk #christmasinhk #hkexpats #hongkong
  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2021 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.