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Nostalgic charm meets modern update in refurbished East Coast townhouse

Don’t be fooled by the 70s-era exterior of this terrace house – its interior has been overhauled to yield a remarkably elegant, modern look

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    • The Light House is an intermediate terrace house that's part of an original cluster of four staggered placement brick houses.
    • Studio iF retained the atrium’s glass skylight, timber staircase and black steel pipe railings.
    • An extension was built slightly into the gardens, forming the new dining room that resembles a glasshouse.
    • The divider's opening perfectly frames the living space, dining room and garden.
    • The dry kitchen with terracotta-coloured tiles and salmon-coloured stone table top.
    • The original design of the house features a split-level living and sunken kitchen.
    • The 1970s black metal pipe railings for the stairs were the inspiration for the bespoke bathroom accessories.
    • The Light House is an intermediate terrace house that's part of an original cluster of four staggered placement brick houses. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • Studio iF retained the atrium’s glass skylight, timber staircase and black steel pipe railings. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • An extension was built slightly into the gardens, forming the new dining room that resembles a glasshouse. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • The divider's opening perfectly frames the living space, dining room and garden. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • The dry kitchen with terracotta-coloured tiles and salmon-coloured stone table top. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • The original design of the house features a split-level living and sunken kitchen. PHOTO: STUDIO iF
    • The 1970s black metal pipe railings for the stairs were the inspiration for the bespoke bathroom accessories. PHOTO: STUDIO iF

    Amy Van

    Published Thu, Mar 23, 2023 · 05:00 PM

    A CLUSTER of four townhouses with distinct red brick facades stands on a charming stretch of East Coast Road. The original three-storey property is wider than most typical intermediate terraces as the entire row of houses was purpose-built and designed by the original architect for himself and his extended family. 

    The Light House is an intermediate terrace house that's part of an original cluster of four staggered placement brick houses. PHOTO: STUDIO iF

    Current owners Daphne Lim and her husband wanted to retain the existing 1970s-style red brick exterior and curved geometric interiors but revamp the residence to suit their modern lifestyle. The couple, who have a young child, also wanted to preserve the neighbourliness of the street, so they chose to keep the low boundary brick walls between the units.

    Gwen Tan, principal designer of Studio iF, was engaged to reconfigure the interior layouts while retaining the curved walls, glass skylight atrium and light timber staircase. The house also boasts split levels that allow different pockets of space within the atrium.

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