Bourgeois Living

The moment you step through the doorway, a certain kind mood will envelope

you. Inside a true blue Peranakan house, an altar is placed directly facing the

 front door with ancestral tablets and other ritual paraphernalia such as an urn 

to put joss-sticks in. Antique chinese black wood chairs and ancestral portraits
lined the side of both walls. A set of round white marble top table and chairs
placed in would be the center of this reception room. Sure is a formal and

austere setting to receive visitors.

      

Here is my imaginery shophouse Living Room. As you step through the pintu pagar

 (swinging doors in Malay), an eclectic mix of comfortable furniture to welcome you.
A pair of Art Deco armchairs, a Biedermeier inspired sofa and classic Isamu Noguchi coffee table placed on a round rug hold the selection together. Up till today these
period furniture is still very much in vogue. With their sweeping corners, give fluid movement to this living room. 

Biedermeier furniture came about in Europe in 1815 after the Napoleonic wars. The 

rise of the middle class created a demand for fine and less ornate furniture pieces.
Their subtle appeal lies in its simplicity which can easily combined with Art Deco
furniture, the ultimate blend of east meets west. Back then Art Deco furniture
were made in Shanghai, China. They are put together without nails, using perfect
diagonal mitred corners instead of Western style right angles.

On the wall, hang a large traditional landscape painting done in chinese ink
to portray the beauty of the Chinese landscape from where our forefathers

came. A huge venetian mirror which is a common fixture in any Peranakan
 homes is often placed next living room window. Isn't that neat ? Love the
opened-trussed ceiling in these houses. Thought I filled in some colours 
to add the sense of depth to the room. The rest is up to you . . .

Cheerio :~

Baba And Nonya

The Baba House and Peranakan Museum showcase our island's Straits Chinese rich

heritage & culture. The Peranakans are decendents of the early Chinese settlers

who married women living in the Malay Archipelago dating back to the 17th century.

The culture is a amalgamation of Chinese and Malay culture with influences from

colonial days of the Portuguese, Dutch, British and India. Their traditions, customs

and lifestyle encompass clothes, jewelry, beaded slippers, cuisine, porcelain wares,

furniture and poetry. It is a unique blend of culture. A hybrid and melting pot of

practices adapted from their forefathers and assimilated into the indigenous lifestyle.

To view these cultural artefacts and sarong kebayas worn by the Nonyas, Peranakan

Museum is located at 39 Armenian Street. This museum was formerly a Chinese school

built in 1912. After the school moved out to a bigger premises, the building was restored

 and converted to museum to document the history of the Straits Chinese culture in

general. The male descendents are called the Babas and the women, Nonyas while the

elderly females are addressed as Bibiks. 

       

Baba House

   

The Baba house is situated at 157 Neil Road, built in the 1860s. It is now run

by the National University of Singapore's Centre for the Arts. The townhouse

was donated by Agnes Tan, daughter of the late Straits Chinese leader

Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Over here the visitors step into a typical Peranakan

home and see for themself the living spaces of yore. Be enthralled by the

intricate carvings of the partition screen and bedrooms on the second floor.

It also has a gallery on the third floor that host temporary exhibitions.

    

Martha Stewart was actually here at the Baba House. If you have missed this

segment in her show. You can take a tour of the house with her. If you are
interested in old stuff like me, would be glad to hear from you.

Martha Stewart In Singapore
  

                       

                             ~:oxo:~