Cover The Good Class Bungalow's living room took its colour palette from the painting
The Good Class Bungalow's living room took its colour palette from the painting
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Refreshed by its original interior designer after two decades, this Bukit Timah Good Class Bungalow harmoniously blends art and design
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was a strong relationship. For French-born interior designer Maud Ferrand and the husband-and-wife owners of this Good Class Bungalow (GCB) in Singapore’s District 10, their collaboration has been an almost two-decade journey that began in 2005. The couple had just completed their two-storey modernist tropical home—designed by renowned architect Ernesto Bedmar—and were in search of an interior designer to complete their vision. A mutual friend introduced them to Ferrand.
“The interview process lasted for six months,” she recalls. “The rest is history.” The clients didn’t just engage Ferrand for the initial design; they returned to her for a second transformation of their home. Completed in August, the refreshed interiors breathe new life into the 10,764 sq ft GCB space while honouring Bedmar’s architectural shell.
In case you missed it: Tatler Singapore’s guide to Good Class Bungalows
Above The Good Class Bungalow's double-height living room features a striking sunset-inspired palette and a geometric rug symbolising the sun’s rays
The Good Class Bungalow's double-height living room features a striking sunset-inspired palette and a geometric rug symbolising the sun’s rays
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Thanks to their long-standing collaboration, Ferrand, who today splits her time between New York, Dubai and Singapore, was given creative freedom on the project. “The design brief was, well, brief: to develop a new concept incorporating the existing art collection and a few furniture pieces,” she shares.
The result, affectionately dubbed Renaissance 2.0, is a series of meticulously appointed spaces in which artwork, furniture and design elements that sit comfortably between the realms of art and design blend harmoniously to create an emotional spatial experience for the couple and their four cats.
Above The Good Class Bungalow seen from the driveway, featuring Sun Yu-Li’s copper-tube sculpture
Above The resort-like backyard is a relaxing extension of the home ideal for outdoor gatherings, not pictured here are the Good Class Bungalow's 202 roof solar panels that generate 9000 KWh per month with predicted payback of 4.5 years
The Good Class Bungalow seen from the driveway, featuring Sun Yu-Li’s copper-tube sculpture
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Embracing the clients’ extensive art collection as a source of inspiration, Ferrand conceptualised a series of experiential spaces using colours, textures, shapes and materials. She and the lady of the house share a passion for distinct shades.
“If we were shown 100 shades of blue and had to select one, we would choose the same one! It’s quite impressive,” she shares. “So I thought, the design concept should be an ode to colours without being extravagant or ostentatious, as well as an ode to nature resonating with the art collection.”
Above Interior designer Maud Ferrand, who just launched her eponymous studio’s new website: maudinteriors.us (Portrait: Mirabelle Koh)
Interior designer Maud Ferrand, who just launched her eponymous studio’s new website: maudinteriors.us (Portrait: Mirabelle Koh)
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Ferrand also aimed to infuse an emotional quality into the space, fostering a sense of serenity and well-being through a thoughtfully curated material palette. “I want people to feel an emotion when they step into my designs; a certain je ne sais quoi—a magic of reality,” she describes.
Above The homeowners share their homes with four cats, one of which is the ragdoll that accompanied our shoot, seen here lounging beneath coffee tables from Invisible Collection
The homeowners share their homes with four cats, one of which is the ragdoll that accompanied our shoot, seen here lounging beneath coffee tables from Invisible Collection
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The living room, for instance, is enveloped in shades of terra sienna, inspired by the hues present in a striking painting by Vietnamese artist Hong Viet Dung that hangs prominently in the space. This piece also influenced the selection of textiles and furnishings, creating a dialogue between the art and the surrounding decor.
The dining room, on the other hand, draws its inspiration from a vibrant piece by the same Vietnamese artist that features lush greens and earthy tones. Ferrand chose a palette of celadon and cumin, reinforced by a Riviere rug in custom colours and complemented by bright piping in luxurious Dedar fabrics.
Above A Riviere rug and lighting installation by ceramic artist Andreea Braescu turn the dining room into a stunning extension of the landscape depicted in the painting hung at the head of the table
A Riviere rug and lighting installation by ceramic artist Andreea Braescu turn the dining room into a stunning extension of the landscape depicted in the painting hung at the head of the table
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Above A closer look at Andreea Braescu’s intricate creation in the Good Class Bungalow's dining room
A closer look at Andreea Braescu’s intricate creation in the Good Class Bungalow's dining room
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Each area is designed to elicit a specific feeling, achieved through a careful selection of colours, shapes and materials. “And I wanted the design to be an extension of the artworks, especially in the main areas,” she explains.
Ferrand’s keen eye for placement ensures that each artwork is not only a visual focal point, but also part of a larger narrative that unfolds as one moves through the house.
In the foyer hangs a whimsical mobile sculpture depicting a school of fish by local artist Sun Yu-Li. A circular rug in shades of blue and coral, combined with the dancing reflections from the pond outside, creates a refreshing welcome from the heat and humidity of the outdoors.
Above The fish mobile sculpture by Sun Yu-Li lends a playfulness to Ernesto Bedmar’s brutalist architecture
The fish mobile sculpture by Sun Yu-Li lends a playfulness to Ernesto Bedmar’s brutalist architecture
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Above Glass balustrades allow onlookers to appreciate the architecture, furniture and paintings beyond the staircase
Above A painting of an urbanscape seemingly viewed through a window blurred by the rain gives the foyer a romantic air
Glass balustrades allow onlookers to appreciate the architecture, furniture and paintings beyond the staircase
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In the TV lounge, Ferrand opted for tobacco and warm taupe shades that resonate with the built-in library wall designed by Bedmar, complementing the existing architectural feature and creating a cosy atmosphere perfect for relaxation.
The aforementioned dining room, dressed in shades of soft greens and yellows, evokes the subtle feel of a lush garden thanks to a porcelain lighting installation by Romanian ceramic artist Andreea Braescu. A poetic rendition of Ginkgo biloba leaves, this installation trails above the elongated marble dining table, enveloping diners with a stunning canopy of porcelain leaves that was painstakingly installed by a specialist contractor hired by Ferrand.
Above A bold painting by Japanese artist Aki Kuroda welcomes one into the home;
A bold painting by Japanese artist Aki Kuroda welcomes one into the home;
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The home’s furniture selection is a mix of old and new statement piece sourced mainly from Invisible Collection, an online luxury interior platform that curates and offers bespoke designs from over 200 internationally celebrated architects and designers.
Other standouts include the Inverted Gravity console by French architect and designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who was also the creative mind behind the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics torch; the console comprises a solid marble slab supported by seemingly fragile glass bubbles.This playful composition appears to defy gravity, injecting a touch of whimsy into Ferrand’s design. The console also serves as a tribute to the husband, who loves mathematics.
Above Some of the pieces in this room were sourced from Bali and Thailand, and deliberately kept in a muted palette to balance the colour scheme
Some of the pieces in this room were sourced from Bali and Thailand, and deliberately kept in a muted palette to balance the colour scheme
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Above The Good Class Bungalow's original TV room library wall is a design highlight that houses the homeowner’s cherished book collection
Above Maud Ferrand spilts her time between New York and Dubai (Portrait: Mirabelle Koh)
The Good Class Bungalow's original TV room library wall is a design highlight that houses the homeowner’s cherished book collection
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Ferrand also injected doses of humour by siting existing artworks to interact with the new elements. The client’s series of bronze sculptures by Spanish artist Aurora Canero, for instance, was placed such that the figures seem to admire the new additions to their space.
Ferrand took care to source the furniture from places closer to home, marrying Eastern and Western influences in this cosmopolitan household. In the TV lounge, a low table crafted from bovine horn takes pride of place. It was designed by Bali-based designer Etienne de Souza, who is famous for creating bespoke furniture for fashion houses such as Dior and Louis Vuitton. Other elements sourced from crafts-rich destinations in Southeast Asia also lend a sense of place to this abode.
Don’t miss: How Mathieu Lehanneur designed the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris
Above Inverted Gravity console and a sculpture by Aurora Canero serve as an artful foreground for the Good Class Bungalow's front window
Above This corridor has been left devoid of ornaments to highlight the 'Moderato' sculpture, also by Aurora Canero
Inverted Gravity console and a sculpture by Aurora Canero serve as an artful foreground for the Good Class Bungalow's front window
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A few pieces of furniture inherited from Ferrand’s 2005 iteration of the interiors have been relocated and reused to create fresh tableau. These include the second-floor living room’s sofa and armchairs, and the pair of chandeliers suspended above them.
In this thoughtfully reimagined abode, Ferrand has woven together the owners’ cherished art collection with contemporary design elements, creating a cohesive and deeply personal space that reflects the evolution of their tastes and the enduring nature of their relationship.
The home is replete with colour, texture and emotion inspired by its owners’ artworks, beautifully showcasing the magic of collaboration and the evergreen allure of thoughtfully curated design.
The pool-facing guest bedroom features an aquatic colour scheme anchored by the Kravet wallpaper
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Credits
Photography: Jasper Yu
Art Direction: Charlene Lee
Topics
Jakarta-born, Bandung-raised and Singapore-based, Asih Jenie trained in Visual Communication Design at Bandung Institute of Technology and Architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University. She brings both rigour and heart to design journalism, infused with a distinct Southeast Asian voice.
As a child, she doodled on the edges of her schoolbooks and never outgrew her fascination with all things well-made and well-told. Her 15-year career spans editorial roles and bylines in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia, across spatial design titles such as Dwell Asia, Cubes, Design Anthology, Habitus Living, and Home & Decor.
After a brief stint in public relations, she returned to publishing in 2023 to lead Tatler Homes Singapore, where she continues to tell stories about how we shape the spaces that shape us.
