107 318
ALEXANDRA PARK
107
May15
Eira and her four siblings grew up in
Bukit Timah’s Yarwood Avenue, in a big
family house with a two-and-a-half-acre
garden. “So I’ve always hankered after
a home with a garden, either here in
Alexandra Park or in Medway Park. We’ve
finally achieved that – and I’m so glad we
waited for the right place to come along.
It’s so peaceful and relaxing here that I feel
like I’m on holiday every day.”
Flexible Space
Even these smaller black-and-whites are
comparatively spacious, and those in the
know are not put off by the fact that they’re
advertisedashaving just twobedrooms. For
one thing, thebedroomspace in this house,
for example, has been reconfigured for
three bedrooms; for another, steps lead up
from the back of the house to outbuildings
that previously accommodated kitchen
facilities and servants’ quarters, but now
provide for guest bedrooms, Simon’s study
and a storeroom.
What’s more, it’s usual to add on
wooden decking to extend the living
and entertainment area. As the previous
tenants were good friends of theirs,
Simon and Eira were not put off by the
apparent smallness of the house after
the managing agent (CBM, which took
over from DTZ) had removed all the old
decking and the swimming pool. They’d
seen the house as it used to be, and knew
they’d be able to install an even longer
deck protected by a higher roof that
would hugely extend the effective living
space and welcome cooling breezes
from across the valley.
It was worth the investment, says Eira,
because the family hopes to live in this
house for a long time. Their initial two-year
lease can be extended biannually for a
period of up to nine years – and even that
seems to be flexible, she notes.
Protected by wind-, rain- and sun-filtering
bamboo chick-blinds, the alfresco deck is
predictably the heart of the home. As it’s
provided with Wi-Fi, she and Simon are
able to work out here. Simon is involved
in wildlife and tourism businesses around
Asia; Eira has a daycare centre in Tampines
that caters for local kids.
“We even have a yoga class here a
couple of times a week,” says Eira. “It’s
perfect!”