These historical bungalows in Singapore are state-owned and have leases that potential tenants have to bid for. However, the Garretts were lucky to be able to do a lease takeover from the previous tenants, who were relocating back to Australia. They were the last ones to do that as Medway Park has since become popular, and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has put all the houses in the estate into its mandatory lease-bidding process.

The Garretts had been shopping around for colonial homes since they moved to Singapore from the UK in 2019 but were uncertain about the accessibility of their locations. Here, while the tranquil settings act like a sound blanket, the occasional roar of a convertible is an indication that the home is comfortably close to the city’s amenities.

Flanking the driveway to the house is a yard with a large trampoline and additional space for the boys and their rescue dogs Echo and Coco to run around. It continues along the side of the property to where Rob set up a jungle gym—that flows out of the verandah—before being hedged by a sizeable pool.

These were some of the refurbishments the family made, along with increasing the pool size by two-thirds of what was originally there. Adding to the outdoor feel of the home is the large verandah hugging the side and back of the abode—one of the signature features of colonial home design—where a six-seater light-wood dining table facing the pool takes full advantage of the al fresco dining potential.

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Aside from the three bedrooms on the second level, which each have their own balcony, there are also two guest rooms at the ground level. One of them serves as a home office for Roy, who runs his own consulting and impact investment firm. The other functions as the boys’ playroom, which also gives the older son Orlando a space in which he can hang out with his friends.

Inside the home, what greets onlookers is mismatched harmony—right from the porch and the entrance foyer to every nook and corner of the abode. The eclectic nature of the décor is entirely deliberate, say the couple. “They are just all different memories; different episodes of our lives; different pieces from our travels around the world,” shares Rob.

Rob admits to having a penchant for buying art, be it modern works or abstract pieces by lesser-known artists. A perfect example of his instinctive buys hangs on the dining room wall.

“We were getting our flat for sale and I had stepped out just to get a coffee. I walked into a gallery and I bought this,” he points to a painting of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog looking out to the sea, “and three other pieces without much decision making.” But there is a method to the impulse. “Victoria likes ugly dogs, French bulldogs and pugs, anything that has a unique face,” he jokes. “Also, I grew up by the sea. So, this piece of art just spoke to me.”

At the entrance foyer hangs a laser-cut work inspired by Queen Elizabeth and realised by UK designer Charles Miller; it is framed with a Union Jack as a background. Above it is an artwork of a colonial home by Singapore-based British-Kiwi artist Sizzle (Sarah Vaulkhard), whom Victoria was in boarding school with. Family photos punctuate the rest of the space as well as every window sill upstairs—pictures of Victoria’s late father with the grandkids add to their sentimental value.

The stairwell leading to the upper floor exemplifies the mix-and-match curation style with paintings of various genres flanking one another. A painting of a koala in Australian aboriginal style is in remembrance of the marsupials killed by the 2020 bushfires. Directly across is an entirely different kind of commemoration: a photo of former US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the iconic 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit. It was Rob’s playful gift to Victoria, whose birthday falls on the same day, 12 June.

Higher up is an intricate collage detailing moments in Rob’s life—from his time in the British army to the family’s travels, and more— that Victoria commissioned from a friend’s mother for his 40th birthday. A photo gallery of Rob’s days in the army lines the walls of the bathroom, centred by a poster from Breakfast at Tiffany’s for a “cheeky feminine touch,” laughs Victoria.

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A personal letter from the Queen of England upon Rob’s enlistment in the armed forces takes pride of place on a desk in Orlando’s bedroom, along with a watercolour of a shophouse by Victoria. A painting called Man from the North by Indonesian artist Izzar Fakhruddin hangs on the wall next to the table, which Victoria bought, and is one of the latest additions to Garretts’ art collection.

“I’m reading a book at the moment called Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. It is about gaming, which is something I’m not really into, but this artwork is about gaming and hints at it through some subtle design elements. I really liked it the moment I saw it,” she explains.

A triptych of hand-coloured photographs of the iconic red buses in London covers the wall across the landing, which Victoria bought when she got her first promotion. “I used to live in Fulham at that time and this reminded me of my commute every day,” she says.

“Having lived in these large homes, you buy pieces that serve different needs at different times. We’ve just put together pieces that work; we’ve certainly never proactively designed towards a theme or wanted to bring an interior designer in,” the couple says.

The plan seems to have worked. The entire home is peppered with an eclectic range of items, yet each holds its own because of the stories behind them. On the console by the dining table is a tray that Victoria bought during a Christmas in India with her parents, embossed with their wedding invitation.

Two lamps and a pair of candlesticks on the same table are but some of the wedding gifts on display. In the midst of these is a small jug inscribed with an “S,” a memento from the original Savoy Hotel before its revamp in 2007. It was gifted to Victoria by her best friend, whose godmother had worked at the hotel.

The lack of brand affiliations is refreshing. “We prefer to buy things from local artists, artisans and small independent businesses that are giving back to the community. We like to support friends who have started their own businesses,” says Victoria.

The Garretts are also not all about buying new things. “We very much believe in trying to be sustainable: reduce, reuse, recycle,” she adds. Balinese-style artisanal furniture stands alongside a second-hand dining table in the outdoor area, and an oversized second-hand outdoor rattan set complements a store-bought semi-circular outdoor bar counter. A neon sign—another birthday gift for Rob from Victoria—adds a tiki bar feel to this tableau.

“There’s bits of Ikea mixed in with bits of nicer pieces or higher-end bespoke pieces. I’d say all that reflects us,” she adds. “We’re into different things: the things that have great memories and the things that we like the look of.”

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