My affection for Peranakan aesthetics is partly related to the vibrance of its spirit. A recent National Geographic write-up about this special community sums up my entire enchantment with her visual offerings.

‘“Peranakans love beautiful things,” Kong says. “With the creativity of the early days, they started to hybridize a lot of things into culture language, food, and fashion.”

These cultural connoisseurs imported glass beads from France, enamel dishware from Poland, embroidered lace blouses and sarongs from the Netherlands and Indonesia, intricately carved teak furniture and porcelain from China, and floral tiles from England. “In the 19th and early 20th century, Peranakans were big spenders and shoppers,” says historian Peter Lee.’

Given the community’s origins in the straits, her architecural flavour is dotted all around Penang and Malacca, but Singapore has definitely elevated and nourished it to a different level. All over historical neighbourhoods in Little India, Kampung Glam and Joo Chiat, her ceramic tiles, intricate carvings and distinctive combination of moss green, rose pink, banana yellow re-emerged on walls, facades, windows and doors of shops, restaurants and homes.

When soaking my eyes with these facades I imagine a people with larger than life dreams, in search for a beautiful world.