Land Area: 1,140 sq.ft.
MENTIONED IN MONOCLE MAGAZINE "PARADISE FOUND" (CLICK TO READ)
This refurbished, three-story house dating from the early 19th century stands among the heritage buildings in the historic city centre of George Town, the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang and the country’s third-largest city, with about 700,000 residents.
The 2,674-square-foot building was once a shophouse, with a ground-level store opening onto the sidewalk and a residence above. It was discovered in a dilapidated state by the owners in 2009 and restored by French architect, Guillaume Kuhlmann, with 3+1 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a rear courtyard.
Designed in an architectural style developed by Chinese settlers along the Straits of Malacca, the brick house features wooden shutters and decorative Victorian wrought-iron panels. Like other shophouses built around the same time, it has a narrow street front and a covered veranda called a “five foot way,” as well as deep interiors and a roof of traditional terra-cotta tile.
The property was one of the “elite shophouses" built c. 1840 for a wealthy Chinese merchant. The architect has respected this unique amalgam of Chinese, European and Malayan elements, deploying them in a contemporary way.
The front door opens to a sitting room with a breakfast counter opposite a dining area. Floors are tiled in terra cotta, and lofty ceilings retain the original wood beams. The breakfast bar was designed by the architect and can easily be converted into a full kitchen. Much of the furniture is also bespoke and almost all is included in the price.
The courtyard, which has a recessed granite floor, is framed on one side by three sets of wood doors leading to a bathroom, storeroom and laundry room, and on the other by the home’s shuttered rear facade.
A staircase made of Merbau hardwood ascends to a first-floor landing leading to a bedroom with a king-sized bed, a sitting area and an en suite bathroom. There is another small bedroom with washbasin.
A double aspect bedroom is located on the second floor consisting of a large sitting area, bar area with sink, bedroom and en suite bathroom, with a staircase leading to a spacious mezzanine with a queen-size bed.
Both bedroom suites have Merbau floors and wardrobes, as well as glass-enclosed bathrooms with encaustic-tile floors and marble-topped vanities. The home is ventilated throughout with ceiling fans, and the bedrooms have air-conditioning units.
The geometric floor tiles are artisan-made encaustic tiles, made to the owners' specifications – the ones in the “five foot way” as well as in both bathrooms upstairs.
This house is the only private residence on China Street, in the Little India section of the original Chinese quarter of George Town, an area designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. Nearby are the European trading houses of Beach Street, dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Restaurants, cafes and other attractions fill the district. A few minutes away, on the shores of the Penang Strait, is a jetty where buses and ferries offer transportation from Penang Island to mainland Malaysia. Penang International Airport is about 12 miles south.
View to appreciate.
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