Being steered around the planet for her husband’s career has not stopped Carla De Peuter from creating successful businesses wherever they’ve landed.
Driving down East Coast Road to Carla De Peuter’s home, I’m in awe of the huge homes that populate the street and the cars that are parked on display in the driveways. Carla glides down her very long drive and opens up the gate with a hug and a kiss. We walk back up to the house, through a covered area she uses for her small home-based business.
Around the World
Carla’s expat journey started in 1985, immediately after she married her husband. “DJ was offered a job in Dubai, and, in those days, unmarried couples couldn’t travel there together. So, we got married and moved to Dubai straight away.” Since then, the couple and their two (now grown-up) children Maarten and Eva have lived all around the world: Dubai, Kinshasa, and Lubumbashi in the Congo, Holland, Belgium, Palma de Mallorca in Spain, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and now Singapore.
The home has small reminders of these global adventures, like an antique camel box from Jeddah (my personal favourite in the house) and a Belgian tapestry.
Design Dreams
The house, which sits behind the President of Singapore’s home, has been carefully interior designed with Geri Archer from Mara Miri. “Geri and I were introduced by a friend in Mallorca. When I found out she would be in Singapore for a month, I asked her to help with styling our home. The house is very modern and has a bizarre mixture of colors, so it’s not easy to furnish; but with the help of Geri, it now has a contemporary feel, with a cosy touch.”
“Everyone loves the house,” adds Carla, “and we enjoy hosting cocktail parties here! Even the owner told us it now looks like a house from a home décor magazine. We’re building a contemporary family home in Mallorca, but it looks totally different from this house.”
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