Medley Alley/Decorative Tiles

By the turn of the 20th century, the Peranakans had developed a taste for Western art styles. That period was also the height of Art Nouveau, followed by Art Deco in the 1920s. Both these artistic styles had a major influence on the decorative tiles that soon began appearing in Baba Nyonya homes and gradually became a characteristic feature in Singapore's more affluent Peranakan households.

During WWII, with the wealth of the Baba Nyonya community slowly declining, well-known status symbols began to wane or disappear, and as a result, the once cherished decorative tiles were forgotten altogether. In Singapore itself, no one was interested in these decorative tiles until the local TV series, called Little Nyonya, revived interest in them in 2008. The film set featured authentic Peranakan style, and the attractive decorative tiles sparked the interest of the public in Baba Nyonya heritage. The show single-handedly brought back the allure of the tiles and re-introduced them into Singapore's present day culture.

Surviving a tumultuous past, these files are now valued at prices that are constantly on the rise, both locally and internationally. The tiles in this mural are a modern take on the traditional decorative tiles. One of the distinct features of these decorative tiles that sets them apart from Western decorative tiles is the manner in which they are displayed, as they are often used on the exterior of a building. Thus, the tiles in this mural proudly adorn these exterior walls.