1210 sq.ft
F&B
A full walkthrough of our interior design and fit-out for Mary Grace Cafe at 52 Tras Street — a 112.5 sqm heritage shophouse transformation in the heart of Tanjong Pagar, Singapore.
From the hand-painted hallway mural to the custom pastry counter, every detail was designed to carry the warmth of the brand's "Goodness of Home" identity into a fully immersive café experience. Watch how the space comes together — from the façade through to the dining hall, counter, and beyond.
Every design has to be built. This is the full walkthrough of Cafe Mary Grace at 52 Tras Street — from concept to completed fit-out.
The façade came to life against the shophouse's existing green ceramic tile roof — a richer anchor than the renders anticipated, with sage-painted frontage, timber-framed doors, and a Peranakan-tiled base that fits naturally into the Tanjong Pagar streetscape.
Inside, the Tiffany dragonfly pendants over the counter became the visual centrepiece — vibrant and warm against the walnut millwork and illuminated pastry displays. In the dining hall, a curated mix of rattan, capiz, and globe pendants replaced the rendered scheme with something more layered and alive. The upholstered banquette, family photo wall, and red-and-cream diamond floor tile completed a space that genuinely feels like home.
What was designed on screen was built on site — detail for detail.
Gridline Design was commissioned to design and fit out the Singapore outpost of Mary Grace Cafe, a beloved Filipino café brand, at 52 Tras Street in the heart of Tanjong Pagar. Spanning approximately 1210 sq.ft across a heritage shophouse unit, the brief called for a space that felt warmly nostalgic yet polished — translating the brand's "Goodness of Home" identity into an immersive dining environment for 28 covers.
The design draws on Filipino vernacular references layered with tropical warmth: exposed brick walls, warm timber joinery, rattan accents, and patterned floor tiles in deep red and cream anchor the interiors in a sense of heritage and homeliness. A curated display of family photographs, decorative plates, and handwritten typographic art gives the dining hall the feel of a well-loved family home. The counter area serves as the spatial centrepiece — a custom walnut-finished pastry display case flanked by Tiffany-style pendant lights and backlit shelving in the brand's signature red and green palette.
The hallway connecting the dining hall to the back-of-house features an artificial skylight and a hand-painted floral mural with sculptural bird motifs, creating a transitional moment that reinforces the café's nature-inspired, uplifting character. The exterior façade, set within the Tras Street five-foot way, features timber-framed glazing, terracotta tile detailing, a green scalloped canopy, and a lit blade signage panel — designed to stand out while respecting the conservation streetscape.
Gridline delivered the full interior design and fit-out scope, including millwork, FF&E specification, and space planning across the dining hall, counter, BOH, hallway, and restrooms.