1210 sq.ft
F&B
Step Inside Mary Grace Cafe.
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.
From Render to Completion
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.