Speaking with Bernama recently, Mohamad Salleh said it had taken him two years, from 2015, to complete the house, including the process of collecting used wood from demolished houses and buildings around the state.

The house, which he proudly named Rumah Singgora, sits on a 7,000 sq ft plot, and is a head-turner thanks to its distinctive Kelantanese architectural features.

Perched atop 2m-high stilts, the structure showcases intricate carvings on the pillars and the use of Singgora roof tiles made entirely of clay. Singgora tiles are widely used in traditional Malay houses on the east coast of the peninsula.

Mohamed, 49, shared that he had been able to acquire high-quality reclaimed wood such as chengal and seraya hitam, which helped him realise his dream of building a traditional-style home.

“I was inspired during my travels to Indonesia and Thailand, where many buildings highlight traditional architecture with their own unique features.

“One of the reasons I chose reclaimed wood is that much of it is still usable despite being discarded. If you inspect them closely, you will realise that many pieces can still be repurposed,” the father of seven said.

After moving into Rumah Singgora with his wife Nor Hana Saali and their family in 2017, they began receiving local visitors and tourists, drawn by the house’s unique architecture.

The couple then decided to start an eatery offering traditional Kelantanese cuisine, setting up a gazebo on the lawn of their home, which can seat 90 people. In 2019, Mohamed quit his engineering job in Kuala Lumpur to focus fully on hospitality.

At Rumah Singgora – about a 10-minute drive away from Kota Bharu town – diners can enjoy a meal while taking in the natural beauty of the surroundings, given the house’s location about 7m away from the Lubok Mulong River.

“More than 10 traditional Kelantanese dishes are available on our menu, including singgang beef, boiled fish, fried free-range chicken, vegetable stew, rice field snails in curry, petai prawns, sambal kecupu and moringa leaf omelette.

“To maintain a classic feel, we serve the food using vintage plates and copper pots,” he said, adding that they are offering a special menu during Ramadan that includes ayam percik, perut air asam and ikan pari air asam.

Learn more about Rumah Singgora on Facebook.

Rumah Singgora
Lot 860, Kampung Air Deras,
Jalan Tengku Maasum, Mukim Padang Enggang,
15150 Kota Bharu, Kelantan