Home Tour: $30,000 Contemporary Scandinavian renovation for a couple’s HDB flat

After six years in Austria as missionaries, Keh and Dorothy Chew sought to create a functional and unextravagant home in Singapore that could accommodate their diverse activities, including ministry work, counseling sessions, homeschooling for their 12-year-old son, and running a branding company. Their three-bedroom HDB apartment needed to be a versatile space that could serve multiple purposes effectively. To achieve this, the couple enlisted the multidisciplinary design practice Waff, prioritizing functional space planning throughout the entire home. The renovation, which emphasized built-in features and intelligent space utilization, amounted to a cost of $80,000. The homeowners expressed a desire for an open-concept living environment, contrasting with their previous experience of spending most of their time in a single study room within a larger five-room flat. This open layout aimed to foster family togetherness. A key design challenge was balancing the need for openness with the requirement for privacy in certain situations. For instance, Dorothy needed a separate space for her work, and counseling sessions demanded a secure and private atmosphere. To address this, one of the bedrooms had its walls replaced with sliding glass doors, and a small study area was integrated into the living room. The design allows the home to feel more spacious when all sliding doors are open, creating a fluid transition between areas. The multi-purpose study room was specifically designed to accommodate at least four people, making it suitable for the couple's regular counseling sessions. A deliberate choice was made to leave the plywood unstained, allowing it to age naturally over time, reflecting the homeowners' preference for natural materials. Both Dorothy and Keh have a passion for natural wood, with Dorothy enjoying carving and Keh building with it. This preference led Waff to source unstained plywood and minimize the use of laminates. Beige tiles were selected for the bathroom to complement the wood carpentry used throughout the home, creating a cohesive aesthetic. The interior design incorporates a blend of contemporary and vintage pieces. A comfortable Poltrona Frau couch provides a modern touch in the living room, while vintage furniture, such as a bedroom chair and a trunk coffee table inherited from Dorothy's grandmother, adds a lived-in feel and connects the space to their heritage. The couple particularly valued local vintage items for their cultural significance. A unique feature in the bathroom is a custom-cast bathtub with a chamfered edge, which was specifically designed to fit the space as a pre-made option was unavailable. This bespoke bathtub was lined with tiles that matched the rest of the bathroom. Both bedrooms are equipped with built-in beds, contributing to the efficient use of space. A significant portion of the renovation budget was allocated to joinery and the customized bathtub. The homeowners selected Waff for their contemporary style and architectural background, confident that their expertise would result in streamlined and well-planned spaces. #HDBRenovation #OpenPlanLiving #MultiPurposeHome #WoodAndConcrete #BuiltInFurniture #SpacePlanning #NaturalMaterials #VintageModernMix #CustomDesign

This article showcases the interior design of a three-bedroom condominium apartment at The Interlace, conceived by Three-D Conceptwerke for a couple in their 30s who lived in Australia before relocating to Singapore. The design concept draws inspiration from cafe culture, creating a vibrant yet playful environment within the apartment. The renovation, excluding furniture, was completed with a budget of $63,000. The apartment's layout highlights the kitchen and living area as central focal points. The designers opted for a closed kitchen concept, despite the possibility of an open-plan layout, to facilitate worry-free cooking. This decision was influenced by the initial condition of the apartment, which had been empty for some time, presenting challenges related to the existing walls. A dominant white color scheme is employed throughout the apartment, serving as a neutral backdrop that allows the homeowners' diverse collections to stand out. In the kitchen, gleaming white tiles are contrasted with a black mild steel-framed glass divider, which sits atop an external mosaic tile wall. The rest of the apartment features light cool grey walls, providing an ideal canvas for displaying framed art, toy robots, other ornaments, and potted plants. The material palette balances cool and warm elements. Stainless-steel worktops in the kitchen are complemented by laminate on solid plywood cabinetry, introducing a sense of warmth to the functional surfaces. Further enhancing the textural depth and anchoring the apartment's design are timber cabinetry finishes in both the kitchen and the powder room. In the powder room, this timber cabinetry creates a luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere, with the wood's natural texture and color enhanced by elegant hardware and fixtures. These elements also contribute practical storage solutions, maintaining an organized and functional space. The overall design successfully integrates the couple's preferences and lifestyle into a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing home environment. #HomeTour #InteriorDesign #Renovation #TheInterlace #CondominiumDesign #CafeInspired

Derek and Cliona Hosty embarked on a nearly decade-long journey to transform a modest 1930s two-bedroom Dublin home into a spacious dwelling suitable for their family of seven. The initial phase of their ambitious renovation project faced an unexpected obstacle when their first redesign proposal was rejected. Upon submitting an alternative plan, planning permission was further delayed due to objections from Irish Water regarding the relocation of a water pipe in their back garden. Despite adjacent properties receiving approval for similar alterations, Irish Water insisted on a six-meter access on both sides of the pipe, a requirement that could not be met due to space constraints. Cliona took direct action by visiting Irish Water's offices without an appointment. During an impromptu meeting with the officials handling their case, she presented their plans and explained their desire to divert the pipe along the back garden. This direct engagement proved successful, leading to Irish Water's agreement and the subsequent approval of their planning permission. This challenge with Irish Water was one of many encountered by the couple over three years from purchasing the house to finally moving in. However, their determination to create an ideal home for their family remained unwavering. Their commitment eventually paid off, culminating in a home three times the size of the original, earning them a spot in the top three of the "Home of the Year" final. The house is meticulously designed to cater to their family's needs, featuring abundant natural light, expansive living areas, smart storage solutions, and innovative design elements. This achievement is particularly notable given the turbulent Irish property market they navigated and their experiences living abroad in Norway. In Norway, Derek worked for Telenor, and the family appreciated the country's work-life balance and affordable childcare, which cost less than €300 per month. They observed a more equitable distribution of parental duties, with many fathers actively involved in school pickups. A memorable experience in Norway was the birth of their fifth child, Seimi, where hospital stays were remarkably affordable. Despite the advantages, the social integration with Norwegians proved challenging, and the harsh climate, with snow from October to May, eventually prompted their return to Ireland in January 2018. Back in Ireland, they secured a mortgage by leveraging Derek’s employment history to avoid probation issues. They soon found a two-bedroom house in Ballinteer, an area they admired for its amenities and walkability, which they saw as a blank canvas for their renovation aspirations. Initially, their plans were deemed "overbearing" by planners, necessitating a reduction of 25 square meters from their proposed floor plan. This setback prompted them to rethink their design, focusing on creating a kitchen island large enough for seven people and incorporating ample storage and sleeping arrangements for their growing family and occasional guests. They also decided to lower the ground floor level to achieve higher ceilings. While awaiting final planning approval, they proactively undertook demolition work, removing the old kitchen and bathroom extensions, and stripping the house of its ceilings and floors. The renovation journey was financially demanding, as they simultaneously paid rent on their temporary accommodation and a mortgage on the house undergoing renovation. This led them to temporarily relocate to Galway, staying with Derek’s parents, until construction commenced in December 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic further disrupted the project, halting construction in March 2020. Once work resumed, Cliona and Derek personally managed the build, traveling frequently between Galway and Dublin to oversee progress while juggling work and childcare responsibilities. They finally moved into their dream home in July 2021, three years after its purchase. The old house underwent a complete overhaul, with replastering, insulation, underfloor heating, and full redecoration. Significant structural changes included relocating the front door to the side of the house and replacing the original entrance with a window, creating two living rooms downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. The new extension features a large open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area with a spacious island, innovative lighting, and customized features like symmetrically placed ovens. The house also includes a new downstairs bathroom and an upstairs en-suite bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe. Another bedroom boasts a unique sleeping unit accessible by a ladder, designed to accommodate multiple children or guests. Cliona's minimalist aesthetic, influenced by her time in Norway, is evident throughout the decor. Her passion for interior design, sparked by decorating one of her children's bedrooms, led her to develop a significant social media following. She meticulously researched suppliers, opting for cost-effective solutions like laminate flooring from Tipperary and concrete lights from New Style Lights. The couple views their challenging three-year renovation as worthwhile, having resulted in a family-centric, practical, and aesthetically pleasing home filled with fun and unique touches. #HomeRenovation #FamilyHome #InteriorDesign #DublinProperty #DIYRenovation #HomeOfTheYear #IrishWater #NorwayLiving

This article details the renovation journey of a couple who transformed their 1,227 sq ft (113 sqm) five-room HDB flat in Havelock Road into a colonial-inspired home on a budget of just over $40,000, including fixtures. The couple initially had differing design preferences, with the husband favoring a nostalgic Peranakan style and the wife preferring black and white interiors. They successfully compromised on a black and white colonial interior design, influenced by their shared appreciation for pre-war houses. To manage costs, the homeowners opted to forego an interior designer and instead directly hired contractors. Their design process involved extensive personal research, including scouring the internet for inspiration, gathering how-to advice, and taking discreet measurements from cafes and furniture showrooms. This hands-on approach allowed them to implement their vision while adhering to a strict budget. The kitchen exemplifies the home's colonial-meets-industrial chic aesthetic. It features exposed red-brick walls that create a striking contrast with whitewashed cabinets, classic subway tiles, and black granite worktops. A notable detail in the kitchen is the precise alignment of all shelves with the tile lines, showcasing the couple's attention to detail. Throughout the apartment, Kentucky Oak vinyl flooring has been installed, providing a warm, contrasting element to the predominantly white color scheme. This choice contributes to both the aesthetic and practical aspects of the home, likely offering durability and ease of maintenance. In the bathroom, a unique touch of repurposing is evident, with the legs of a vintage Singer sewing machine creatively used to support the vanity and sink. The sewing machine itself, a symbol of historical craftsmanship, is prominently displayed in the living room, adding a touch of personal history and character to the main living space. The master bedroom maintains a simple and uncluttered ambiance. It is adorned with Chinese antique-style side tables, which are thoughtfully juxtaposed with retro lamps, creating an eclectic yet harmonious blend of old and new. This thoughtful curation of elements reflects the couple's successful integration of diverse influences into a cohesive design. The project demonstrates that a comfortable and inspiring living space can be achieved even with a limited budget through diligent research, direct contractor engagement, and a clear design vision. The homeowners' active involvement resulted in a personalized home that reflects their unique tastes and successfully combines colonial charm with practical modern living. #HDB #HomeTour #ColonialInteriorDesign #DIYRenovation #BudgetHome #HavelockRoad #VintageDecor #BlackAndWhiteInteriors #SingaporeHome