Actor Thomas Ong downsizes to 38 sq m two-room Flexi flat, cleans entire home in under 30 minutes
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Thomas Ong shared details about his new home in a Facebook post on Sept 25, which he has been living in for over a month.
PHOTOS: THOMAS ONG/FACEBOOK, THOMASONG17/INSTAGRAM
- Singaporean actor Thomas Ong now lives in a 38 sq m two-room HDB flexi flat, with a compact, efficient layout.
- He appreciates the ease of cleaning and the smaller space encouraging him to go out more for food and exercise, seeing home as a place to rest and relax.
- Ong’s home features a moody aesthetic with dark wood, designed by Empyrean Design Studio, which will soon share a full reveal of his renovation journey.
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Singaporean actor Thomas Ong has downsized from a three-room HDB flat to a two-room Flexi flat.
The 57-year-old bachelor shared details about his new home in a Facebook post on Sept 25. He has been living in it for over a month.
He wrote that his 38 sq m unit is “the smallest HDB flat in Singapore”, adding: “As soon as you step inside, two steps away is the bedroom; two steps away is the kitchen; two steps away is the toilet. There is really not much space to move around at home.”
Thomas Ong's living room features a television mounted on a wall, which can be viewed from a two-seater recliner sofa.
PHOTO: THOMASONG17/INSTAGRAM
According to HDB’s website, the compactly configured Flexi flats are an affordable housing option for lower-income households, seniors and singles. Seniors also have the choice of shorter leases to further reduce flat prices.
These flats come with a bedroom, bathroom, living or dining room, kitchen and household shelter.
In his post, Ong tagged local interior design studio Empyrean Design Studio, a subsidiary of Conquest Design Group, which he is an ambassador of.
In April, Thomas posted on Facebook a floor plan of his new home, calling it the “happiest thing that happened” to him in 2026.
He explained that he had waited for a year and a half and applied twice before he secured the unit through the Sale of Balance Flats exercise.
Based on a photo in his Sept 25 post, his current place boasts a moody aesthetic and features dark wood and deep-coloured furnishings as well as warm lighting.
On the benefits of living in a smaller space, he wrote: “Want to vacuum the floor? It is done at one go. Want to mop the floor? It is done in less than 10 minutes. Take a piece of cloth, wipe here, wipe there, and the whole house is tidy and clean, all done in less than half an hour.”
Ong’s kitchen features a countertop with dramatic veining, which extends up to the backsplash.
PHOTO: THOMAS ONG/FACEBOOK
Having a tinier space also forces him to get out more, he said.
“There is a small shopping mall (nearby). I go out to buy food when I am hungry, and occasionally cook at home. When I want to be active, I go out to exercise or take a walk.”
He added: “For many people, the bigger their house, the more it seems to be a symbol of success. I can only say that (I am) naturally lazy.”
When his home was being renovated in July, Ong had posted on Facebook: “Slow work does produce fine work. The renovation is finally nearing completion, and we are just waiting for a few large pieces of furniture to be delivered.
“No matter the size of the house, it’s always good to have a home. When you’re tired, there’s always a place you can come back to.”
The renovations were eventually completed before National Day on Aug 9.
He posted on Facebook that day: “After months of being busy, what I enjoy most now is staying quietly at home, with a light on, watching TV, and enjoying my own peaceful time. I feel so happy.”
Empyrean Design Studio shared Ong’s Sept 25 post, and called the place “a home designed around the way you truly live”.
“So happy to see Thomas enjoying his new home and loving the space we created for him.”
The company added that a full reveal of Ong’s abode and renovation journey will be released soon.