The Chic Home: Maximalist HDB flat in Queenstown

SINGAPORE – Bright, bold and cosy, this HDB flat is the perfect fit for art-loving Yan Kai and Rachael, a civil servant couple in their 20s and 30s who wanted to be known only by their first names.

The 893 sq ft three-room resale unit in Queenstown was the first and only one the couple viewed. It was a serendipitous find that they loved for its quiet neighbourhood, lush greenery and view of the city skyline.

The couple initially thought of a minimalist or Japandi look, but soon realised they could not picture themselves living in such a home, and instead gravitated towards maximalism.

“We wanted to feature all sorts of odd shapes, bright colours and contrasting textures,” says Rachael.

Yan Kai adds: “We were looking for a designer who could help us make sense of our maximalist madness and work with the fixed elements and design themes we had in mind.”

Their search led to Insight.Out interior designer Mandy Low, who initially proposed an earthy palette with splashes of rich colour, but reworked the plan for something colourful but still comfortable to suit the couple.

One of the flat’s strengths is its full-height windows, which let in plenty of natural light. Its minimal structural walls also offer flexibility for reconfiguration, making up for the limited floor area.

The design team removed the walls of one bedroom, creating an enlarged dining area for the couple to entertain in.

This also freed up space for their collection of art, plants, books and vinyl records, which is primarily housed on the String shelves in the living area.

This vibrant collection contributes to the riot of colour in the living area.

The foyer, with the viridian green main door and orange household shelter door, gives visitors to the flat a taste of what is to come. Cement screed flooring serves as a neutral, yet visually textured, base.

After exploring a few colour schemes for the kitchen, the design team selected light blue laminates, with bright orange semicircle handles sourced from Ikea, as well as glossy black granite countertops.

The couple were used to living in larger flats and found the lack of space challenging at first.

Yan Kai says: “We made the choice to convert one bathroom into a powder room and the other into a shower-only bathroom, so we could have a more spacious shower, and the double vanity we had envisioned for the powder room.”

Like the shared spaces, the bathrooms and bedroom are awash in colour: sunny yellow for the powder room and red for the master bedroom.

The couple wanted to recreate the look of a swimming pool for the master bathroom. They chose white walls to avoid overwhelming the space, which already had bright blue floor tiles.

The designers also split the master bedroom into two sections with the placement of the wardrobe. LED lights have been added to its interior, so the couple need not switch on the downlights when one of them is in bed and the other is awake.

After a four-month renovation, the couple moved into their home in June 2022.