The Chic Home: Move from condo to HDB flat was an upgrade for young family

SINGAPORE – Moving from a condominium to a five-room Housing Board flat meant sacrificing one bedroom, but this couple and their three children were happy to make the trade for more usable space.

Although the condominium had four bedrooms, its two balconies and air-conditioner ledge had accounted for part of its floor area, making it smaller than it was on paper.

In contrast, the layout of their 1,292 sq ft HDB home in Hougang is efficient, say the home owners, who are in their mid-30s. The wife is a project manager in the logistics industry while the husband is an e-commerce sales manager.

The credit goes to Luova Project Services’ head designer Yang Minghui, who also designed the couple’s previous home.

The 36-year-old HDB flat was completely overhauled, with only the parquet flooring in the three bedrooms retained.

An arch with a bench and shoe cabinet beside the entrance foyer serves as a welcome gesture while providing a place to store and put on or remove shoes.

A pantry opposite elevates a functional purpose into a design element. It has a similar arched profile, which continues into a feature wall with fluted details that conceal the master bedroom door.

Meanwhile, the kitchen entrance was relocated to face the living room instead of the main door.

The living room feature wall echoes the fluted detailing beside the pantry, tying the look together.

Wood-look vinyl flooring was laid over the existing floor tiles in a herringbone pattern. Above, a circular false ceiling makes for an eye-catching feature between the living and dining rooms.

A “man cave” in the living area was something that the husband wanted from the start. An alcove by the window, adjacent to the living room, was the perfect location.

To give the owner the option for privacy, Mr Yang introduced a full-height screen that does not extend all the way horizontally across the space. It remains open at both ends to allow light and ventilation into the living room, while also maintaining the connection between the two spaces.

The master bedroom underwent a major reconfiguration. The original door and wall were moved to enlarge the room and create a walk-in wardrobe, plus extra storage and a display case by the door.

By using the built-in wardrobes as a spatial divider, he also managed to carve out a separate sleeping area from the walk-in wardrobe and dressing table.

The renovation took about two months to complete and the family moved into their new home at the end of November 2022.