The Chic Home: Raw Japanese-style makeover for Buangkok resale flat

SINGAPORE – Reluctant to wait for a Build-To-Order flat, a couple embarked on a search culminating in this 20-year-old, five-room resale HDB flat in Buangkok.

The couple – who are in their 20s and wanted to be known by the initials J and Q – are a financial consultant and a social worker. They saw the potential in the 1,200 sq ft layout, though the old flat was dark and divided into multiple rooms.

“What we wanted was a home with a Japanese vibe, but not too clean and white like Muji,” says J, referring to the Japanese lifestyle retailer. “We wanted something more raw.”

The team from Mu Design Studio chose matt, textured finishes to achieve this look, with concrete-effect paint, tatami-style wallpaper and floor tiles in varying shades of grey for a lived-in feel.

A bicycle rack for the couple – they are avid cyclists – and storage solutions that conceal the entrance to the household shelter complete the entryway.

Aside from extending the kitchen and replacing the flooring, the design team left the rest of the layout intact.

The enlarged kitchen has been enclosed with a half-height black-framed glass divider to let light into the adjacent foyer.

The team kept to a palette of light wood finishes in this area. The kitchen tiles are similar to the ones in the foyer, but in a light grey tone for a more uniform look.

In the living area is a tatami platform, placed near the window for more natural light. One end of the tall television console serves as a table for the couple’s crafting hobby.

Concrete-effect paint on the wall mirrors the kitchen’s cement-textured countertop and backsplash.

A low cabinet not only serves as extra storage but also separates the dining area and foyer. Together with the extended kitchen, it offers some privacy so the full interior of the home is not immediately visible from the entrance.

A bathtub was on the couple’s wish list, so the master bathroom was converted into a traditional Japanese spa room with wood- and concrete-look tiles.

Although the designers contemplated using natural pebbles for the bathroom floor, they eventually opted for pebble-like floor tiles that would be easier to maintain.

The renovations took three months and the couple moved into their home in April 2022.