The See family welcomed the Year of the Monkey with a brand new bathroom.

What used to be a cluttered, tired-looking room in the family's five-room Housing Board flat in Woodlands is now a modern, "hotel-concept" one which even boasts a rainshower.

"In the past, we needed to wait for it to rain to take a rainshower," joked technician Victor See, 58.

His daughter Jasmine, 25, a teacher, won a bathroom makeover worth $15,000 in a series of giveaways to mark The Straits Times' 170th anniversary.

ST170 Treats, which concluded last December, was an initiative launched by The Straits Times last February offering treats and prizes to readers in celebration of its 170th anniversary.

For the Sees, the bathroom makeover marks the first time that the family home has been upgraded since they moved in 20 years ago.

Miss See lives there with her parents and younger brother, student Nicholas, 24.

The renovation took about 10 days and was completed on Feb 2. Designed by Rezt n Relax Interior, the package included design, consultation, overlaying of floor and wall tiles, as well as installation of Grohe bathroom fixtures.

"The design is much prettier, and everything is more organised - it is a brand new start for a brand new year," said Miss See.

ST170 Treats drew around 190,000 entries throughout the year.

Prizes included tickets to a Taylor Swift concert in London, trips for two to the Maldives and the top prize of a $165,000 (excluding certificate of entitlement) Land Rover Discovery Sport.