Once you’ve secured your BTO or resale flat, the next step is figuring out how your new home is going to look like. While inspiration for HDB flats can come from anywhere, you’d probably want an aesthetic that’s more you rather than simply copy-pasting a generic showroom’s look.
3-room flats are one of the most popular options amongst new homeowners thanks to its appreciation and availability, but optimising its space can be tricky. Whether you’re a die-hard Muji fan or a film buff that lives and breathes Wes Anderson’s movies, you can take a leaf out of these designs to make your abode really feel like home.
Check out more home renovation tips and tricks here:
Image credit: Artistroom
Owning a bachelor pad is a dream for all the single gents out there. But if you’d rather not furnish it with a leather sofa or luxe velvet materials, you can lean into something more contemporary instead. Materials like black concrete floors and marble countertops go well with clean lines and strong angles to accentuate the modern look of the home.
Image credit: Artistroom
The darker-toned walls and floors send a powerful but subtle message without drowning out the other elements within your four walls. You can also contrast it with bright-coloured materials and trinkets like an orange bed throw or colourful posters that add a pop of colour and makes your home look less dull.
Cost: $64,000
Interior designer: Artistroom
Those that are sentimental for a bygone era of all-things-vintage and retro can still encapsulate that vibe with some trademark elements like exposed brick walls and warm lighting that makes the space feel cosier and more intimate.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Pop-art hanging on the walls and dated furniture will also add to the nostalgic vibes. And if you want to take things to the next level, get a jukebox to wow your friends visiting for the first time.
Cost: $90,000
Interior designer: Free Space Intent
Image credit: Dots ‘n’ Tots
You don’t need to travel all the way to Santorini anymore when you can bring Santorini to you. A way to realise this theme is to make all your walls a serene white while applying blue accents that resemble the Grecian sea and skies.
Image credit: Dots ‘n’ Tots
To elevate the theme to make it stand out from your typical Santorini-inspired space, opt for a darker shade of blue instead to give it a more contemporary and modern look. Light-toned wood also adds to the island-like ambience of the home, but use it sparingly like on the blinds and shelves so it doesn’t overwhelm the main elements of blue and white.
Cost: $38,000
Interior designer: Dots ‘n’ Tots
Image credit: Interior Times/Qanvast
Home fitness has always been a thing, but Covid-19 has forced many gym rats to adapt to working out within our own four walls. This design lets you make the most of your living room space by transforming a part of it into a home gym.
The glass walls create a separation between the living room and gym while still opening up space, making it look less cluttered and small despite it being a 3-roomer. It also helps that plenty of natural light can be let in. You can also orientate your furniture to follow an exercise video or watch one of your favourite Netflix shows to distract yourself from the pain of burning calories.
Cost: $55,000
Interior designer: Interior Times
Image credit: Starry Homestead
Couples that game together, stay together. A dedicated gaming room will make your home truly #goals to all the other gamer couples out there. The glass windows also make the room look more spacious, and allows the living room’s television to act as another screen to put on an esports tournament to watch while playing your video games.
What makes this setup ideal is how it can also double up as a swanky open-concept office that can make you feel more productive and less cooped-up.
Cost: $40,000
Interior designer: Starry Homestead
Image credit: Dots ‘n’ Tots
The Muji aesthetic of minimalistic living with a zen palette of brown, white, and grey is something most of us know and can instantly recognise. But achieving that look is also a matter of balance. Besides using wood for your furniture and flooring, make sure that it is complemented by plush, comfy cushions and fabrics for your couch and bed.
Using a light-coloured curtain or even a sheer one will let in lots of natural light while still providing you and your family some semblance of privacy. The light also highlights the wood panels better, making your home look more spacious.
Image credit: Dots ‘n’ Tots
A glass divider for the kitchen and dining area also extends the space to make it look bigger. Take note that adding more glass surfaces would require more cleaning than usual, but it’s a worthy tradeoff for that clean look
Read our full guide on how to nail the Muji aesthetic here.
Cost: $80,000
Interior designer: Dots ‘n’ Tots
Image credit: Design Identity/Qanvast
Those that have been collecting anime figurines and movie memorabilia never truly grow out of it, and setting up a cabinet in the living room lets them display their collection in an elegant, organised manner.
A cabinet that’s fully glass not only looks sleek but you also just have to install one light source, preferably at the top. It also gives your guests something to pore over and admire while waiting for dinner to be served.
Cost: $40,000
Interior designer: Design Identity
Image credit: Adroit Interior Design
Film buffs will know how visually appealing Wes Anderson’s movies are. The pastel colour palette and smart use of geometric shapes are a good source of inspiration for home reno moodboards.
Image credit: Adroit Interior Design
To really nail his visual style, you first have to pick a colour palette. Pastel works the best, but you can also use rich colours like burgundy, mint green, or even bubblegum pink. A mixture of geometric shapes like curves on a rectangular dining table also adds some uniqueness to your home beyond the typical straight lines.
Cost: $100,000
Interior designer: Adroit Interior Design
Image credit: Mr Shopper Studio
You don’t need to buy a condo to live the luxe life. Other than the must-have marble walls and floors, you can use tinted mirrors to add modernity and gold trimmings on the furniture so it doesn’t overtake the overall aesthetic of the home.
Image credit: Mr Shopper Studio
The little details are also important to spruce up the opulence of your pad. Smaller-sized crystal chandeliers, plush bar stools, and fancy crockery are items that don’t need a huge commitment for the swanky life. You can easily find them off Shopee and other online shopping platforms as well, so you don’t have to break the bank at pricey furniture stores.
Check out more tips on how to give your HDB the luxe condo vibe.
Cost: $200,000
Interior designer: Mr Shopper Studio
Image credit: Arche Interior Design
Simply using black and white to style your home might seem boring in nature, but these two colours are neutrals that can work with any other colour, pattern, or texture.
This home also makes use of clean lines and hidden LED light strips along the walls to keep everything looking tidy.
Image credit: Arche Interior Design
A black-coloured sink is also a practical fixture as it doesn’t make stains as visible. Plus, its unique colour makes it IG-friendly so all your toilet selfies will be super aesthetic. Don’t be surprised if your friends are spending more time than necessary in your bathroom whenever they visit.
Cost: $90,000
Interior designer: Arche Interior Design
The jungalow trend has seen a rise in Singapore recently where homeowners are decking out their apartments with many, many house plants. And its low barrier to entry where you don’t have to do any major renovations lets even renters jump on this aesthetic.
Image credit: Philippe Put
It’s important to not have your plants be all the same species. Variety is the key, so you have free rein to play with different sizes, textures, and even patterns to add drama and vibrance to your home.
Wood furniture and white surfaces also complement the greenery extremely well, so don’t be afraid to furnish your home accordingly.
Check out some boutique plant shops to spruce up your home here.
Don’t settle for a cookie-cutter design for your new home. The space you get in a 3-room HDB flat gives you lots of room to work with, and there are many ways to inject your personality into your home’s interior design whether you’re a plant lover or someone who can’t go a day without working out.
Keep reading for more inspiration for HDB designs:
Cover image adapted from (Top L-R): Dots ‘n’ Tots, Arche Interior Design, Free Space Intent, Adroit Interior Design
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