HDB renovation ideas
HDB renovation ideas
Image credit (clockwise from top left): Mr Shopper Studio, Free Space Intent, Free Space Intent, Qanvast
We’ve all been there – you walk into a kopitiam wanting to try something new, but the onslaught of options make you settle for chicken rice yet again. Trying to brainstorm HDB renovation ideas for your new flat is a lot like that, but with a higher stress level. Instead of chicken rice, the last thing you want is the same minimalist Scandinavian-styled home as everyone else.
But you’re not necessarily doomed to a fate of conformity. Get inspiration with these 12 HDB renovation designs that include pastel tones, Japanese-influenced inspirations, and even a ship cabin theme.
Check out our other HDB renovation ideas here:
- How We Turned Our Old 4-Room Resale Flat To A Sleek Muji-Style Home
- HDB Features For A Luxe Condo Vibe
1. Rustic open concept – earthy tones with a bedroom for stargazing
4-room flat in Woodlands
Image credit: Free Space Intent
This Woodlands flat is as charming as it gets. The shades of blue add a simple touch of colour while small details like hanging pots on a metal mesh beautifully recreate a vintage ranch house kitchen. Just imagine making an aesthetic açai bowl or smoothie here – it’s like a Pinterest dream come to life.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
The raw cement floor and walls complement the dark wooden furnishing for a rustic-chic vibe. Glass walls also let you look into the office space from the living room, widening the room visually. HDBs are not known to be the most generous when it comes to space, so any tricks to give the illusion of a bigger home is worth taking note of.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Travelling overseas just to watch a sky full of stars isn’t a practical idea. But the next best thing starry-eyed dreamers can do is to incorporate a constellation feature wall into the bedroom just like this one, by using tiny embedded lights for a galaxy effect.
Cost: $60,000-$70,000
Interior designer: Free Space Intent
2. Club lounge HDB renovation idea – mini-bar and velvet furniture
5-room HDB flat in Simei Lane
Image credit: Free Space Intent
This house was made for the bold and adventurous in mind, with its striking red and black ensemble. The black feature wall with hot red strip lights adds some layers to an otherwise plain black wall.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Simple details like getting an AC in black instead of the typical white make sure that bulky appliances don’t ruin the aesthetics. But the main highlight of this house is its in-house bar with a window into the kitchen.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
The bedroom takes a turn at boujee lane with an ornate chandelier hanging over a velvet bedspread. Even the feature wall behind the bed is velvet!
Cost: $60,000-$70,000
Interior designer: Free Space Intent
Read more about how to buy lights for you home.
3. Cabin boat-inspired renovation idea – sea decor and portholes
5-room HDB flat in New Upper Changi Road
Image credit: D5 Studio Image
This homeowner wanted to feel like she was living on a boat and that’s exactly what she got – curved walls and window frames help recreate elements of a cruise cabin.
Image credit: D5 Studio Image
The house decor also follows a nautical theme with ornate wooden furniture and accents like round portholes to complete the illusion of being at sea.
Cost: $65,000
Interior designer: D5 Studio Image
4. Luxe woody home – wooden walls, floors and accent furnishing
3-room resale flat in Tampines
Image credit: Rezt n Relax
This HDB renovation idea looks like it could belong on MTV cribs as a lounge or entertainment room. From the dark smokey wooden walls to the wood-panelled speakers, everything about the interior is bound to impress guests the moment they step in.
Image credit: Rezt n Relax
A highlight is the walk-in closet, with a full-length mirror and dresser that add to the feeling of luxury.
Cost: $65,000
Interior designer: Rezt n Relax
5. Modern industrial vibes – metal mesh board for photos
4-room flat in Jelapang
Image credit: Edge Interior
Tag your edgy, hipster friend who loves to go against the grain because this might be inspiration for their forever home. This industrial-chic home is decked out in black track lights, black beams, exposed pipes, and even a metal mesh decorative wall feature for more rugged vibes.
Image credit: Edge Interior
The kitchen resembles a rugged hipster cafe with its cement-like vinyl wrap on the carpentry. There’s even a black statement chalk wall for the homeowners to add their own personalised touch to the cooking space Plus, convenient if you need to remind your S/O to clean up after a meal or even just to leave fun doodles for each other.
Cost: $75,000
Interior designer: Edge Interior
6. Japanese-style abode – tatami table and Japanese art
2-room flat in Clementi
Image credit: Le Bleu Art
Minimalist Muji-themed houses are all the rage now. But this house takes the Japanese inspiration a step further by adding a tatami table set instead of a dining table. The installation of bamboo blinds as the room divider creates a truly oriental feel.
Image credit: Le Bleu Art
The kitchen is quite spacious with a lot of counter space, considering it’s only a 2-room flat. Opting for a glass partition for the kitchen also helps to create an open space that isn’t claustrophobic while still separating the rooms.
Cost: $49,000
Interior designer: Le Bleu Art
7. Book lover’s paradise – practical storage for thousands of books
5-room flat in Buangkok
Image credit: Qanvast
If you grew up reading lots of books and have long run out of space to store them, this might be inspiration for your dream home. This aspirational home for bookworms is filled with thousands of books from floor to ceiling. The muted colours also do well in creating a cosy environment for you to curl up with a novel.
Image credit: Qanvast
The study is a wonder to behold – countless shelved books you’d rarely find outside of a library or a bookstore. They also incorporated rolling shelves as a means for practical storage that maximises the wall space available. Well-thought-out storage like this for your HDB renovation plans are crucial since carpentry is one of the most expensive components.
Cost: $100,000
Interior designer: Fuse Concept
8. Friends-inspired home – exposed brick walls and Central Perk colour schemes
5-room flat in Queen’s Close
Image credit: Ace Space Design
If Friends is your default Netflix show and you feel more at home in Monica’s apartment than your own house, here’s an idea you’ll love. Elements of the iconic Friends apartment, like Monica’s kitchen brick walls and pops of colour, are artistically adapted here to give off an uncannily similar look.
Image credit: Ace Space Design
Other elements of the show are subtly incorporated into the house like the bold green of the Central Perk logo being used as the colour for the walls. Decor pieces such as a shelf in the style of a telephone booth and frames with inspirational quotes further make this abode perfect to chill at with your very own inner circle.
Cost: $87,000
Interior designer: Ace Space Design
9. Cat-friendly apartment – overhead beams and climbing platforms
4-room flat in Chai Chee
Image credit: Free Space Intent
If you’re a self-proclaimed “crazy cat lady”, this renovation will give you ideas on how to give those furry felines a paradise home. The house is fitted with beams, platforms, and other furniture that make it the perfect playground for your pets.
Image credit: Free Space Intent
Cats in this household will feel like royalty with a whole room specially dedicated for feeding and grooming, almost like an in-house cat hotel. The quirky pops of colours of blue and yellow combined with cute cat paintings throughout the house also give it an overall fun and cheery look.
Cost: $70,000-$80,000
Interior designer: Free Space Intent
10. Elegant pastel-themed home – pink and blue hues with marble bathroom
5-room flat in Punggol Drive
Image credit: Mr Shopper Studio
Once upon a time, pastel shades used to be considered colours only liked by girly preteens. But now, they’re a wildly popular way to brighten up a space without compromising on a clean, sleek look. This gorgeous house, in particular, incorporates pastel pink and blue that give the house a modern retro vibe.
Image credit: Mr Shopper Studio
The bedroom is absolutely pristine, looking like it could double as a hotel suite. The light-coloured wood flooring adds a touch of homeliness while the hanging rose gold pendant lights on either side of the bed give off a touch of glamour. Softer elements like the wall to wall cushioned headboard also work to give the room a pop of colour.
Image credit: Mr Shopper Studio
We never imagined that a bathroom like this could exist in a HDB flat – an epitome of elegance with black and white marble complemented by rose gold furnishing. The backlit mirror is also a blessing for ladies who need on-point lighting to get ready.
Cost: $150,000
Interior designer: Mr Shopper Studio
11. Casual and cosy monochrome – simple greys to balance out B&W
3-room flat in Upper Boon Keng Road
Image credit: Qanvast
The wood flooring and minimalist decor of this home make it similar to typical Scandi ones. But the monochrome twist of different shades of grey and black elevates the overall look and gives it a classier edge.
Image credit: Qanvast
A touch of practicality lies in the convenient placement of plugs right by the bed as well as the personal lights on each side – so there’s no need to keep your partner up in the middle of the night.
Cost: $50,000
Interior designer: Lemonfridge Studio
12. Hipster pop art theme – comics mural and neon lights
3-room flat in Canberra Street
Image credit: erstudio
This home looks more like Harley Quinn’s secret hideout than a HDB flat. The exposed cement walls and floor alongside the exposed electrical conduits on the ceiling create a rugged, deliberately unfinished look that true blue hipsters will love.
Image credit: erstudio
The unusual choices don’t end there either. This house is installed with a widescreen projector as opposed to the typical television set – a practical choice for millennials who’ve given up cable TV in favour of streaming services. Other noteworthy items are the cylinders of cement for shoe storage and comic-themed murals.
Cost: $70,000
Interior designer: erstudio
Next-level HDB renovation ideas
You don’t always have to go with the flow to get a beautifully designed home. You’d want to make your first home special, and with features from an in-house bar to a Japanese tatami table, these 12 HDB renovation ideas will come in handy as your reference to make the home that’s uniquely you.
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