When it comes to home ownership and renovations, we often think that bigger equals better. But this 2-room BTO flat designed by Spacedge Designs proves that small homes can make a great impact too.
Designed for Alex, a single bachelor who has a penchant for Lego building and collecting, this tiny 506sqft home is a testament to how proper planning and efficient use of space can go a long way.
Reconfiguring the house by hacking away most walls
The original layout.
Image credit: Never Too Small
For those unfamiliar with 2-room BTO layouts, it’s pretty simple: a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom are packed into a 506sqft space. It might seem like a challenge to transform such a tiny space into a home, but William Chan of Spacedge Designs saw a potential to showcase Alex’s passion for Legos.
Image credit: Never Too Small
To achieve a more open-concept space, William reconfigured the entire home which included hacking down most of the walls and moving the shower to the kitchen, and the kitchen to the living room. And since this was a bachelor pad that required no frills, he filled the home with built-in carpentry for the most efficient – and consistent – storage solution.
Covering the entire home with built-in carpentry
Image credit: Never Too Small
Built-ins are a great way to save space, especially in a smaller flat, as you can customise and maximise your home efficiently. Since Alex lived by himself, his interior designer William decided to make full use of built-in carpentry around the house for all his storage needs.
Image credit: Never Too Small
Many of the cabinets were given a light oak aesthetic to make the home look brighter and more airy while keeping its minimalistic aesthetic.
Converting his bomb shelter into a Lego gallery
Image credit: Never Too Small
As mentioned earlier, Alex is a Lego enthusiast and William wanted to help him show off his building skills to any guests that might drop by. Rather than build a display in the living room – which is already pretty cramped – he converted the existing bomb shelter into a Lego gallery instead.
Image credit: Never Too Small
The stark whiteness of the bomb shelter makes it feel as though one has stepped through a portal into a mini-museum, especially with the contrast between the glossy shelves and the oak cabinetry right outside.
Image credit: Never Too Small
To fill the gallery, Alex needs a workspace to build his Lego sets. So William designed a custom flip-open desk for him complete with a task light.
Image credit: Never Too Small
Smart designs like this give small-space living an interesting edge, as they check off space efficiency while still looking clean and chic.
A tiny kitchen hidden behind cabinets
Image credit: Never Too Small
Since Alex’s hobbies cater more towards small bricks than knives, he didn’t need a full-size kitchen in his bachelor pad. So William fashioned a tiny kitchen hidden beneath some cabinets in the corner of the living room instead.
Image credit: Never Too Small
Make no mistake – even though this kitchen is unorthodox, it’s still very much a functional space for Alex to cook easy dinners. The stove and microwave are hidden behind one corner, while the sink and cutlery drawers are on the opposite side. A surface for food prep can also be flipped down next to the stove in another similar stroke of genius.
Open-concept shower with no doors
Image credit: Never Too Small
One of the biggest transformations in this home renovation was shifting the shower from the middle of the flat to the corner instead. And keeping in line with the open-concept theme, the shower has no doors, a deliberate decision for the bachelor pad. Instead, the micro cement floor is gently sloped towards the shower so that the water doesn’t pond on the floor.
Image credit: Never Too Small
The minimalistic and sleek fittings from Danish design firm Vola also help make the space look effortlessly simple.
Image credit: Never Too Small
The only privacy afforded to this shower is via a set of blinds to keep prying eyes away.
A 2-room HDB bachelor pad with a Lego gallery
Image credit: Never Too Small
If you’ve ever thought that 2-room flats meant you couldn’t do much with your renovation, Alex’s home designed by Spacedge Designs will make us think twice. A smart use of built-in carpentry with proper planning would turn any home, no matter how big or small, into an abode that anyone would be happy to return to at the end of the day.
Check out other tiny homes in Singapore:
- A service yard turned into a balcony
- This 4-room HDB flat has a tree with a faux skylight
- Creating a pebble foyer in a 4-room HDB
Cover image credit: Never Too Small
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