When we first set foot in our Bishan flat 16 years ago, it immediately felt like home. However, the passage of time hadn’t been kind to our residence, especially since no renovations were done to the place when we moved in, and the last time anyone gave our home some TLC was more than 2 decades ago. The signs of wear were undeniable.
There were fleeting conversations about moving to a new neighbourhood, and we even flirted with the idea of buying a unit in the same estate with an access corridor. Alas, no other estate could compare to Bishan, and the high market prices were a major turn-off. So we chose a path familiar to many in our situation: giving our beloved home the thorough renovation it deserved.
This decision came at a perfect time. With my brother and I having recently moved out, my parents only had to find accommodation for themselves, my youngest brother, and our live-in helper as our home was gutted from top to bottom. Under the guidance of Lydia from IB Interior, we set out to transform our ageing flat into a timeless sanctuary, leveraging 16 years of memories and experiences to create a space that truly feels like home.
Contents
- Needing a refresh after living here for 16 years
- Transforming the dreary kitchen into a bright & organised space
- Creating a reading nook out of the old balcony
- Updating the master bedroom into a hotel-worthy oasis
- Modelling the master bathroom after resorts in the Maldives
- Renovating a 5-room HDB flat for $150K
Needing a refresh after living here for 16 years
Before: The living room was a mishmash of loose furniture that had no cohesive theme and made the space look smaller than it was.
After: Massive decluttering, the installation of cove lighting, and a warmer palette helped liven up the mood of the living room.
It’s a rite of passage for lived-in homes to accumulate pieces of mismatched furniture that are more chaotic than eclectic. Our home was not an exception. The sofa, IKEA shelves, TV console, dining table, and other random things were all bought at different points in time, contributing to a cluttered aesthetic that no longer suited our space.
Our first order of business was not demolition but decluttering. Though challenging, we managed to part with 40% of our possessions, items that had slowly piled up and filled every nook and cranny of our 1,302sqft flat. This rigorous purge set the stage for the more intensive renovations that lay ahead.
Before: The dining room was a mess with mismatched IKEA shelves and a table that could barely fit my family during meal times.
After: The new dining space has built-in cabinets in a cohesive colour and a long dining table that has since hosted many dinner parties with friends and family.
After nearly 2 decades of familiarity with every corner of our flat, we recognised that extensive structural changes were unnecessary. Instead, all the freestanding cabinets were removed and replaced with custom built-ins that reached up to the ceiling, instantly creating a cleaner and more cohesive look while maximising our storage space.
It also was where the bulk of our renovation budget went.
Lights from Taobao.
In the past, my dad was vehemently against adding a ceiling fan to the living room, fearing that it’d make the ceiling appear lower. But Lydia drew up a lighting plan that incorporated cove lights to the perimeter of the living and dining room, which subtly elevated the space without the bulk of a large ceiling lamp.
This new lighting approach, coupled with the strategic placement of the fan, finally won him over and beautifully complemented the room’s new aesthetic.
Transforming the dreary kitchen into a bright & organised space
Before: The kitchen was dark and also had shelves from different places in different colours.
After: A brightly lit space with a proper countertop and more cabinets.
One of the biggest pain points of our home was the kitchen. Its gloomy atmosphere, lack of adequate storage, and inefficient galley-style layout—with the sink awkwardly positioned at the far end—meant that it needed a glow-up ASAP.
Before: The kitchen was a demonstration of how practicality superseded aesthetics.
After: The layout was changed to accommodate a built-in oven and more storage space.
It wasn’t hard to elevate the kitchen into something worthy of a feature on Uchify. Everything here was gutted and replaced with built-in cabinets. Lydia also suggested pulling out the walls on the right side of the kitchen to fit a built-in cabinet and a nook for the coffee machine and toaster, turning a previously underused area into a highlight of our kitchen and my mom’s mornings.
The new “service yard” also has sliding glass doors to keep odours from the kitchen at bay.
Another big change was the installation of a divider to separate the service yard from the rest of the kitchen. A sliding glass door keeps the odours away from any clothes that might be hanging there. Lydia also designed additional built-in storage to house the many bedsheets and towels my family goes through.
Creating a reading nook out of the old balcony
Before: The balcony was used as an extension of the laundry area.
After: It was overhauled into a reading nook and a convenient space to play mahjong.
Another area of our home that was very underutilised was the balcony. Our flat had an internal balcony commonly seen in older developments, and it was mostly used as an extended laundry room. With the addition of the service yard in the kitchen, we saw the opportunity to put this space to better use, AKA turning it into a tranquil reading nook.
A feature wall was added to one side with a bookshelf, while a home office for my dad was added to the other.
This area also got a different floor treatment—tiles from Hafary instead of wooden laminate—to add an element of sophistication and visually demarcate the area from the main living spaces.
Updating the master bedroom into a hotel-worthy oasis
Before: Remnants of a previous era of HDB flats like the aircon hole.
After: A cosy, hotel-worthy hideaway.
The bedroom that saw the biggest glow-up was the master bedroom. We replaced the cheap and dated roller blinds with sleek, motorised curtains that add a touch of modern convenience and luxury. The harsh ceiling lamp was swapped for soft, ambient cove lighting that creates a warm, inviting atmosphere.
The cumbersome standalone wardrobe was also removed to make room for custom built-in cabinets that match the aesthetics of the cabinets in the rest of the home.
Before: Messiness with shelves and tables.
After: Organised with built-in shelves.
On the opposite side of the room, Lydia designed a variety of built-in cabinets to fit all that my parents needed. From cherished photographs and personal mementos, to designer bags that needed protection from direct sunlight, plenty of storage was added to the master bedroom without congesting the space.
Modelling the master bathroom after resorts in the Maldives
Before: The master bedroom’s en-suite has seen much better days, and was in desperate need of a refresh.
After: Everything down to the windows was replaced in this massive transformation.
It’s a problem when the master bedroom’s en-suite toilet doesn’t even look like it belongs in the master bedroom. It had stained tiles after decades of use, peeling paint on the ceiling, and an enormous amount of space for just a toilet bowl and a small standing shower.
My mother envisioned transforming this bathroom into a secluded retreat reminiscent of the rustic, wooden showers found in the Maldives. To achieve this without the maintenance issues of real wood, Lydia sourced high-quality porcelain tiles from Hafary that closely mimicked the look of natural wood, bringing warmth and an exotic flair to the space.
A chrome rainshower set from Grohe elevates the luxury factor of the bathroom without being overbearing.
The shower was also enlarged to make better use of the space afforded to the toilet, since the sink and vanity were located outside in the master bedroom. A shower ledge was also installed at the back of the shower area to fit all the conditioners, shampoos, and scrubs that one could need.
Renovating a 5-room HDB flat for $150K
Sometimes giving an old HDB flat a little tender loving care can make it shine as brightly as a brand new BTO. This transformation journey has not only revitalised our living space but also rekindled our appreciation for every corner of our home. From the elegant upgrades in the master bedroom to the serene retreat of the balcony, each change was thoughtfully executed to enhance both aesthetics and functionality.
The kitchen, once a cramped and dreary area, is now a vibrant hub of activity with streamlined storage and modern amenities, proving that strategic updates can breathe new life into any space. Similarly, the master bathroom’s transformation into a Maldivian-inspired sanctuary illustrates how a blend of the right materials and innovative design can turn even the most outdated areas into places of relaxation and comfort.
Our home’s renovation has taught us that with a little creativity and expert guidance, any space can be transformed into a modern, comfortable, and efficient living area. We’ve turned our once ageing HDB flat into a home that not only meets our needs but also reflects our personalities and styles—a true place of joy and comfort for years to come.
Check out more before and after renovations:
- Transforming this Tiong Bahru walk-up into a Midcentury Modern apartment
- Turning a 3-room Bidadari BTO into a cosy, open-plan studio
- This Japanese-inspired HDB terrace has a zen garden and attic-style bedroom
Photography by Chan Huiwen.
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