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Living In A Movie Set: A $70K Post-Apocalyptic Industrial HDB Tour

18 November 2024 | BY

With raw industrial home design & a dose of nerd culture, this $70K post-apocalyptic HDB reno is dripping with unapologetic personality.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno cover image

Imagine a raw industrial home interior, one that captures all the patina and rough textures of concrete and rebar within an HDB. Now picture a home inspired by a zombie apocalypse, infused with a heavy dose of millennial nerd culture icons—this is the essence of a $70K post-apocalyptic HDB reno in Canberra.

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A 4-room HDB turned into a stylish post-apocalyptic supervillain lair, complete with a Sith-inspired bookshelf, siren lights, and an armoury. 😈🖤🔥 Follow us on Telegram via the link in bio for more content like this! sghome hometour themedhomes homedesign homeinspiration villainthemed uniquehomeshomedecor homeinspo interiordesign homedesignideas

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Looking like it could easily be the set of a local Walking Dead-style show, this home blends an unapologetic personality, upcycled materials, and a surprising amount of practical features into a truly unique home renovation—a perfect inspiration for those looking to break free from the typical cookie-cutter HDB design.

Post-apocalyptic underground bunker aesthetic

post-apocalyptic HDB reno living roomImage credit: Er Studio

A defining feature of this home would have to be the abundant use of concrete and cement screed. But, what sets it apart from the usual brutalist-style home is how they’ve handled the textures here. Some walls are smooth, while others, such as the structural beams, have been given an additional plaster treatment to create that rough-hewn look.

Rebar extends out from the dining table, further adding to the already rich textures found in this home. When asked, the homeowners said it’s actually not at all uncomfortable to walk over the resulting metal bumps; they quickly got used to it after moving in.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno DIY shoe rackImage credit: Er Studio

The DIY shoe rack by the entrance is one of many examples where the homeowners creatively sourced for materials on a budget. It is made with surplus PVC pipes sourced from a construction site, which the homeowner sawed and kept them together in a hexagonal shape with a ratchet tie.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno living room 2Image credit: Er Studio

The home leans heavily into the post-apocalyptic theme, heavily utilising repurposed material such as wooden palettes used to lift up the sofa and old metal barrels functioning as a coffee table.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno living room 3Image credit: Er Studio

The homeowners work as a safety inspector and engineer, and these occupations have served to influence the design of the home as well. This goes beyond just the industrial-inspired red cabling that lines the walls and ceiling; they’ve also installed an emergency stop button specifically as a switch for their home projector.

As part of the post-apocalyptic theme, the homeowners purchased a metal feature wall art from Etsy to complement the zombie-themed video game series Resident Evil logo done by graffiti artist Slac Satu.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno living room 4Another graffiti by Slac Satu
Image credit: Er Studio

A unique fire extinguisher dining table with indoor herb garden

post-apocalyptic HDB reno diningImage credit: Er Studio

They’ve carried the grungy, industrial-oriented design into the dining area, with a cable tray overhead that looks as fitting here as it would in a factory. The dining table, fashioned from a fire extinguisher cabinet, serves as an eye-catching custom piece, doubling as a fun focal point and conversation starter.

While weathered materials play a significant role in creating the aesthetic, they have also led to unexpected savings for the homeowners. For example, the yellow dining chairs were purchased from a shop that was closing down. They managed to get 20 chairs for just $200, which were then de-rusted and varnished to preserve their patina.

There are other aspects of the homeowner’s lives that shine through here too, such as the caged ship lamps lining the cable tray as an homage to the homeowner’s stint in the navy. These are paired with beautifully distressed copper lamps hanging above the dining table, which were bought in Hong Kong for about $250 apiece.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno dining room 2Image credit: Er Studio

post-apocalyptic HDB reno dining room 3Image credit: Er Studio

Facing it is a shelving area made entirely out of old, heavily distressed wood. The feature was originally envisioned as a small herb garden complete with grow lights, but the homeowners eventually used it as storage.

In addition to being much cheaper than buying brand-new materials, the use of heavily distressed wood, like that used here, makes replacements easy and inexpensive when needed.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno dining room 4Image credit: Er Studio

Compact but functional steel kitchen

post-apocalyptic HDB reno kitchenImage credit: Er Studio

The kitchen itself is surprisingly minimalist, once you look past the heavy textures of the cement screed and the vibrant colours of the plumbing and cables.

The homeowner believes in keeping everything visible, as cabinets can encourage hiding items out of sight, which often leads to them being unused. Similarly, the extensive use of stainless steel is not just a stylistic choice but also a practical one, selected for its antibacterial properties, making it an ideal material for the kitchen.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno kithen 2Image credit: Er Studio

Industrial toilet out of resident evil

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bathroomImage credit: Er Studio

This home comes with a unique bathroom entrance design, with a working alarm light for letting people know that someone is inside. This decision, amusingly, is borne out of the homeowner’s experiences living in their previous home. 

They had a few too many incidents of people hurriedly trying to open the bathroom door without knowing that it was already occupied, resulting in the locks frequently breaking. 

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bathroom 2Image credit: Er Studio

A noticeable feature is the fact that the original doorway leading to the bedroom was hacked away, resulting in a distinct outline of raw concrete left behind by the door. This was kept by the homeowner as it felt like it matched the theme of the home and added to its overall grungy character.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bathroom wallImage credit: Er Studio

Bedroom behind a hidden door

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bedroomImage adapted from: Er Studio

Like all secret underground bunkers in comics and stories, there needs to be an even more secretive private chamber. And so, the mural of the couple isn’t just a wall, but rather the secret entrance to their bedroom.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bedroom 2Image adapted from: Er Studio

The bedroom still has all of the hallmarks of the raw industrial vibe that the rest of this post-apocalyptic HDB reno embodies, but the rough, decidedly masculine exterior is noticeably softened with sheer fabric forming a canopy around the bed. The metal pipe shelf, built for $1K, continues the same everything-on-display philosophy seen in the kitchen design.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno bedroom 3The door also doubles as a shelf.
Image adapted from: Er Studio

Office study that doubles as an “armoury”

post-apocalyptic HDB reno armouryImage credit: Er Studio

Jokingly referred to as the “armoury”, the office study in this post-apocalyptic HDB reno  is as much a workspace for the couple as much as it is a hobby area. Red accents from the furniture used here complement the giant red cabinet, which itself evokes the look of cabinets for fire hoses.

post-apocalyptic HDB reno armoury 2Image credit: Er Studio

Inside the cabinets are archery equipment, storing the bows that the homeowners bring on hunting trips out in Australia.

A $70K post-apocalyptic raw industrial HDB reno

The ambitious renovation process led the homeowner to consult with 15 to 20 different interior designers before finding the one who truly aligned with the vision for the home. He feels deeply grateful to have worked with someone who adhered strictly to the design concept that was set out.

For those of you with similarly bold plans for your next home renovation, consider seeking out an interior designer who is willing to bring your ideas to life as closely as you envision them.

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Cover image adapted from: Er Studio

 

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