Scandinavian is a timeless theme that always comes highly requested by homeowners from all walks of life. But the one setback with Scandi is, with everyone jumping on the bandwagon, the home of your dreams starts looking a little too cookie-cutter.
We take a look at a 5-room resale HDB in Bishan, and how its take on Scandinavian sets it aside from other typically Scandi home renovations. Homeowners Jeanne and her husband worked with Interior Design firm, Insight.Out Studio, to bring their dream home to life. Here’s a peek into the $90,000 transformation.
A warmer take on Scandinavian
Image credit
Image credit: @insight.out
Scandinavian designs are marked by their simplicity in the form of an all-white colour palette and a generous amount of wood. Unlike your typical Scandi home, this Bishan HDB flat puts a warm spin on the theme, bringing you warm wooden floors, bright feature walls and bold black lines to give the home more dimension.
The home spans 1,302 sq ft, and oozes cosy vibes, courtesy of the earthy herringbone flooring overlay throughout the house and carefully curated feature walls showcasing the family’s memories. The herringbone flooring also works to make the entire living space appear wider.
Image credit: @insight.out
The homeowners did away with the walls of the outermost bedroom to make space for a semi-enclosed study with glass sliding doors. This allows for natural light to flood the space and brighten the home.
Jeanne highlighted that her husband had requested a dark colour for their home, and this resulted in a splash of teal in the living room with an accent wall. An expansive fabric couch hugs the corner of the living room creating an intimate area for movie nights and entertaining guests.
$90,000 might seem steep for this renovation project, but the sum makes sense when you see features such as this built-in shoe cabinet, which the homeowners had customised for the home’s entryway.
Breaking away from traditional scandi furniture choices, the retro blue cabinet which the framed poster sits on matches the darker coloured aesthetic the homeowners were going for, adding character to the space.
Glass-enclosed office
The highlight of this home renovation is undoubtedly the glass-encased room that’s hard to miss when one walks into the abode.
This room was originally meant to be a guest room. However, thanks to the big C and the current WFH status, it currently doubles up as a home office space. Decked out in warm woody accents and tones of white, the glass-enclosed study allows more natural light into the room, giving the illusion of a larger living space.
Better yet, the glass partition provides a great vantage point for the homeowners to keep an eye on their young children when they play in the living room. It’s definitely something that’s both aesthetic yet functional.
Open-concept kitchen with cosy cafe vibes
Open-concept kitchens are not suited for everyone, especially those who are heavy users of their kitchen. To enjoy the best of both worlds, the homeowners opted for a semi-open kitchen, with an open countertop for light meals. Sliding glass panels also mean the kitchen can be fully closed off to prevent smoke and food smells from fumigating the house when they’re whipping up a storm.
Image credit: @insight.out
The white rattan bar chairs and cute mini-dining furniture give this entire area quaint cafe vibes. On top of that, the framed photograph feature wall provides an extra element of homeyness to the place while staying true to their overall vision.
Minimalist bedrooms
Step into the sleeping quarters and you’ll notice its Scandinavian touch, thanks to the room’s neutral colour palette and wooden elements. The bedroom flooring breaks away from the herringbone tiles with seamless light wood vinyl, making it a calmer space for the couple to unwind at the end of a busy day.
The use of different shades of wood for the built-in wardrobe and dresser give the room more dimension while the rest of the furnishing remains relatively simple.
A closer look at the floating vanity
Image credit: @insight.out
On the other hand, the other two bedrooms that house the couple’s children fully embrace a modern Scandinavian style with white wooden furniture and pops of pastel.
White roller blinds are also used to soften the light that the room receives
A Scandi home is Bishan with a twist
This resale flat in Bishan proves that it’s entirely possible to incorporate touches of various design styles cohesively in your home. From the use of white-washed walls to a glass-enclosed room, this renovated home is great for entertaining friends and family while being child-friendly. Let it be known that it is entirely possible to have a beautiful home that’s #RenoGoals and practical at the same time.
For more design inspiration, check out:
- Muji-themed homes
- 3-room HDB flat renovations under $40K
- Featured Home: Bali-inspired home
- Tiny Home Makeovers
All photography by Ian Sim.
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