In a world formerly dominated by Muji-esque and Scandinavian interiors, wabi sabi is making its mark a home interior design trend that is here to stay with its subtle curves and limewash surfaces. Here are 7 of the best wabi sabi HDB and condo renovations in Singapore that perfectly exemplify the trend and demonstrate why it has stayed in trend throughout 2024 and 2025.
What is wabi sabi?
The wabi sabi concept was birthed in 16th-century Japan when a Japanese tea master, Sen no Rikyū, popularised a set of principles he used to design his tea rooms. Why? Because it was believed that the ambiance of a room played a huge part in shaping the “essence” of tea ceremonies. In the Singapore renovation scene, wabi sabi is characterised as a design philosophy that celebrates the natural imperfections of life and incorporates natural elements to create zen vibes in a home.
One thing you’ll notice is that wabi sabi homes don’t stray too far from a neutral colour palette. Expect a range of muted tones like beige, taupe, white and even earthy pinks; accompanied by the use of natural materials like wood, stone and clay in their natural unrefined states.
Now that you have a better understanding of the concept behind wabi sabi interior design, here’s a list of the best wabi sabi HDB and condo home renovations for you to draw inspiration from:
Best wabi sabi HDB home renovations
1. Joo Seng Road—Modern wabi sabi in a 4-room HDB flat
Image credit: The Interior Lab
A prime example of modern wabi sabi interior is this 4-room HDB flat in Joo Seng designed by The Interior Lab, which features a consistent muted beige palette of creamy beige surfaces with a lime wash finish and pops of dark wood. The homeowners opted for an open-concept home with glass partitions in place of walls for a more spacious look and feel.
Image credit: The Interior Lab
While simple in design and functional in layout, the $90k home renovation exudes the rustic warmth of wabi sabi through the thoughtful use of linen day curtains in the living room and study to bathe the home in more natural light and give the interior that soft, dreamy look.
2. Woodleigh Hillside—Blend of wabi sabi & Japandi
Any piece of carpentry you see is minimal but purposeful.
Image credit: Anhans Interior Design
In true wabi sabi fashion, this $96k creamy limewashed 4-room Woodleigh Hillside HDB is both tasteful and functional. Designed by Anhans Interior Design, the home features plenty of subtle arches and curves woven into doorways, niches and even softening the look of structural beams on the ceiling. An interesting built-in feature is the home’s kitchen island and connected dining table that is carved out from a live-edge slab of wood.
Image credit: Anhans Interior Design
The kitchen veers on the side of Japandi design, but the consistent use of cream and dark wood tones for the walls, kitchen counter, backsplash and cabinets ties the home’s modern yet rustic look together cohesively. The clever addition of a faux skylight and a feature plant in the living room helps to bring the outdoors in, creating a relaxed and calm atmosphere.
3. Bedok Reservoir Road—wabi sabi Bali villa vibes
Image credit: Insight.Out Studio
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming entryway of this 4-room flat on Bedok Reservoir Road. While some homeowners colour within the lines and limewash select walls, the team behind Insight.Out Studio went all out and drenched every surface with limewash, creating a textured depth to the home. That alone is enough to provide visual intrigue to this otherwise simple entryway and kitchen.
Image credit: Insight.Out Studio
But venture a little further into the home, that’s where the Bali vibes shine through. A built-in gallery of wall niches adds a sophisticated and organic feel to the space, and rigid ventilation blocks help to provide some added privacy and partition the dining room from the bedrooms. The contrast of straight lines and curves creates a focal point and adds a layer of visual interest to a rather simple wabi sabi execution.
4. 944 Tampines—wabi sabi “desert” maisonette
Image credit: Oblivion Lab
At 1,345sqft, this home in Tampines is already fairly large for an HDB, but its open design and use of wabi sabi-inspired interior elements further amplify the space, creating an expansive, spacious effect. In the living room, the use of blinds as opposed to curtains preserves privacy while allowing light to filter into the home, casting a gentle glow on the room.
Image credit: Oblivion Lab
Meanwhile, the inclusion of Japanese ornamental plants like bonsai helps to subtly incorporate elements of nature whilst adding a pop of colour, which contrasts against the muted tones of the marble countertop, limewash walls, and muted marble in the kitchen.
Image credit: Oblivion Lab
In the private quarters of the home, the owners went for more ambient lighting as opposed to harsh, fluorescent overhead lighting, offering a glow of softness to the rooms. The lights also align with Japanese design style—resembling traditional oriental lanterns—tying into the home’s wabi sabi theme.
5. Wasa.bi Home—Resort-esque wabi sabi HDB
Curves truly take centre stage in this wabi sabi HDB flat that boasts organic lines in every direction you look, from its circular accent false ceiling in the living room to the doorways and windows.
What we love about this renovation has to be the measured use of limewash to add depth and texture whilst incorporating other upholstery textures and natural elements such as rattan and pampas grass to make this HDB truly look like a resort.
Image credit: Wasa.bi Home
When they decided to add structural dividers, the homeowners went with pocket doors, a far more versatile option that allows the space to be opened up or closed while saving space. Arches and curves throughout the home add a softness and tie together otherwise disparate spaces.
Best wabi sabi condo home renovations
6. Museion Botanica—Modern “rough” wabi sabi
Image credit: Studio Metanoia
Breaking the light, muted colour palettes of the previous few wabi sabi renovations is this ground-floor condo designed by Studio Metanoia that shows us a well-executed “rough” wabi sabi that puts forth a darker take on this popular interior trend.
Image credit: Studio Metanoia
The bathrooms in the home, in particular, are solid proof that you don’t need a lot of fancy materials or fixtures to make your home look spectacular. Microcement takes centre stage here, with most of the master and secondary bathrooms featuring the unique material in abundance.
The subtle screed finish and the earthy tint of it blur the lines between natural and man-made and give us the overwhelming feeling of being in a raw, natural environment. We’re not discounting those twin “stone” bathroom vanities, either.
Image credit: Studio Metanoia
The dark earthy tones in the rest of the home further the sense of nature, while the soft organic forms around the home inject the home with a sense of rustic quirkiness.
7. East Coast condo—Aesop store wabi sabi
Image credit: Ovon Design
At first glance, this East Coast condo looks exactly like an Aesop store. But despite what its interior may suggest, the space is actually a 3-room condo in Marine Vista.
Image credit: Ovon Design
Warm lighting casts a gentle glow on the home, while the curves of the walls, dining set, and built-in floor-to-ceiling cabinets further this sense of softness. The wabi sabi theme doesn’t end in the common areas, as the bathroom includes the familiar limewash of the living space.
Yet, unlike the living area, the bathroom lacks distinct curves and is, instead, marked by sharp, crisp edges and clean lines. This creates a visual distinction between the spaces while maintaining the theming throughout the home.
Best wabi sabi home renovations in Singapore
Unlike other design styles that require intensive overhauls and serious renovations, wabi sabi encourages homeowners to embrace their homes’ natural imperfections and enhance them rather than hide them, as illustrated through these homes.
Whether you’re still deciding if wabi sabi is the theme for you or just preparing ideas for your future home, hopefully, these wabi sabi homes will inspire other homeowners to seek out the simple and the imperfect.
For more, check out:
- Boutique condos launching in 2023 with prices from $1,750 psf
- Second-hand furniture stores in Singapore
- Best interior design firms for budget renovations under $50K
- This family’s condo has a rock wall for each of their kids’ bedrooms, cost only $2K to build
Cover image adapted from: Wasa.bi Home, Oblivion Lab, Studio Metanoia, Ovon Design
This article was originally published on 23rd October 2024, and updated on 15th April 2025.
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