5-Room Flat Balances Old-School Kopitiam Charm With Practical Living

Still looking good in 2026.

A single glance is all it takes to realise that Andy’s 5-room resale HDB flat in Buangkok is a homage to old-school Singapore. You’ve got green half-walls, glass blocks, vintage grilles, and even a custom Gou Pi Tiam coffee bar that looks straight out of a neighbourhood coffee shop.

But for Andy, the nostalgia goes beyond just aesthetics. Rather than simply following trends, he focused on familiar details from his childhood.

At the same time, he also kept practicality at the forefront of the renovation. With dogs at home, he had to include features like a foyer that gives him more privacy and control over the entrance, and choosing materials that ensured the home was easy to clean and maintain on a daily basis.

The result? A $110,000 renovation that feels old-school without being overly themed, and practical without losing personality – or, as Andy puts it, “nostalgic, functional, and personal”.

About the homeowner and his home

While mid-century modern is one of the bigger interior design trends of 2026, Andy’s take on the style was less about chasing a trend and more about tapping into familiar details.

“My initial vision for the home leaned more towards a brutalist, industrial style,” Andy says. “But after meeting my girlfriend, she introduced me to the idea of a mid-century, nostalgic home, which really resonated with me.”

“It started with the usual elements like glass bricks, Peranakan breezeblocks, and vintage window grilles, and from there we began building a moodboard inspired by familiar details we both grew up with.”

With Andy and his girlfriend also working in a creative field, the home naturally became their canvas to play around with different custom elements and to create a space that’s both highly personal and cosy.

About the foyer/walkway

The home’s nostalgic theme starts right at the foyer, where terracotta tiles, green glass blocks, and other vintage-inspired details set the tone for the rest of the space.

But the foyer isn’t there just to look pretty. As Andy shares, it was carved out from part of the original living room to add more privacy – and, perhaps more importantly lifestyle-wise, to create a buffer between the front door and the rest of the home.

“[Creating this foyer] was one of our main priorities,” he says. “It helps minimise noise, and also prevents the dogs from running out whenever we need to open the door.”

About the living and dining room

“For the communal area, we wanted the half-wall look that gives off a void deck kind of feel,” Andy shares. “We chose green because it works well with the terracotta tiles from the foyer.”

“We also always wanted kopitiam-style furniture, so we found this table online and bought chairs that complement it.”

Despite the number of custom details, Andy was careful not to make the space feel too fixed or rigid. Instead of relying on built-ins, he kept most of the furniture loose for flexibility purposes, like the extendable coffee table that can be raised for hosting or casual meals in front of the TV.

This same thinking eventually led to the home’s most eye-catching feature: the custom Gou Pi Tiam bar. Inspired by his previous workplace, which had a hawker-style stainless steel storefront as a pantry, Andy initially wanted to build a full bar counter complete with top-hung cabinets, but the cost made him reconsider.

So, he decided to make it himself, using shelving that he bought himself and mounting everything together with help from his father. A water point was also routed to this area, making it an especially convenient place for preparing drinks and grabbing a glass of water.

To finish it off, Andy hand-painted the Gou Pi Tiam sign himself – partly to save on cost, but also to make the space feel more personal.

“We wanted it printed and mounted with LED lights at first, but it was going to cost too much,” he shares. “So we decided to hand-paint it ourselves, and it ended up becoming quite a nice memento.”

About the kitchen and yard

Since neither Andy nor his girlfriend cooks much, the kitchen was kept fairly simple and straightforward, decked out in a terracotta colour theme that still matched the yesteryear theme.

“We mainly use it to make simple meals for supper or to prepare food for the dogs,” he says.

The yard, however, was a bigger priority. To create a dedicated area for the dogs, Andy extended it slightly using some of the kitchen space, thus adding more room to accommodate pee pads, a doggy shower, dryer, and chair.

About the master bedroom suite

Andy’s bedroom suite consists of the master bedroom itself as well as an adjacent junior bedroom, which has since been converted into a walk-in wardrobe and workspace.

“This was always the plan when we were looking for a place to live,” he says. “My girlfriend has quite a lot of clothes and bags, so we carved out some space to store and display them. Otherwise, they’ll just remain in their boxes, which is a bit wasted.”

To keep it practical for a home with dogs, Andy opted for rattan-look vinyl wardrobe doors instead of actual rattan, to prevent fur from getting trapped or from entering the wardrobe.

As for the sleeping area itself, Andy kept things simple and cosy. A king-sized bed anchors the space, while the brown walls and ceiling tie in with the warmer, richer wood tones used throughout the suite.

“My girlfriend was actually the one who suggested the half-painted design,” he says. “At first, I didn’t really understand the idea (laughs) but after looking at it for a while, it has grown on me.”

Blackout blinds were another must-have, especially since the room had to be dark enough for proper rest. “This is where we hibernate,” he adds. “When it’s time to sleep, the room is almost pitch black.”

To sum up

As someone with a creative background, Andy had plenty of ideas he wanted to bring to life. The challenge, however, was figuring out which ones were worth the splurge, and which to let go of.

“What I learnt throughout this renovation process is that it’s a constant battle between your wishlist and your budget,” he says. “The more unique or customised the idea, the heavier the price tag.”

Still, he’s glad the home turned out the way it did: nostalgic, yet still functional for himself, his girlfriend, and their dogs. His biggest advice for other homeowners? To avoid chasing trends and aesthetics for the sake of it.

“It looks nice, but it ultimately may not be practical for your lifestyle,” Andy says. “You should spend more on the furniture, appliances, and little quality-of-life upgrades that you’ll actually use everyday.”

Like what you see?

Get in touch with Ethan Interiors to discuss possibilities for your own home!

Contact Ethan Interiors

Alternatively, we can help you shortlist suitable firms within one working day for free when you tell us your renovation needs below.