A look at 4-room HDB resale flat renovation ideas for every budget!
One of the hardest things about renovations is finding a balance between designing your dream home and keeping to your budget.
That’s especially true if you’re purchasing a resale unit: how much you end up spending will depend on factors like the state of the flat when purchased, its size, and how much of the layout and furnishings you wish to change/retain.
According to data and interior designers we spoke to, the average 4-room resale HDB flat renovation in 2023 could cost anywhere between $60,720 and $72,500.
To give you a better idea of what your renovation budget could possibly get you, we’ve compiled a list of ten beautiful 4-room resale flat renovation projects in Singapore that range from $42k (about 30% lower than the median) to $130k.
1. 4-room resale flat in Upper Serangoon (Renovation cost: $42,000)
View this project by Key Concept
While built-ins provide storage space, the downside is that they are pricey, and they don’t provide much flexibility in terms of layout. So, the homeowners of this 4-room resale flat in Upper Serangoon chose not to have built-ins in the living room, which kept the renovation costs relatively low despite all the flooring and hacking works done.
They opted for loose furnishings instead, which goes well with the Scandinavian aesthetic.
Some might say that white-and-wood homes are boring, but they won’t be able to say the same for this one. Recessed shelves and funky geometric tiles add a spark of personality to the space, while black accents in the kitchen create a chic, clean aesthetic.
View this project by Rubiks Studio
Inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, this home embraces simple designs and finds beauty in imperfection — that is, by incorporating elements like asymmetry and raw materials.
The living room feature wall and the kitchen walls have a rough, organic texture while the floor tiles have a stone look that emphasises the natural feel of the spaces.
Like in the previous home, the owners made use of recessed niches for storing items around the house instead of having built-ins, which would have looked bulky and out-of-place in the home’s aesthetic.
Sticking to only the essential built-ins – mainly in the kitchen and the master bedroom – also helped to keep the renovation costs low.
View this project by Eames & Scales
In this 4-room resale flat, a junior bedroom was converted into a glass-walled dining room that’s reminiscent of New York’s industrial lofts, particularly with its black trim and framed design.
The exposed brick wall, often a staple of this design style, was constructed by concealing the structural wall with a brick layer/cladding – certainly a cost-effective method of adding texture and character to the space!
Elsewhere in the house, modern elements mixed with industrial ones create a bold effect: the forest green cabinets in the kitchen, for one, and the exposed piping and cement-look tiles in the bathroom.
Get in touch with Eames & Scales
Explore: 4 Must-Do Renos For Resale Flats (And 3 Things To Save On)
4. 4-room resale flat at Woodlands Circle (Renovation cost: $66,700)
View this project by The Alchemists Design
This modern contemporary home’s makeover is a timeless one, with a soothing palette and bright open spaces like the dining room. It has a few tasteful art and decor pieces, but is otherwise free of clutter.
The open-concept kitchen adds to the inviting atmosphere, with the storeroom hacked to make space for more storage and appliances.
Following the same colour palette as in the living/dining room, the kitchen has a look of understated sophistication, enhanced by details like the herringbone backsplash and the shaker cabinets.
Another spot worth highlighting is the bedroom, which has a sliding wardrobe and a wall-mounted desk with a mirror integrated into it to make the most of the space.
Get in touch with The Alchemists Design
5. 4-room resale flat in Bain Street (Renovation cost: $70,000)
View this project by Ascend Design
“Why would minimalist homes cost so much to renovate?” you may cry. While it’s true that these homes keep decor and design to a minimum, minimalist homes actually require a lot of design work.
To create a seamless look throughout the home, the homeowner opted for numerous built-ins, like the bookshelf-dining table combo, the settee, and the counter beneath the window. The choice of white and grey colours brings about a soothing vibe that is further emphasised by touches of greenery and colour.
View this project by Artspaze
With glossy finishes and gold-accented furniture and fittings, this home exudes an air of elegance and luxury that’s not overdone. What really helps to elevate the look though, is the choice of soft ambient lighting, which creates a relaxing mood that might remind you of hotel interiors.
Like many others, the owners decided to merge the master and junior bedroom for a walk-in wardrobe. At the intersection of this L-shaped space, you’ll find a pendant light that casts a striking starburst-like shadow on the ceiling – a much-welcomed detail that adds to the luxe effect, if you ask us.
View this project by ChengYi Interior Design
This 4-room resale flat underwent quite the overhaul to achieve this clean, modern look with a white base and calming deep browns.
The junior bedroom directly behind the living room was hacked to fabricate a storage-cum-divider solution that hides the hallway.
Open up the cabinet and discover a dedicated storage space for gym and sporting equipment that the owners can easily grab on their way out.
Meanwhile, the open-concept kitchen features a kitchen island with a fluted cylindrical leg that doubles as a dining table. The hollow space and rounded edge break up the kitchen’s sharp lines and the ‘blocks’ of cabinetry for a softer and more spacious look.
Get in touch with ChengYi Interior Design
Explore: 5 Ways to Save on Your Resale Flat Renovation
8. 4-room resale flat at Marine Drive (Renovation cost: $90,000)
View this project by The Local INN.terior 新家室
Mixing elements that are characteristic of Scandinavian, mid-century modern and contemporary interiors, it’s soothing vibes all around in this 4-room resale flat.
While the communal area heavily features a combination of dark and light earth tones, the owner’s bedroom takes on a monochromatic palette for an equally cosy appeal. Here, reeded glass panes afford privacy while letting natural light enter, and white finger tiles that add texture to an otherwise unassuming wall.
As a rather old HDB flat, the unit only came with one WC and a separate-but-adjacent shower area, with no en suite included. So, most of the project’s layout changes revolved around the revamped bathroom. The WC and shower area were merged, and some of the junior bedroom’s space was then taken to make way for a bathroom ‘entryway’ that houses a longer-than-usual vanity.
Hard to tell that this resort-like bathroom belongs in an HDB flat, eh?
Get in touch with The Local INN.terior 新家室
9. 4-room resale flat at Teban Gardens Road (Renovation cost: $100,000)
View this project by The I-Plan Studio
There really is quite a lot you can do with a $100,000 renovation budget. In the case of this homeowner, they’ve done every work you can imagine - like hacking down walls, carpentry works, and retiling the floors.
While the luxe look of this home is striking enough, the highlight is definitely the spacious walk-in wardrobe that the owners hacked the junior bedroom wall for, complete with a freestanding vanity.
The fixtures also have customised partitions suited for different types of clothing and accessories.
Get in touch with The I-Plan Studio
10. 4-room resale flat at Holland Close (Renovation cost: $120,000)
View this project by Fifth Avenue Interior
At 100 square metres, this 4-room resale flat is much larger than a regular 4-room BTO. Even so, the owners of this eclectic home opted for multi-functional custom carpentry around the house to maximise every square inch of space.
A cosy diner booth sits where the sink and fridge used to be, with plenty of seating space for hosting. The back of the booth has a multi-purpose design, working both as a divider for the living space and a mini-bookshelf.
Besides installing full-height storage and bespoke bunk beds, one of the junior bedrooms was extended to fit a study for the children.
In the master bedroom, floor-to-ceiling fluted panels extend from the feature wall to conceal the en suite’s entrance for a sophisticated, seamless-looking space. Notice how these panels are of the same dark wood tones as the living room’s carpentry, and how the green chevron tiles in the bathroom tie in nicely with the biophilic elements in the living room as well!
Get in touch with Fifth Avenue Interior
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This article was originally published on 14 October 2021 and last updated on 4 May 2023.
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