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Before-and-After: 5 Stunning Homes That Had a Major 'Glo-Up'

Extreme home makeovers, HDB flat edition.

There’s something about makeovers that we all love. Perhaps it’s because it gives us hope that a magical ‘glo-up’ is always possible, despite the dire state the subject was previously in.

In that same vein, comparing homes before and after renovations is just as satisfying - which is why we’ve compiled this list of incredible transformations for your viewing pleasure! Consisting of both BTO and resale HDB flat renovations, this list may just be the source of inspiration to kickstart your own extreme makeover.


1. From a plain 4-room flat to a cosy home with vintage elements

Chai Chee Road by A Blue Cube Design
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With zero layout changes and minimal renovation work done this resale home in Chai Chee Road was pretty much a standard 4-room HDB flat. After a 10-week renovation, this home now sports a sandy-themed home, with numerous rounded features that soften the home’s look.

Before and After (Kitchen):

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Chai Chee Road by A Blue Cube Design
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Stepping into the house, you’ll immediately be greeted by the simple, yet vintage-looking kitchen counters.

The kitchen walls were all hacked away, but the renovation work didn’t stop there. Following that, the homeowner opted for curved kitchen counters that extend around the store room, creating a retro bar-style kitchen that is further accentuated by the patterned backsplash.

Before and After (Living Room and Entryway):

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The rest of the living room now has a curved window, recessed wall, entryway, and decor, all of which complement the muted neutral colours and wooden accents to create a warm, inviting home.

Chai Chee Road by A Blue Cube Design
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After (Bedrooms):

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Further in, the wall between the master and second bedroom were demolished to create a personal work area and walk-in wardrobe for the homeowner. And even these rooms are furnished with curved features, with rounded decals, mirrors, and recessed shelves adding to the look.

2. From a cluttered 5-room resale flat to a eclectic, retro-themed home

Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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Despite its age, this 5-room flat hasn't seen much renovation work. But that doesn’t mean that old isn’t gold – because as this home’s transformation shows, a retro interior style is pretty much still in.

Before and After (Living and Dining room):

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Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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Inspired by his love of Wong Kar Wai films, YES 933 DJ Kun Hua went all out to turn this home into a ‘rojak’ of retro elements, with teak furniture, graphic tiles, and ventilation blocks that create a nostalgic, yesteryear vibe.

Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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A large, custom-made bookcase housing his collectibles separates the dining area from the living room – but rather than overwhelming the space, the open shelves and rounded edges softens its imposing look while promoting cross-ventilation throughout the area.

Before and After (Kitchen):

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Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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In an effort to make the home even bigger, the kitchen walls were demolished to create an open kitchen with a bar counter. The cabinets and stools all possess the same dark wood and green tones that accentuate the vintage look of the home, with custom-made vintage grilles finishing the look.

Before and After (Bedrooms):

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Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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Peek into the former study area, and you’ll find that it has been turned into the master bedroom. The wall separating it from the communal area has been replaced with old-school ventilation blocks, with a reeded glass door that provides privacy while still letting in natural light.

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Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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You’ll also find that the former master bedroom has been merged with the current one to create a walk-in wardrobe. It now also houses a bay window seat that functions as a relaxation corner.

Tanjong Pagar by Free Space Intent
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Before and After (Bathrooms):

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The common bathroom, before and after the renovation

Previously having a white-coloured theme, the bathrooms have since done a complete 180. Both the common and master bathrooms are now decked out in green and white, with doors built with embossed glass panels. The plumbing was also left exposed to add an even more old-school feel to the space.

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The master bathroom, before and after the renovation

3. From a bare PPVC flat to a cool, modern-contemporary home

Bidadari Park Drive by Notion of W
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While purchasing a BTO flat allows you to start your renovation on a blank slate, houses constructed by the PPVC method already come with things like internal doors and bathroom fittings. The homeowners of this 4-room BTO flat thus had to decide whether to work around what they had, or to dismantle them.

Before and After (Living room):

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Bidadari Park Drive by Notion of W
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Opting for a modern-contemporary look with a cool colour palette, they incorporated the HDB-issued wooden doors into the home by blending them in with the wood-look walls in the kitchen and living room. The floors were also overlaid with a grey vinyl flooring that accentuates the cool-toned theme.

Before and After (Kitchen and Dining area):

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Bidadari Park Drive by Notion of W
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After the kitchen walls were demolished, a gorgeous custom-made dining table and kitchen island took its place, with marble designs that emphasise the luxurious nature of the home.

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Bidadari Park Drive by Notion of W
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A unique partial false ceiling with curves was also constructed. It isn't just a sophisticated feature, but it also functions as a subtle divider demarcating the living and dining area.

Before and After (Bathrooms):

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In the bathroom, the homeowners chose to remove the sanitary fittings. Gone are the pedestal sinks and the one-piece WCs, which have been replaced by vessel sinks and back-to-wall WCs that fit right into the home’s modern-contemporary look.

4. From a 5-room flat with an outdated theme to a classy white-and-wood home

Bishan Street 24 by T&T Design Artisan
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One of the challenges of renovating a resale flat is working with outdated features, which was what this 4-room HDB flat in Bishan originally had. Thus, this home underwent a major overhaul and now sports a timeless white-and-wood theme.

Before and After (Living room):

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Bishan Street 24 by T&T Design Artisan
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With the repainted white walls and neutral, understated accents, the home now looks brighter and airier -- fit for a home in the 21st century.

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Bishan Street 24 by T&T Design Artisan
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To maximise storage space, a large built-in cabinet was constructed next to the front door. While this results in a more narrow entryway, the area doesn’t actually look cramped, thanks to the mirror tricking the eye to make the space appear ‘bigger’.’

Before and After (Kitchen):

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The faded pastel-coloured cabinets and dull-looking tiles in the kitchen were completely removed, and is now home to a cheery, white-and-wood themed kitchen.

Bishan Street 24 by T&T Design Artisan
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For better visual flow, the kitchen walls were hacked away, creating an even larger floor space that has enough room for a cosy kitchen island. The entire kitchen area is then sealed with a sliding glass door that contains any cooking smells while maintaining optimal brightness.

5. From a standard new BTO flat to a quirky, nature-inspired home

Northshore Drive by The Local INN.terior 新家室
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BTO flats each have a standard layout, which is why the renovation is key for those wanting their homes to stand out. Check out this 4-room BTO flat in Northshore Drive, where the homeowners chose to opt out of almost every component in the OCS to create the dream home they envisioned.

Before and After (Living Room and Study area):

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Northshore Drive by The Local INN.terior 新家室
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Post-renovation, you can see that there is nothing ‘cookie cutter’ about this home. Taking inspiration from nature, it’s now a lively space filled with swaths of green and beige, complemented by organic elements like plants, rattan, and wood.

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As the original living room space was quite narrow, the bedroom wall behind it was torn down to open up the space. The bedroom space now functions as a study area, with numerous shelves for storage and another reeded glass divider doing double duty of providing both privacy and natural light.

Before and After (Kitchen):

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Northshore Drive by The Local INN.terior 新家室
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Like many homeowners, this particular one has also chosen to tear down their kitchen walls. But instead of going with an open kitchen concept, they’ve instead chosen to create a semi-open kitchen.

Northshore Drive by The Local INN.terior 新家室
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View this project by The Local INN.terior 新家室

A bar counter and a reeded glass divider now separates the kitchen from the living room, the latter having a retractable section that can be open and shut depending on the occasion.

Before and After (Bathrooms):

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Northshore Drive by The Local INN.terior 新家室
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View this project by The Local INN.terior 新家室

The nature-inspired look also extends into the bathrooms, with sage green bathroom counters and a wood-look wall adding some visual interest to an otherwise plain, all-white space.


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