Couple’s 4-Room Sengkang HDB Flat is a Minimalist Haven After Its Reno

A dreamy ‘MUJI’-inspired home that’s more than its looks.

As the time for their key collection neared, homeowner Dom and his wife (E) reached out to a friend who was an interior designer to renovate their 4-room flat in Sengkang.

“We waited for very long, up to the point it was time to collect our keys. We didn’t get a quotation in the end and gave up,” shares Dom.

“Luckily, my wife’s friend introduced us to Keith, one of the IDs from The Interior Maison, and by the second meeting, we decided to sign with them.”

The couple had a general idea of what they wanted, but trusted their IDs – Audrey and Keith – with the details for a delightful result!

About the homeowners and their home

Dom (D): After failing to ballot for a BTO three times, my wife and I settled on this 4-room SBF flat because there are a lot of amenities nearby.

E: For the renovation, we knew we wanted a ‘MUJI’ look with wood tones because it’s simple, clean and cosy. One other thing I was set on was a curved wall in the living room.

D: Other than that, we had very general requirements. We signed with The Interior Maison on the second meeting because their quote was within our budget and we liked the design Audrey and Keith proposed. Most importantly, we clicked with them.

About the living room

E: Before we started the renovation, we consulted a Fengshui master and he advised us on different aspects like colours and furniture placement.

In terms of design, the highlight is this curved feature wall. Initially, I wanted the curve to be bigger. Since this was before hacking, I couldn’t visualise it and was worried that it would turn out unnoticeable.

Keith advised against it and said that the TV console would end up a lot smaller because it would ‘eat’ into the flat, front-facing part of the wall. I appreciate that he did so, because the final result was just as I had wanted.

D: Audrey proposed the limewash paint we used for the TV feature wall. We thought the texture was nice, so we went ahead with it.

The first round of painting ended up too pink, so Audrey took note of our feedback and helped us to change it to a more off-white, greyish paint that blends in with the rest of our walls.

We spend most of our time here relaxing and watching TV on this modular couch from Ipse Ipsa Ipsum. The price point was high, but we went ahead with it because we love how wide it is. It’s so cosy that I almost fell asleep when trying it at the store (laughs).

About the dining area

E: While we originally only wanted a curve for the feature wall, Audrey recommended using curves around the home for a nicer flow – you can see some in the built-ins here and our false ceiling. I love the result.

D: The lights in the communal area are from Sol Luminaire. Like everyone else, we like the aesthetic and the dimming function that lets us change the colour temperature according to the atmosphere. It’s a pretty big investment, so their 5-year warranty gives us peace of mind too.

On expanding the kitchen

D: In the original layout, the kitchen was immediately visible from the entrance. Our Fengshui master said that the stove shouldn’t be visible when the main door is open, so we closed it off with a frosted sliding door which still lets some light through.

D: The space was also squeezy, so we hacked the service yard wall to open it up and get more countertop space.

D: At first, I wanted to have a pull-down rack for our dishes but it was too expensive. Instead, one of our IDs suggested changing the height of the dish rack cabinet so it’s lower than the rest. This way, we can still easily reach the dishes.

E: The service yard doesn’t get much sun because it’s blocked by the carpark and the lane bridge upstairs, so we also got a Steigen automated laundry rack to dry our wet laundry.

About the common bathroom

D: We had two requests for the common bathroom: the first was installing a rain shower since I like the feeling of the water raining down.

E: The second was not having any glass shower screens because if we have kids in the future, we can easily shower them here – it’s spacious and there are no barriers.

The colour scheme, with the mix of different tiles, is something Audrey proposed. We went with her and Keith to Hafary and picked from what they’d shortlisted for us, which made the process much easier.

D: The grey grout also helps with maintenance since it doesn’t get as dirty as white grout.

On making over the master bedroom and walk-in wardrobe

D: There’s a structural beam overheard that would have stretched over the bed if we stuck to the original layout. Our Fengshui master said this wasn’t good, so we swapped the master bedroom with the junior bedroom next to it and combined the spaces.

E: I’m a nurse at a confinement centre, so my working hours are quite irregular. Sometimes, I need to get up very early or I come back when he’s still sleeping.

That’s why Audrey came up with the idea to separate the sleeping and dressing areas with a walk-in wardrobe concept so we don’t disturb each other.

D: One thing guests don’t realise is that our master bedroom door frame is different from the rest. We needed to change the orientation of the master bedroom door after hacking, but we couldn’t get the original door frame from the HDB supplier. Keith worked hard to coordinate with them to try to get one, and provided alternatives for us in case it didn’t work out.

The bedroom is darker than the rest of the house because we wanted it to be a restful space. If you notice, we went with downlights at the bedhead area instead of using a central one – it has a softer effect.

E: We planned to do a built-in vanity at first, but gave up on it in case we want to change the space in the future. Besides, the master bathroom also has a vanity-like space, as you’ll see next.

About the ensuite bathroom

E: When I was browsing online, I came across this split bathroom idea with separate wet and dry areas and knew I wanted it in our place. Not only does it make the bathroom bigger, but the dry area is also a little like an extended vanity with storage.

It’s handy for keeping items like towels, which frees up space in our wardrobe for more clothes (laughs).

E: Apart from that, the wet area is fairly simple and has some curved elements.

To sum up

D: Throughout the renovation, we always had two-way communication with Audrey and Keith, and a collaborative decision-making process. While we only had some general requests, they did a great job at filling in all the details.

E: They really made an effort to take a look at the progress of their contractors’ works. If there were times when we couldn’t make it to check on issues, they would video us and let us know what they changed and anything to look out for. We really appreciated their constant updates.

We’re both very happy with the result. In fact, one of our friends came over and said it feels like she’s at an Airbnb for a staycation.

D: I think I speak for both of us when I say that it’s so comfortable we don’t want to leave even over the weekends.

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