We have come a long way from the first public housing flats some fifty years ago.
These days, HDB apartments are not just a roof over our heads – they are headline makers too. Case in point? HDB apartments that cost a million dollars (and beyond). And most definitely, these 10 jaw-dropping HDB homes that don’t skimp on style, cost or cool factor - once again proving that Singaporeans pull out all the stops when it comes to creating their dream spaces.
As they say, ‘go big or go home’, right?
1. The Ultimate Bachelor’s Pad
Interior Designer: Aart Boxx
Tall, dark and handsome – one way to describe a hunk, and also this achingly suave space. Breaking from the bright and airy norm, this 2-room HDB is instead sheathed in sultry, matte black all over. Paired with rust-coloured woods – its sleek and cosmopolitan vibe culminates with the ultimate daredevil standout – a glass encased bathroom that overlooks the master bedroom, leaving nothing to the imagination.
2. The Next Best Thing to Versailles Palace
Interior Designer: Fifth Avenue Interior
Taking boudoir chic to the next level, we wouldn’t be surprised if this HDB maisonette by Woodlands Ring Road came straight out of a chateau in France! Opulent and unabashedly extravagant – furs, velvet, glass, wainscoting and a pell-mell of décor items blend together to form a bold, over-the-top look. The only difference between it and a Baroque palace? Hints of modern touches – from the clean-cut cabinetry to minimalist glass paneling.
3. The Urban-Bohemian Jungalow
Interior Designer: Create
The biggest trend in 2017 is all about going back to our roots (literally) with a healthy dose of greenery, laid-back neutrals and hippie vibes; something that this quirky and stylish HDB nails in spades! Vintage curios sit alongside iconic, modern furniture pieces (like the Noguchi table), while flourishing plants bring a lush contrast to the home’s otherwise white-washed space. Finished with macramé rugs and poufs, every inch of this worldly jungalow is a insta-worthy spot.
4. The Pineapple Under The Sea
Interior Designer: Icon Interior Design
Talk about childhood dreams come true! Besides the obvious Spongebob-references (Patrick wall clocks and pineapple-shaped cabinets, anyone?), this fun-loving HDB flat takes it a notch further by incorporating nautical themed elements throughout. Think Santorini-style cubbies, marine blue accents and ship helm-shaped handles. It almost feels like you’re already living in Bikini Bottom.
5. The Attic Apartment
Interior Designer: Prozfile Design
Who knew HDBs had attic apartments? We do – and this one takes the cake for being one of the most uncommon (and stylish) HDB apartments we’ve seen. Making the most out of its high ceilings and sloped roofs, this rare gem - a shop-house walk-up in Geylang – includes an insanely spacious loft big enough to fit 3 beds, a gorgeous patterned staircase along with skylights and exposed beams reminiscent of countryside farmhouses. Hope for us all, perhaps?
(P. S. We made a boo-boo - turns out, this walk-up apartment is actually considered a private property. Sorry for the mix up!)
6. The House of Sliding Doors
Interior Designer: Asolidplan
Now you see me, now you don’t! The fun never ends with this 2-room HDB in Bukit Purmei. Working around the flat’s odd, angular layout is a series of sliding doors which conceal and camouflage different ‘areas’ of the house. Slide the mirrored door (which also helps to reflect and magnify the space) to reveal a fully-functional kitchen; slide another and you’ll find the TV console.
Interior Designer: Asolidplan
On the other side, wooden panels obscure the doorway to the bedroom, which functions as a Muji-esque cubbyhole reminding us of capsule hotels. And if you’re the kind that needs total darkness to sleep – they even have slide-out wooden partitions to cover up the windows.
7. The Avant-Garde Art Installation
Interior Designer: Asolidplan
What happens when life imitates art? This unconventional HDB might have the answer – decked head-to-toe in grid like elements, compressed wood, wire mesh and terracotta tiles juxtapose one other to form a one-of-a-kind living space that frankly, looks more like an art installation than someone’s house. Equal parts Japanese Tatami room and ultra-modern industrial crib, its unique built-ins pack a practical punch too – doubling as lighting holders and storage shelves or compartments.
8. The Open Concept Hipster Loft
Interior Designer: Linear Space Concepts
The future of flexi HDBs is played out in real life here in this HDB apartment by Holland Avenue. That’s right, no walls – save for the ones at the bathroom and the kitchen, allowing its homeowner to seamlessly transit from dining, living to bedroom in a matter of steps. But what really sets it apart is perhaps its emphasis on colour. A stark, ultramarine blue by the foyer, canary yellow chairs, maroon red brick walls and multi-coloured knick-knacks bring liveliness to the otherwise stark interior. And best of all? Every girl’s ultimate dream – a spacious walk-in wardrobe, encased in see-through glass partitions.
9. The Old-School Classroom
Interior Designer: Museum Homes
Cement floors, frosted glass louvre windows and metal sliding gates – sure takes us back to our classroom days, doesn’t it? But there’s more to this utilitarian HDB than giving us major throwback vibes. One after another, stunning features in each corner jostle to capture one’s attention.
Interior Designer: Museum Homes
The bedroom is a Japanese-minimalist dream with bleached wood finishes and ample walking space. Meanwhile, the living room features a raised daybed-cum-storage compartment for lazing the day away in, and the kitschy kitchen’s bottle green cabinets double as nifty chalkboards.
10. The Oriental-Inspired Presidential Suite
Interior Designer: Bowerman
Upon stepping through its unassuming door, this HDB maisonette is transformed into a luxurious enclave that’d put any five-star hotel suite to shame (we’re looking at you Shangri-La and Mandarin). Evident throughout the home, oriental accents – in the form of hanging calligraphy scrolls, porcelain vases and furniture, match impeccably with the rest of the space’s relatively clean and modern fixtures.
Interior Designer: Bowerman
But tying it all together is an emphasis on upscale materials – whether its full-on marble, travertine or other natural polished rocks, we’d imagine paying thousands just to stay one night in this awe-inspiring abode.
The next ultimate HDB home could be yours.
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