Share this article
As the final weeks of 2025 draw in, it’s time for a proper cuppa and a look back at the defining moments and most cherished aesthetics that have shaped Singaporean homes this year.
The year 2025 has cemented a significant shift in local interior design, moving away from purely aesthetic trends toward wellness, sustainability, and intelligent, adaptable living. We saw the rise of 6 interior design trends in Singapore this year, namely the cream and beige-toned Warm Minimalism, Japandi, the curved walls, arches, and edges, the popularisation of natural stones and materials, and earthy colours.
Warm Minimalism
The reign of stark, cool-toned white and grey has officially ended. Singaporean homeowners overwhelmingly embraced Warm Minimalism—a softer, more inviting take on simplicity.
Japandi
This fusion of Japanese simplicity and Scandinavian Hygge became the defining look for HDB and BTO flats. It championed clean lines, low-profile furniture, and a calming palette of soft creams, beige, and light wood tones (like muted oak). The focus was on curated, intentional living with just enough to feel cosy, but never cluttered.
Curved Interior Design
A crucial design moment was the sweeping rejection of sharp angles. Curved sofas, rounded coffee tables, and arched doorways softened the hard edges of urban apartments, creating a more fluid, harmonious, and inviting flow within compact spaces.
Natural Materials
The tactile experience was key. Finishes like rattan, raw wood, linen, jute, and natural stone were widely used, adding texture and an earthy authenticity to living rooms and balconies, turning flats into serene, tropical-inspired retreats.
Earthy Colour Palette
Terracotta, olive green, warm taupe, and rich caramel replaced cooler greys as the preferred neutral base. These colours were chosen to create a grounded, cocoon-like atmosphere that works beautifully with Singapore’s light.
Textures
To add depth without clutter, homeowners layered textures. Think ribbed panelling, fluted glass, limewash-effect paint, and plaster-effect feature walls, which provided visual interest and a handcrafted, artisanal feel.
Here were the top 10 home tours you loved in 2025.
1. $230,000 Renovation for a couple’s HDB Executive Apartment in Serangoon
System engineer Tan Chee Kian and his wife, Joey Choo (Director for APAC Live Content), a couple in their mid-40s, undertook a highly organised renovation of their 1,571 sq ft HDB executive apartment at Serangoon North Ave 4.
The couple was exceptionally well-prepared, approaching interior design firms with a detailed presentation deck that outlined their budget, timeline, room-by-room design requirements, mood board, and even specific suggestions for wall hacking and door relocation.
They plan for this to be their retirement home and sought a modern, contemporary, and timeless design that would endure for the next 10 to 20 years. This vision required the integration of elder-friendly features into the aesthetic.
Zhuo Jin Hai, Managing Director of Design Zage, was engaged to realise this vision. He focused on creating a spacious and airy atmosphere by carefully balancing spatial flow, sophisticated material selection, custom carpentry, and integrated furniture, fixtures, and lighting. The final design successfully blended the couple’s desire for a long-lasting, stylish aesthetic with necessary practical and accessibility features.
2. $200,000 Peranakan renovation for a 6-bedroom HDB Executive Apartment in Bedok
Leonard Koh, a cybersecurity consultant, and his wife, Zerline Tan, a programme director, decided to move from their highly convenient but increasingly cramped 5-room HDB flat in the Old Airport Road area.
The family, which includes three teenagers, a live-in helper, and a dog, needed significantly more space. After a rigorous house hunt—viewing 15 to 20 properties, including private and landed homes, but insisting on a location in the East of Singapore for accessibility—they found their ideal fit.
They chose a 1,600 sq ft HDB Executive Apartment in Bedok South. The high-floor unit offered the necessary space, abundant natural light, and a flexible layout that their previous home and other contenders, such as HDB Maisonettes, lacked.
The location was also favourable, providing close proximity to extended family and excellent surrounding amenities. The subsequent renovation was overseen by Dess Chew, the principal designer of Three-D Conceptwerke.
$29,000 Self-Designed Renovation for Sales Couple’s 4-room BTO SBF HDB flat in Dakota
3. A finance & tech couple’s $29,000 renovation for their 4-room HDB SBF flat in Dakota
A couple in their early 30s, Cheryl (sales) and Shadi (fintech), chose a highly unconventional, do-it-yourself approach for the renovation of their 1,001 sq ft, 4-room BTO flat in Dakota.
Instead of hiring an interior designer, Shadi completely self-designed the home after extensive research and learning 3D modelling via YouTube tutorials and SketchUp. He meticulously planned every detail, including the carpentry dimensions and lighting calculations for the family, which comprises the couple, their three-year-old son, and a helper.
The couple then collaborated with Homeez’s project manager and contractors to bring this personal vision to life. This deliberate and hands-on method successfully delivered a warm, intentional family home for a remarkable renovation budget of just $29,000.
Homeowner Mr. Aeden Tang poses in his 4-room HDB flat in Choa Chu Kang.
4. A retired bank vice president’s $150,000 renovation for his cafe-style 4-room HDB in Choa Chu Kang
Retired bank executive Mr. Aeden Tang completely transformed his 4-room HDB flat in Choa Chu Kang in 2015 into a highly unique, eclectic home that passionately blends residential living with cafe culture.
The apartment is a direct reflection of Mr. Tang’s personal experiences, including time spent in the catering business in the US and his venture into opening a cafe in Siem Reap, Cambodia. His vision is evident throughout the space, which features a meticulously crafted cafe aesthetic:
- A 10-seater dining area with deliberately mismatched chairs.
- A fully equipped kitchen area, complete with a chalkboard menu and a $2,000 display chiller.
- A distinctive bar table made from a tractor bonnet.
The result is a testament to Mr. Tang’s uncompromising personal creativity and his enduring love for food presentation and hospitality design.
5. A high flyer couple’s $100,000 renovation for their 3-bedroom condo in Bukit Timah
Homeowners Sean Tan and Michelle Ngiam, a couple with two children, deliberately chose a bold, Maximalist aesthetic for their 1,582 sq ft, 3-bedroom condominium at Duchess Avenue, rejecting the popular trend of minimalism.
The design vision, driven by Michelle, was for a home that was audacious, expressive, and full of personality, using striking wallpapers, rich textures, bold colours, and rustic elements. More than just an aesthetic choice, the couple sought an interior that would tell their family’s story, reflecting a sense of being warm, adventurous, and a little nostalgic. The home was designed to reflect their character and immediately influence how they feel when they walk through the door.
6. A couple’s first home in a 5-room HDB resale in Sengkang
A couple in their 30s successfully navigated their distinct aesthetic preferences to renovate their first home together, a 1,184 sq ft, 5-room resale HDB flat in Sengkang.
The wife favoured Boho Chic and Mid-Century Modern styles, while the husband preferred a more luxurious aesthetic. Despite these differences, their shared goal was to create a comfortable and relaxing space, with a key practical requirement being the incorporation of ample storage to maintain order and minimise stress.
They chose Sengkang to be close to their extended families in the Northeast region. The high-floor, corner unit offered the space they needed, along with good natural light, airflow, and privacy.
After thoroughly researching designers and gathering recommendations due to concerns over “horror stories,” they selected SG Interior Design. The couple praised the firm for approaching the project with an open mind, proposing solutions that merged their contrasting preferences and common requirements, rather than imposing a singular house style.
7. Home Tour: $110,000 Renovation for a young IT couple’s 5-room BTO along Sengkang East Drive
After a nearly six-year wait, IT professionals Melvrick Goh and Zhi Min Ong, a couple in their 30s, collected the keys to their 1,274 sq ft, 5-room HDB BTO flat at Sengkang East Drive.
As their first home, the couple briefed their designer, KS from Ovon Design, to create a space that could evolve with future life stages, specifically to accommodate starting a family later. For the present, the design focused on catering to the two of them and their passion for hosting.
To achieve this, KS proposed a key structural change: hacking the wall between two adjacent bedrooms to create one expansive common room that functions as both a study and entertainment area. The installation of a bi-fold glass door further enhances the open feel, ensuring the new combined space remains connected to the rest of the flat.
8. $400,000 Renovation for a banker & family’s semi-detached house in Serangoon
Self-employed Kevin Kho (39) and his banker wife, April Tan (40), embarked on an extensive $400,000 renovation of their fourth property, a 3,566 sq ft (land) semi-detached home at Lorong Ong Lye, which they moved into on 31 December 2024.
Though the wife was initially drawn to the house’s original Victorian structure and the husband preferred a modern look, they settled on a classic, timeless black-and-white design theme to ensure longevity.
The major overhaul, overseen by Shermin Lee, Deputy Director of Design 4 Space, was necessary to address existing structural issues, but also included significant reconfiguration to meet the needs of the couple and their two young children (aged six and three). Key changes included:
- Creating a dedicated entertainment and poker room on the ground floor.
- Relocating the wet kitchen to the old backyard.
- Combining two bedrooms on the first floor into a large master suite with a new walk-in wardrobe.
The couple also ensured the design was versatile, keeping built-in carpentry to a minimum to adapt to their children’s growing needs.
9. $115,000 Renovation for a young couple’s 4-room HDB along Punggol Drive
Interior designer-contractor Samuel Lee (Director of Atum Interior) and his wife, Pearlynn Chia, a quantity surveyor, faced the challenge of adjusting to the smaller 1,001 sq ft, 4-room HDB flat at Punggol Drive, having grown up in much larger units.
The couple, both 32, sought to integrate the familiar features of their childhood homes with modern comforts, focusing on a low-maintenance, relaxing, and timeless design that would endure for at least ten years. Samuel approached his own $115,000 renovation (including furnishings) with his professional mantra: prioritising intuitive, purposeful design, ergonomics, and spatial flow.
The project was extensive; nearly all non-load-bearing walls were hacked, and all finishes, except for some existing flooring, were replaced. The design also had to meet specific practical needs for their two dogs, Paisley and Mansa, including the use of less slippery floors and a system devised by Pearlynn to keep the dogs out of the kitchen and away from the main door.
Duncan Chew standing in his thoughtfully designed flat, a blend of personal memories and minimalist style.
10. $80,000 Renovation for a HR bachelor’s 3-room HDB resale at Sumang Walk
Duncan Chew, a 37-year-old HR professional and bachelor, renovated his 732 sq ft, 3-room HDB resale flat at Sumang Walk, Punggol, to create a relaxing, uncluttered home.
His design brief was for a minimalist interior but with a unique focus on the colour green, alongside the standard white, black, and grey palette. Working with MYD Pleasant Home Design, Duncan decided to completely gut and redo the entire flat, replacing the previous homeowner’s basic renovations to match his precise preferences.
The home’s distinct aesthetic is immediately evident in the green entrance foyer, which features pixel-effect floor tiles in varying shades of green. Custom-made full-height cabinetry in the same green laminate reinforces the theme. The space also incorporates a personal touch, displaying a collection of model aircraft from Duncan’s former career as a flight attendant.