Home Tour: $108,000 DIY Renovation for a bachelor’s 3-room resale HDB in Serangoon

It takes gumption for a non-design professional to take on the challenge of designing his or her own home. This was exactly what marketing manager, Jeremy How did. “I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve with the house. Instead of discussing this with an interior designer, I decided to work with a trusted contractor to realise my vision,” he says.

With no formal design training, the 37-year-old prepared himself by browsing the myriad home design approaches online, which helped him to formulate the kind of space that he wanted to live in and build a mood board. Along the way, discussing his design thoughts with his partner also helped him to refine them further. Free design and modelling software such as SketchUp proved useful in building 3D models, so that he could better convey his vision to the contractor for this $83,000 renovation (inclusive of carpentry) project, plus an additional $25,000 for furniture and appliances.

Who Lives Here: A bachelor in his 30s
Home: A 3-room HDB flat at Serangoon Avenue 2
Size: 743 sq ft

3-Room Resale HDB in Serangoon

The 37-year-old resale HDB flat that he bought in 2023 was functional but showed signs of wear. The kitchen was also looking dated and had a weird layout. Jeremy decided to overhaul the whole apartment, which took about 10 weeks. In conceiving the design, he drew inspiration from a living space that he chanced upon online. This set the design direction for the flat - a statement piece against a backdrop of light, warm tones.

“I wanted visitors’ line of vision to be directed to the statement piece the moment they enter the house. Thus, I chose a light birch palette and I was conscious about keeping the number of lines in the carpentry work throughout the house to a minimum,” he explains.

Dining Room

With the existing walls separating the two bedrooms and the living and dining rooms demolished, what used to be compartmentalised spaces now form one large, multi-purpose, living area. The eye is immediately drawn across the space to a circular dining table.

The furniture within this sizeable space was deliberately kept to a minimum so as not to distract from the dining table. Spanning two metres in diameter, the table is wrapped around an existing column and was designed without leg supports to achieve a floating effect. Mounted on the column and hovering above the table is a Le Corbusier Lampe de Marseille wall lamp whose primordial conical forms heighten the simplicity of the space. “I wanted guests to approach the table intuitively for a seat. It is also where I work, eat, host and watch television at night,” shares Jeremy.

Full-Height Cabinets

Stretching 11 doors across the length of the space is a series of full-height, built-in cabinets. These are where Jeremy keeps his clothes, cleaning equipment, suitcases and other personal belongings out of sight. There is even a hidden bar behind two of those doors as he enjoys having friends over for gin during the weekends.

Short Throw Projector

On the opposite wall, a floating television console also doubles up as a shoe cabinet as it is right beside the main entrance. Instead of a television set, Jeremy went with a short throw projector to maintain a clean and minimalist look. The column facing the main door sports a raw cement finish to create some visual contrast.

Kitchen Design

The kitchen is a functional affair that continues along the fuss-free theme. Instead of a conventional door, Jeremy has opted for a curtain to screen off the master bedroom from the living area. It is sparsely furnished with a low bed frame, a side table and a lamp for ambient lighting.

Japanese Bathroom Design

Separated by a glass door and a wall, the wet and dry bathrooms were inspired by the bathrooms in Japanese museums. They feature Kit Kat white mosaic wall tiles, which Jeremy paired with terracotta floor tiles to ground the whole scheme.

DIY Interior Design

In designing the home, which he moved into in May 2024, Jeremy deliberately kept some parts of the interior empty for future refinements as he believes that a house should grow and mature with its owners. Selecting modular items around the home allows him the flexibility of switching them around or replacing them in the future.

Reflecting on his self-designed home renovation journey, Jeremy has this to say: “Without the help of an interior designer, I had to set the direction for every minor detail during the renovation process, such as the height of the table and the thickness of door frames and walls. It was important not to respond hastily, but to observe my living habits before deciding.”

He shares five tips for homeowners who do not have any design background and who are thinking of designing their own homes.

1. Expose yourself to a wide range of home designs before settling down on one.
2. Approach the process as a spatial experience instead of just aesthetics. Ask yourself how you want to feel when you enter this space.
3. As a non-professional, I may not be able to convey the design aspects and technical specifications clearly to my contractor. This is why it is important to work with a trusted contractor who can see your vision and help to translate and convey the different aspects to the different technicians.
4. Once renovation commences, try to be on site as frequently as possible so that you can answer any questions that the contractors may have on-the-spot.
5. Bring a swatch of the materials that you have chosen when shopping for furniture. This helps you to stick to a consistent colour palette especially when looking at mass market furniture.