A 30s lawyer & marketing director’s 5-room HDB resale in Bukit Batok
For their matrimonial home, this couple decided to go with two sinks and two hobs in the kitchen of their contemporary style home because it suits their lifestyle better.
By Lynn Tan -
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Who Lives Here: A couple in their 30s
Home: A 5-room HDB resale flat in Bukit Batok
Size: 1,216 sqft
Interior Designer: D’Interieur Design Private Limited
Lawyer Joshua and marketing director Li Yin’s house hunting journey was a very hands-on affair. Instead of engaging an agent, the couple, who are in their 30s, trawled the listings on property websites and contacted the seller agents directly.
After viewing about eight units, they finally decided on this five-room flat because it is private, has great views and is north-south facing. The Bukit Batok location is also in close proximity to their families. The only hitch was that the original asking price was on the high side, so they negotiated with the seller.
They had clear ideas as to what they wanted for their home and these were conveyed to Ginnie, a senior designer at D’Interieur Design Private Limited through a mood board and PowerPoint deck.
“We wanted to create a calm, refined atmosphere with an understated, hotel-like sense of luxury with neutral tones. The goal was a contemporary space with warmth and softness, achieved through wood tones and natural textures like travertine, textured plaster and carpentry details. We also incorporated a mix of clean lines and subtle curves to balance structure with comfort,” says Joshua.
Entrance foyer
As an avid shoe collector, Li Yin needed ample storage, which interior designer Ginnie managed to incorporate into the built-in carpentry to the right of the main entrance.
It extends to the ceiling, but is elevated off the floor to lighten the overall feel. It also integrates a niche seating with wood and soft lighting that is not only practical for wearing shoes, but also sets the tone for the rest of the home.
Kitchen island and dining area
“The island plays a very important role in the home. It is not just a feature, but really the heart of how the clients live,” interior designer Ginnie highlights.
The higher island forms a “T” configuration with the lower four-seater dining table. Extending the island into the dining space allows it to function as both a prep area as well as casual dining zone. This blurring of boundaries also reflects the couple’s preference for an open layout.
The choice of materials was also very deliberate. “We chose a travertine stone top dining table because of its smooth but also slightly rough natural texture and colour, along with the reclaimed teak wood legs,” homeowner Li Yin points out.
The original plan was to have a sink at the island, but that would have entailed complicated and extensive, not to mention costly works to sort out the plumbing. Instead, they decided to locate the sink on the counter behind the island, which ended up working out even better as that freed up the entire island for food prep and dining.
Wet kitchen
As the couple often cook together, the wet kitchen was designed around a His and Hers setup. Two cooker hobs- one gas and one induction enable them to prepare different cuisines simultaneously. There is also another sink in the wet kitchen in addition to the one near the island, which caters more to dishwashing.
A combination of open shelves and enclosed cabinets provide ample storage for a whole range of kitchen utensils and cooking implements. The couple are partial to curved edges and the rounded corners of the kitchen shelves echo that of the island and dining table, tying everything together cohesively.
An unexpected surprise presented itself when the partitions separating the wet kitchen and the service yard were hacked and the interior design team discovered that there was a ceiling height difference between the two areas. This resulted in having to redo the ceiling to ensure that they are in alignment, which contributed to some additional cost that was not anticipated.
Living room
Apart from being a place for relaxation, the living room was also designed to feel very personal. There are nooks and shelves to display the couple’s personal items, photos and memorabilia to create a space that truly reflects their lifestyle and experiences rather than just for styling purposes.
The custom-made, oversized rug was lovingly hand-tufted by homeowner Li Yin’s friend in Thailand.
Behind the sofa is a cosy sitting area that offers a different setting within the same living space.
Master bedroom
The master bedroom was extended into the adjacent bedroom to allow more space for built-in wardrobes. Storage is important for the couple, so they consider this a worthwhile trade-off as it significantly improved storage and organisation.
Master bathroom
The original swing door separating the master bedroom and master bathroom has been replaced with a dual purpose sliding mirror door to make better use of the space inside the bathroom. Just like in the kitchen, Joshua and Li Yin would have preferred two basins in the master bathroom.
However, space constraints meant that they had to decide between either having His and Her basins or a larger shower compartment. They eventually went with the latter, while still having sufficient vanity counter real estate and storage to ensure that the bathroom remains clutter free.
Common bathroom
A darker wood palette in the common bathroom creates a warm and cosy environment. To maximise storage within the compact footprint, Ginnie strategically incorporated wall shelves beside the mirror and also below the vanity counter.
$105,000 Renovation cost
The couple spent about $105,000 comprising $82,000 on the renovation itself, and another $23,000 on fittings. Furniture and soft furnishings added another $35,000. Here is a breakdown of the costs:
- Interior design costs: $6,439
- Electrical: $6,000
- Carpentry: $33,570
- Masonry and tiling: $13,069
- Sintered stone tops: $5,765
- Plumbing: $5,159
- Hacking: $4,260
- Glass Work: $3,960
- Painting: $2,100
- Ceiling: $1,810
- Kitchen backsplash: $1,500
- Partitioning and plastering: $1,510
- Flooring (vinyl): $1,350
- Aluminium and windows: $1,210
- Miscellaneous: $1,100
- Built in appliances (shower units, kitchen and toilet sinks, toilet bowl, taps, oven, built-in kitchen pull outs etc): $23,000
- Furnishings: $35,000
The project took about six to seven weeks to complete. “What we uncovered during the process was that doing house renovation requires patience, time and flexibility to make changes as unexpected scenarios arise,” shares homeowner Joshua. “We are very grateful that we met Ginnie, who was extremely professional and great during our renovation journey,” he adds.
The couple moved into their new home in November 2025. The move itself took about two weeks and it was both a process of decluttering, as well as figuring out what they needed in their new home. “We have been very happy living here so far and would definitely say that this home is a place that we see ourselves in for the next five to 10 years,” says homeowner Li Yin.