Home Tour: $75,000 Wabi-Sabi renovation for a 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains
A home designed to be a relaxing retreat is not just a place to unwind and rejuvenate, but also helps to foster even closer ties among the extended family.
By Lynn Tan -
When the homeowners, a couple in their 30s working in education and healthcare, purchased this 5-room resale HDB flat in Edgedale Plains, they had a clear idea of what they wanted. Their vision for this new home, which they will share with their newborn son and the wife’s parents, is to create a serene and moody atmosphere characterised by muted tones and dark hues. With three generations under one roof, it should also be functional, yet stylish.
Who Lives Here: A 3-generation family of five
Home: A 5-room HDB flat at Edgedale Plains
Size: 1,100 sqf
Interior Design: Joann Yee, Senior Designer at Ovon Design
Living room in a 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains.
Dining area in a 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains.
Wabi Sabi Interior Design
They enlisted the help of Ovon Design’s senior designer, Joann Yee. “The clients knew that they wanted a Wabi-sabi theme and kept to the original layout, so we focused on the design and materials, and played around with the lights and colour palette to enhance the overall mood according to the theme,” she says.
The resale 5-room HDB unit was in good condition overall, but prior to embarking on the renovation works, she had to address a water seepage issue from the master bathroom that was leaking into the master bedroom.
Wabi-sabi interior design for a 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains.
Concealed Bomb Shelter
The household bomb shelter is a necessary evil that everyone wants out of sight and its location right beside the main entrance made it even more crucial for this project. Interior designer Joann concealed the household shelter door by making it look like part of a full-height shoe cabinet. With a baby in the house, rounded edges are an essential child-friendly consideration.
No built-in carpentry in the living room of this 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains.
Wabi Sabi Living Room
As the couple did not want any built-in carpentry in the living room, the challenge was to source appropriate loose furniture that would fit in with the interior style. The sofa, armchairs, coffee table and television console all have different designs, materials and colours, yet they come together cohesively.
Each piece holds its own, complementing one another rather than competing against each other, proving that not everything has to be matchy-matchy to be in harmony.
A statement travertine dining table fits into this 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains' Wabi-Sabi interior design theme.
Wabi Sabi Dining Room
The star of the dining room is a bespoke travertine dining table. The key was in finding the right dining chairs to go with it. It took the couple some time, but they eventually found chairs with a simple dark wood frame that contrasts with the light-coloured travertine, and a curved back that echoes the table’s elliptical base and rounded edges.
Kitchen island in this 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains' Wabi-Sabi interior design theme.
Kitchen Island
Being passionate about cooking and hosting guests, a kitchen island was high on the couple’s wish list. It would enhance efficiency and convenience in the kitchen as they can use it for food preparation or for a quick meal. Islands are popular with many homeowners, but over and above just being a nice-to-have feature, for this couple, they feel that a kitchen island is essential for their lifestyle and it would make the kitchen a central and enjoyable space for culinary activities. Taking cues from the dining table set, interior designer Joann paired a travertine-look sintered worktop with a dark brown wood laminate base.
Wabi Sabi Master Bedroom Design
A clean, resort inspired look with more dark wood laminates for the wardrobe doors and a black door and door frame in the master bedroom give the couple a cosy, retreat-like master bedroom that is conducive for rest and relaxation. A similar palette continues in the master bathroom with travertine-look tiles and a textured feature wall reminiscent of beach sand that evokes resort vibes.
Wabi Sabi-style bathroom in a 5-room resale HDB in Edgedale Plains.
$75,000 Renovation
The family moved into their new home in mid-2023 after a 12-week renovation that cost about $75,000 excluding furnishing. The couple agree unanimously that their favourite space is the living room because it not only reflects their style preference, but also fosters moments of tranquility and family togetherness, making it a cherished centrepiece within the home.
For interior design Joann, she is thrilled to be part of the family’s journey in transforming their dream home into reality. “The homeowners trusted me and we had an open and easy communication, which is very important. The rapport that we have felt more like friends than merely a client-designer relationship,” she shares.