Home Tour: A couple’s first home in a 5-room HDB resale in Sengkang

Like many couples, these young homeowners had distinct design preferences for their home. The wife leaned towards a boho chic and mid-century modern look, while her husband favoured a more luxurious aesthetic. Despite these differences, they shared a common goal: to create a relaxing and comfortable space.

This 5-room resale HDB flat in Sengkang is their first home together. The couple chose to live in Sengkang because their extended families live in the Northeast region. They also wanted more space and the 1,184 sq ft unit fit the bill. Additionally, the corner unit is on a high floor. It offers natural light and good air flow, in addition to privacy.

Recognising their style differences, the couple also acknowledged their practical needs. Both understood the importance of storage to maintain order. This consideration aimed to ensure proper organisation to minimise stress in the home, and it was a key factor in their design decisions.

The couple gathered recommendations from friends and family members who had positive experiences with their interior designers. “We wanted to make sure we could get a good interior designer because we heard a lot of horror stories,” says the husband. They also looked online before approaching a few interior designers.

“Some of the interior designers we spoke to had distinct styles. So, even though we suggested certain ideas, they inserted their style. With SG Interior Design, they came with an open mind and proposed according to our preferences and what we thought we liked together,” the wife explains.

Who Lives Here: A couple in their 30s
Home: A 5-room resale HDB flat in Sengkang
Size: 1,184 sq ft

They shared their brief with Nicholas Heng from SG Interior Design. “They had a different colour palette in their mood boards. The husband liked toned down colours and his wife liked vibrant colours. We needed to come to a common ground and try to satisfy everyone’s colour palette,” Nicholas shares.

Boho Chic Interior Design

As boho chic embraces loose furnishings, the interior design team combined a mix of loose and built-in furniture to meld the two styles. For example, a customised bench with storage space lines the wall in the dining area to complement dining chairs and a table.

Interior designer Nicholas introduced dark walnut colours throughout the home as a common thread to anchor the couple’s style and colour preferences. The kitchen, common bathroom and study also sport dark wood laminates for the storage solutions.

Dark Walnut Living Room

The dark walnut finishes also appear in the living area, namely, for the platform, divider, television console and ceiling fan. The main highlight is the entrance divider. It is fitted with reeded glass to allow light to flow through while ensuring they have privacy from the outside. It is also designed with a gap so that air flows throughout the space. The customised design was a result of research and innovation, where the interior design team scoured thousands of photos, whittled it down to a few hundreds and then proposed three designs.

Main Door Privacy Storage Unit

“When we were installing in, we created the gap carefully so that even when the neighbours were to walk past, they wouldn’t be able to see anyone sitting on the sofa,” Nicholas explains. The platform, too, has a customised storage unit that serves as a divider that blocks the view into the bedrooms.

Master Bedroom Design

The master bedroom and bathroom are where colours are let loose to cater to the wife’s boho chic style. A soft pink hue is awash on the wall above the half-height customised bed head.

The master bathroom has a teal green vanity and a curved mirror against kit-kat style mosaic tiles. A notable feature is the peninsula in the master bedroom that serves as a vanity table and storage. It suited their need for storage without taking up visual space or affecting the flow of natural light. The interior design team advised the couple closely on spacing to ensure that they would feel comfortable moving around the home.

4 Month Renovation

The couple moved into their home in May 2024 after a four-month renovation period. After living there for about a year, each has their favourite things about the home. The wife enjoys spending time relaxing on the platform. The husband says, “I like the way that it’s planned. It also makes the living and dining areas look brighter. It’s airy and easy to organise. We like the glass panel in the study too. From the outside, we can see if either of us is ready for meals or needs more time.”