$61,000 Renovation for a 30s couple’s 5-room BTO in Tampines
This couple’s home is like a little house of curios filled with quirky objects and family heirlooms that weave together stories from the past, which form an integral part of the couple’s unfolding story.
By Lynn Tan -
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Who Lives Here: A couple in their early 30s and their cat
Home: A 5-room HDB BTO flat in Tampines
Size: 1,216 sqft
Interior Designer: The Creative Studioz Pte Ltd
Maverick Khoo and Zoey Wong applied for their matrimonial flat during the Circuit Breaker in 2020 and hit the jackpot on their first attempt. They spent the next five years collecting and curating the things that they wanted to fill their home with.
“From art pieces to the types of furniture that we loved, we slowly pieced things together bit by bit, forming a quiet vision of what our home could one day be,” says 32-year-old Maverick, who is a IT contract recruiter.
They wanted a Mid-Century Modern interior design style, but with a twist - one that is personalised around their unique preferences and tastes, as well as the art and pieces that they have collected over the years.
To Maverick and Zoey, these are not just decorative additions, but an integral part of their home narrative. As an embroidery, floral and botanical artist, 33-year-old Zoey’s creative influences naturally shaped the home, inspiring its colours and textures and breathing life into the spaces.
Their search for an interior designer did not get off to a good start. None of the designers that they met with felt right and there was no connection. Worse still, they were made to feel like the designers were imposing their own ideas on the couple’s vision.
The Creative Studioz Interior Design
Until they found Albert Ng, a senior designer with The Creative Studioz through a Google search for interior design firms in Toa Payoh where the couple used to live. “Right from the start, we felt the chemistry. Albert was meticulous and genuine, with great foresight and practical, but wonderful ideas.
Most importantly, he listened carefully to all our concerns and requests, which made us feel truly heard. It was refreshing to work with someone who shared our excitement, especially since this was our first home together,” shares Zoey.
Living room
The home was intended to bring family and friends together, so the living room, dining room and kitchen were designed with this in mind.
The living room is Maverick’s favourite space in the home because this is where his PlayStation 5 is set up with his 86-inch television, along with an incredibly comfortable sofa. They had originally planned on getting the sofa custom made, but ended up finding one that was a perfect fit for the living room.
The wood vinyl flooring gives the space a warm and cosy ambience. Albert chose this for its clean and modern aesthetic, coupled with durability and easy maintenance.
Dining room
At the heart of the dining room is a long dining table where friends and family can gather over food and conversations. Instead of the usual artwork on the wall, the couple has chosen to hang a window grille from Maverick’s grandmother’s first-generation HDB flat in Toa Payoh that has seen four generations of the family pass through its doors.
Its quiet presence in the home is imbued with memories from Maverick’s childhood and also during his National Service days when he moved in with his grandmother as his family was living in Qatar then.
“Now that she has passed on, bringing this window grille into our home feels like carrying a piece of her with us. Even though it no longer serves a practical purpose, it stands as one of the most meaningful reminders I have of her and the home that shaped so many of our family memories,” shares Maverick.
Kitchen
The kitchen backsplash exudes a distinctly Middle Eastern flair, which reflects the time that Maverick and his family spent in the Gulf.
Further heightening the contrasting palette are the black-and-white colonial style floor tiles. To balance things out, Albert kept the countertop simple with stainless steel that combines practicality with a sleek, contemporary aesthetic.
This is Zoey’s favourite space where the couple spend a lot of time cooking and creating new dishes together. “There is something very comforting about the kitchen and it has naturally become the heart of our home,” she points out.
Yard
A washer and dryer placed side by side in the yard area with a generous work surface on top maximises convenience and spatial efficiency.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is designed as a comfortable and relaxing sanctuary for the couple. Ceiling mounted pendant bedside lamps provide soft and focused lighting for reading.
“The combination of warm lighting, functional wardrobes and a calm colour palette create a cosy and restful atmosphere,” Albert explains.
Master Bathroom
A dark green olive colour palette paired with wood elements give the master bathroom a warm and calming environment for winding down after a long day.
The floor tiles continue into a half height parapet wall with glass on top that separates the shower compartment while maintaining a seamless flow within the compact space.
Common Bathroom
The common bathroom adopts a different design from the master bathroom. Burnt orange, brick-toned wall tiles combined with a warm maroon coloured ceiling inject a more vibrant energy into the common bathroom. Instead of a regular glass enclosure, Albert designed a glass block wall to divide the wet and dry areas.
Curios Collection
A huge part of the home design revolved around the couple’s collection of art and quirky pieces. Preserved hair, teeth, ostrich eggs and other curious objects from Zoey’s collection sit alongside Maverick’s family heirlooms such as his grandfather’s vintage trunk and his grandmother’s armchair.
“Rather than decorating first and filling in the gaps later, we allowed the things we collected to guide the overall direction, using them as statement pieces that give the house its character,” Maverick highlights.
Among the couple’s favourites are two sculptural works inspired by Vincent van Gogh and René Magritte’s The Son of Man.
$61,000 Renovation Cost
The renovation cost came up to about $61,000 and they spent an additional $20,000 on furnishings and appliances.
Most of their furniture was sourced directly from China, which helped the couple to manage costs and stay within budget. They even made a trip to Foshan, China, to visit the furniture warehouses. This allowed them to explore the options available and have more confidence in selecting what was suitable for their home.
New addition
The renovation took about two months to complete and the couple moved into their new home in August 2025. Since then, they have welcomed a new addition to the family- their Maine Coon and British Shorthair mix, Kabbage.
As many of the pieces around the home were collected over the course of waiting for their BTO and resonated deeply with the couple, when they moved in after the renovation was completed, everything seemed to fall into place almost immediately. “It was as if the home had been waiting for us all along,” says Zoey.
They also believe that a home is always a work in progress and are still constantly adding new pieces and shifting things around. As they move through different stages of life, the home evolves alongside them and it reflects who they are and who they are becoming.
“A home does not come together overnight. It grows slowly with us, shaped by memories, experiences and the little moments that we share each day,” Maverick emphasises. “In the end, home is where the heart is and our hearts are here,” he concludes.