Home Tour: $100,000 Renovation for a young Malaysian couple’s 5-room HDB BTO in Woodlands
For this pair of creatives, designing their own home was a personal and emotional journey, led by intuition and a deep focus on how the home would support the family’s lifestyle.
By Lynn Tan -
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Who Lives Here: A couple and their two children
Home: A 5-room HDB BTO flat in Woodlands
Size: 1,216 sqft (converted from 113 sqm)
Interior Designer: HG Design and Contracts Pte Ltd
Homeowners Tay Siew Wee and Wee Shae Ling have been living in Singapore since 2012. While they previously owned a home back in Malaysia, they have been renting a room in Singapore all these years. Purchasing this 5-room BTO flat was a dream come true.
The couple, both 34 years old, collected the keys to their new flat in 2023 and moved in with their two children- a six-year-old daughter and a son aged three in December 2023. Although the renovations were not completely done, they decided to move in earlier so that the kids can settle into their preschool.
Between shadow and light
As parents, they were mindful about balancing what they wanted as a couple with the needs of their young kids.
“One of the key challenges was balancing our preference for darker tones with the need to create a bright and comfortable environment that is more suitable for children. This required careful planning of lighting, material choices and spatial flow to ensure that the home feels warm and welcoming rather than heavy. Space optimization and storage planning were also important considerations to support everyday family living,” says Shae Ling.
They managed to strike a balance between shadow and light, where dark Scandinavian tones have been softened to create a nurturing and warm home for the kids to grow in.
Designers designing their own home
Homeowners Siew Wee and Shae Ling are both designers by profession. He is an interior designer at HG Design and Contracts, while she is a graphic designer at the same firm. Their expertise in design definitely came in handy when working on their own home as it made the decision-making process more effortless.
“We had a clear vision of what we liked and were very aware of proportions, flow and details,” she points out. It was also easier to communicate ideas across and to remain consistent in terms of the design language and palette.
However, on the flip side, as they are both creatives, there were instances when they did not always see eye to eye. When this occurred, they would focus on what felt right for their lifestyle and the kids in order to reach a compromise that addressed both the aesthetic and practicality aspects. “In the end, the process felt collaborative and the home truly reflects the both of us,” she shares.
Entrance foyer
The dark floor, door and carpentry laminates in the entrance foyer evokes a sense of stability and permanence that makes you feel grounded the instant you cross the threshold. Practical features such as a bench and a mirror provide a place for sitting down when putting on and removing shoes, and to check your appearance before leaving home.
Living room
As the family spends a lot of time at home together, the living room is about creating a warm and functional environment with soft lighting and materials that age gracefully.
The dark wood tones and neutral walls instill a sense of calm, complemented by rounded detailing in the television console and a circular coffee table that are child-friendly and which soften the overall look.
Dining room
The dining area and the kitchen are designed as one seamless space to maximise spatial efficiency.
The 4-seater dining table is an extension of the kitchen island with a dry pantry behind where the coffee machine is. Drawers below and cabinets above provide additional storage to hide any unsightly clutter and takes some storage load off the main kitchen.
Kitchen
The main kitchen strikes the perfect balance between shadow and light, combining deep toned cabinetry with lighter countertops and backsplash finishes.
Opting for a dark wood laminate for the drawers at the bottom and white cabinets at the top that continue up from a similar coloured kitchen countertop and backsplash has the effect of establishing a robust base that lightens toward the top.
Master bedroom
To create a more restive ambience, the master bedroom leans into a dark, cocoon-like palette with clean aesthetics, minimal fuss, soft textures and warm lighting that makes the room feel like a rejuvenating retreat at the end of the workday.
Wardrobe & vanity
The wardrobe and dressing table are designed as an extension of the sleeping area within the master bedroom. Everything is flushed and concealed without any protruding handles to ensure that the overall look is streamlined and seamless.
Master bathroom
A combination of stone finishes have been carefully curated to once again strike a balance between shadow and light. The bathtub was a priority for the couple. It was something that they have always wanted and they had one in their Malaysia home.
With HDB homes in Singapore being smaller, they recognised and almost resigned themselves to the fact that it would be a challenge trying to incorporate one into their master bathroom. But with some clever planning, they made it happen.
Children’s bedroom
The couple intentionally kept the built-in carpentry in the children’s bedroom to a minimum, so that the layout and the furniture can adapt to their changing needs as they grow. The focus here is to keep the space flexible and allow ample room for drawing, play and other everyday activities.
$100,000 Renovation cost
The renovation cost came up to about $100,000, excluding furniture and furnishings. With their own home, unlike when designing for a client, it was easy to overthink because every decision feels personal and permanent.
“Balancing our style preferences with practical considerations, especially for the kids, was definitely the trickiest, but also the most rewarding,” Shae Ling reflects.