Home Tour: $80,000 Renovation for an insurance & civil servant couple’s 5-room HDB in Woodlands

When renovating their new home, apart from the usual requests involving aesthetic styles and practical considerations, homeowners Christopher Loh and Cindy Kek also had a list of Feng Shui requirements.

These applied to multiple aspects of the home design - from the colour scheme and distance between certain elements, to the suitability of a particular room for a specific function and even choice of appliance.

While these may seem restrictive to work with, E+e Design and Build senior designer, Cedrick Law, took all these in his stride. “Despite the Feng Shui parameters, the homeowners were very open to ideas and easy to work with,” he comments.

The home is a combination of Scandinavian, Wabi Sabi and Japandi aesthetics. The couple have a preference for a cream and beige colour scheme, stone materials and raw finishes. “Our vision was to create an aesthetically pleasing home with a soft look that is also child friendly,” says 32-year-old Christopher who works in insurance.

Who Lives Here: A couple and their young daughter
Home: A 5-room HDB flat at Champions Way
Size: 1,216 sq ft
Interior Design: E+e Design and Build senior designer, Cedrick Law

Entrance Foyer Feature Wall

A feature wall was introduced at the entrance foyer to conceal the household shelter and DB box. Interior designer Cedrick selected limewash laminates to create a raw yet calming vibe. A settee on one side screens the kitchen from direct view while providing a place for putting on and removing shoes, as well as some open shelves for display.

“Feng Shui dictated that our shoes storage cannot be higher than waist level, so Cedrick provided us with some low storage concealed within the DB box, as well as behind the living room,” explains Cindy, a civil servant who is 31 years old.

Living Room

Rounded elements abound in the living room, from the curved television console to the wavy feature wall behind the Commune sofa. These are not just for their child-friendly properties, but also to maintain a softer vibe.

Full-Height Mirror

A full-height mirror forms an L-configuration with the built-in shelves and cabinets behind the living room. It faces the living room window as this is believed to help attract wealth into the home. Feng Shui reasons aside, this mirror is also a hit with homeowner Cindy and their daughter. “It allows me to play and interact with her in many ways and it never ceases to amaze her,” she shares.

Dining Room

The dining room and kitchen are one large, open concept space centred around a kitchen island and dining table arranged in a T-shaped configuration and at two different heights. The couple’s search for a dining table proved futile, so they had interior designer Cedrick custom design one for them using a similar top for both the dining table and the kitchen island.

This is homeowner Christopher’s favourite space in the home as it marries form and function. “I love sitting here and enjoying my coffee and food while having an overview of the living room where my wife and daughter would be,” he says.

Dark Oak Kitchen

Due to Feng Shui reasons, a darker shade of oak was selected for the kitchen compared to the lighter oak in the living room. “Intentionally using a darker wood laminate for the kitchen also helps to differentiate it from the rest of the home,” interior designer Cedrick points out. Other Feng Shui considerations included going for an induction cooker instead of a regular gas hob, and locating the kitchen sink a certain minimum distance away from the induction cooker.

Master Bedroom

In the master bedroom, the bed, headboard, side table, vanity table, mirror, display shelves and wardrobe can almost be perceived as one integrated L-shaped unit.

The wraparound gesture creates a cocooning feel around the bed, complemented by darker laminates and rounded corners that add to the cosiness.

Bathroom

For the bathrooms, interior designer Cedrick has gone with the “keep it simple” mantra, opting for finishes with a raw texture and stone appearance.

Kids Wallpaper

Wallpaper depicting animals in a jungle setting give the daughter’s room a fun and whimsical touch.

Home Office

Although there are three bedrooms in the home, this room also doubles up as the couple’s study room with a dedicated work desk and shelves as it was identified as the most auspicious spot in the house for doing work.

$80,000 Renovation

The family moved into their new home in September 2024 after a nine-week renovation that cost about $80,000.