$80,000 Star Wars Wabi-Sabi renovation for a 4-room BTO in Punggol Coast
What began as a casual interest for this couple evolves into a calm, wood-toned home where a built-in display becomes part of everyday life.
By Gwyneth Goh -
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Set between the living room and kitchen, the thematic display draws the eye with its softly textured backdrop and carefully lit silhouettes. At full scale, the trio of Star Wars figures carry a quiet intensity—instantly recognisable, yet held in check by the calm, wood-toned interior around them. Rather than dominating the space, they are carefully framed within it, allowing material warmth and clean lines to soften their presence.
“We’re not sure who influenced whom first when it comes to collecting,” the homeowners share. “Eventually, we moved on to collecting 1/6 scale figures because they look more impressive on display.” What began as a casual interest gradually became something more intentional, shaping not just what they collected, but how they chose to live with it—integrating these pieces into the home as part of their daily environment.
Who Lives Here: A couple in their 30s—JY, a photographer, and JL, a civil servant
Home: A 4-room BTO flat in Punggol Coast
Size: 1,000 sq ft
Interior Designer: Joleen Tan, Fifth Avenue Interior
What began as incidental encounters with Star Wars evolved into a shared passion, now woven into the way they live together.
Together, into a galaxy they grew
Beyond the initial impression of the space, it becomes clear that this is not simply a home designed around a theme, but one shaped by a shared journey. The couple refer to their home as “Tatooine Cove”—a quiet nod to the world that, over time, became part of their lives together.
“To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of sci-fi movies. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings—they were never my thing, and Star Wars wasn’t on my radar either,” JY shares. “It was only after I met my husband (then boyfriend) that I was introduced to the Star Wars films. I remember dreading episodes, with its nearly 2-hour-30-minute run time. I didn’t like it at first and found it boring and hard to sit through. After all, the first Star Wars film was released back in 1977—imagine the screen quality!”
But what began as reluctant viewing slowly shifted. “As I continued watching the episodes, I slowly got hooked. The first characters I fell in love with were the Stormtroopers, and of course, Darth Vader looked incredibly cool.”
For JL, the introduction came even earlier—and by accident. “His father had intended to buy a war-themed game, but since ‘Star Wars’ had the word ‘war’ in it, he brought it home instead. My husband was furious at first because it wasn’t the game he wanted, but he played it anyway — and that was how he first discovered Star Wars.”
The Star Wars figures stand alongside their everyday routines, reflecting how the couple’s shared interest gradually became part of daily life.
Over time, what began as separate, almost incidental encounters grew into something shared.
“One day, out of the blue, my husband pulled out a newspaper article dated quite a while back featuring some 501st Legion Stormtroopers… Singapore has its own chapter too. I asked him if he wanted to join, since it had always been something he wanted to do when he was younger. So, one day, he wrote an email to enquire about joining the Empire. From then on, our interest grew, and we became Star Wars fans together.”
That shared interest would eventually shape the home—not as a directive, but as something to be carefully interpreted. Working with interior designer Joleen Tan of Fifth Avenue Interior, the couple set out to create a space that could hold both their collection and their daily routines.
“My goal was not to create a literal themed space, but to interpret it in a more subtle and refined way,” Joleen explains. “The design focuses on balance… ensuring the home remains timeless while still reflecting the owners’ identity.”
“In a compact 4-room flat, space planning was definitely very crucial,” she adds. “I worked closely with the homeowners to understand their current and future needs, especially to accommodate three full-sized display pieces.”
A view through the corridor reveals the typical four-room layout—a compact footprint the couple chose for its location, knowing it was something they could adapt over time.
A matter of timing—and a little bit of luck
What drew the couple to this home was not a meticulously planned decision, but a sequence of events that, in hindsight, feels almost improbable.
They had applied for a Build-To-Order flat in 2019, setting their sights on either Tengah or Punggol Cove. With family located on opposite ends of the island—JL’s in Bukit Panjang and JY’s in Punggol—both options made sense on paper. But when it came down to everyday life, the realities of commuting and access quickly came into focus.
Daily routines unfold across the kitchen and living areas, reflecting the couple’s decision to prioritise location and liveability over layout.
“I couldn’t imagine having to take a bus from Tengah to Choa Chu Kang and then change trains just to get to my workplace,” JY shares. “When we compared the overall amenities and surroundings, we felt that a waterfront home in Punggol would suit us better.”
Even then, securing a unit was far from certain. “When the balloting results were released, it was disappointing. Our queue number was seventh from the back. The chances of getting a good unit felt almost impossible.” As the selection date approached, the units they had hoped for were steadily taken, one by one.
Eventually, they decided to attend the appointment anyway—more out of closure than expectation. “With our hearts pounding, the officer showed us the remaining available units. This unit was the last high-floor option left. We didn’t even spend much time studying the floor plan—we quickly secured it because another couple was eyeing the same unit.”
Even within a standard layout, small corners are shaped into moments of pause, showing how the home has been adapted to suit their routines.
In many ways, the decision was instinctive. The layout, they knew, could be adapted over time. Location, on the other hand, was fixed—and ultimately what mattered most.
Looking back, the process feels less like a carefully controlled plan, and more like a series of narrow windows that aligned at just the right time—a home secured by taking a chance when it mattered.
Daily routines unfold within a warm, wood-toned kitchen, where the display is integrated into the space rather than set apart.
Holding the balance
If the earlier parts of the home tell the story of how the couple came to share a common interest, the kitchen reveals how that interest is ultimately expressed. Rather than designing the home around a theme, the couple worked with Joleen to establish a restrained foundation—one that could support their collection without overwhelming the space.
“I chose warm wood and soft, earthy tones to create a calm base that complements the existing fixtures and aligns with the homeowners’ wabi-sabi preference,” Joleen explains. “This allows the collectibles to stand out without clashing.”
Dark wood cabinetry and soft lighting create a calm backdrop, allowing the Star Wars elements to sit comfortably within the overall palette.
That restraint becomes especially important in a home like this. “With bold elements like the Star Wars collectibles, it’s easy for the space to feel too themed or heavy,” she says. “So, I focused on balancing those statement pieces with a clean, neutral base, subtle textures, and controlled detailing.”
The effect is subtle but deliberate. The display is framed within the carpentry rather than treated as a focal showpiece, while smaller collectibles are placed along shelves and surfaces, appearing almost incidental within the broader composition.
Displays are recessed into the carpentry, giving the collection presence without overwhelming the room.
“Instead of being a separate display corner, it feels like a living part of the home,” JY says. “It also serves as a great conversation starter whenever friends visit. Guests are naturally drawn to it, and it gives us a chance to share the stories behind the costumes and collectibles.”
Built into the carpentry, the display remains organised and visually cohesive rather than cluttered. “We may refresh certain areas, reorganise our displays, or make small changes here and there, but the heart of the home will remain the same—a space that reflects our journey, memories, and interests as a couple, and in future as a family.”
Graphic prints are treated as part of the home’s broader visual language, reinforcing the Star Wars theme without dominating the space.
“With a neutral base, the loose pieces are treated as accents rather than the main focus,” Joleen says. “They act as ‘touch-and-go’ elements that add contrast and interest without overwhelming the space.”
Even the artwork follows this logic. Graphic prints featuring familiar characters are arranged with the same restraint as the rest of the home, their visual presence softened by the surrounding palette.
A common room is kept simple and relaxed, with soft toys and personal items bringing a sense of comfort to the space.
The lighter side of the Force
Away from the main living areas, the tone of the home shifts slightly, becoming more intimate, and in moments, more playful. A glimpse into one of the common rooms shows a collection of plush toys and personal objects, offering a different rhythm from the main living areas.
Even in the bathroom, the couple’s shared interest makes a subtle appearance. A Darth Vader toilet roll holder and a small Grogu print introduce a sense of humour, turning an otherwise functional space into something more characterful.
A Darth Vader holder and Grogu print add a cheeky touch to an otherwise functional space.
These touches are small, deliberate insertions—reminders that the home is not just curated, but lived in. If the main spaces reflect balance and restraint, these quieter corners reveal the couple’s personality more freely, adding moments of surprise without disrupting the overall calm of the home.
“We’ve been collecting since we started dating, which makes it almost 12 years now,” JY shares. “The temptation to buy Star Wars merchandise is still very real, even though we know we no longer have much space to keep everything!”
The epic display feature, planned early in the renovation, brings the couple’s collection into daily life—integrated, organised, and quietly central to the home they see themselves growing into.
$80,000 Renovation Cost
The renovation was completed over a few months, with the core works taking about three months. “This was made possible by planning the fabrication of the display feature early on, before the project started, allowing for smoother coordination and execution during the renovation,” Joleen shares.
Factoring in pauses along the way, including periods of travel and a more measured pace, the overall process stretched closer to five months.
For the couple, the time taken was part of ensuring the home came together thoughtfully rather than quickly. “Yes, we do see this as a long-term home. It was our first BTO flat, and we’ve invested a lot of thought, effort, and memories into making it our own,” JY says.
“Over time, this place has become more than just a house—it holds the story of our journey as a couple. Unless life circumstances change significantly, we hope to continue growing into this home for many years to come.”