Home Tour: $200,000 Peranakan renovation for a 6-bedroom HDB Executive Apartment in Bedok

The decision to move to a new home is not something many people take lightly. There is a familiarity and comfort in settling into a place, and knowing its ins and outs. For homeowners Leonard Koh and Zerline Tan, living in the Old Airport Road area offered much convenience. “We had a spoiled lifestyle. Old Airport Road has two MRT stations, countless food options and the Sports Hub,” Leonard, a cybersecurity consultant, laughs.

But their 5-room HDB flat was getting a little too small for their family. The couple have three teenagers, a helper and a dog. The Kohs’ house hunt was a rigorous one. They viewed an array of homes, from private apartments to landed homes and HDB units. They knew their home must be in the East area of Singapore. They needed easy access to public transportation for the kids. The family saw between 15 and 20 homes, but none felt right.

Homeowners Leonard and Zerline, a programme director, also considered how the space could be configured to meet the family’s needs. For example, while a HDB Maisonette would have three bathrooms and more floor area than their existing place, the layout offered less flexibility for their vision. When they chanced upon this HDB Executive Apartment in Bedok South, a 1,600 sq ft high-floor unit, it felt like a good fit. It offered space, natural light and good bones. What stood out for them was the cleanliness, surrounding area and amenities. Location wise, it’s close to the extended family.

Who Lives Here: A couple, 3 teenagers, helper, and a dog
Home: HDB Executive Apartment in Bedok South, high-floor unit
Size: 1,600 sq ft
Interior Designer: Dess Chew, the principal designer of Three-D Conceptwerke

Peranakan Interior Design

The family is also Peranakan and Catholic. They wanted to honour their culture and upbringing by incorporating Peranakan touches. “The original idea was to have it wabi sabi, but not the Japanese concept,” Leonard explains. “I like the kampung feel and what it stands for. So, I started off with wanting it industrial and then layer on the kampung feel. So, it’s not 100 per cent industrial or kampung. It’s homely. It’s like a kampung in the sky.”

Stainless Steel Kitchen

As the family would cook frequently, they wanted a full stainless steel kitchen for easy maintenance. They also often have extended family and church friends over, so they decided to have the dining area in the centre of the home, where they sit and get together.

“How you want the home to look and feel should be the by-product of how you want to use the space,” Leonard shares, explaining that they envision the family interacting and not being in their rooms.

Retro Bathroom Design

The couple chose to work with Dess Chew, the principal designer of Three-D Conceptwerke. Dess conceptualised a layout that offered the family practical solutions for their day-to-day needs woven with creative design ideas. “The two bathrooms have become four bathrooms to ease traffic. Each bathroom has three doors, and the shower and toilet areas can be closed individually,” Dess says.

Peranakan Bedroom Design

Formerly a home with three bedrooms and a study, it now has six bedrooms. These include a room for the helper and a guest room that doubles up as a playroom. This transformation came about from overhauling the existing layout. The interior design team changed the L-shaped kitchen into a rectangular one and reconfigured the dimensions of the bedrooms and study.

One bedroom eats into the balcony space, now level with the living area. Along this side of the home, the design team created a long corridor with desks by the windows. These desks sit outside the newly configured bedrooms, which can be closed off with doors and louvred windows.

Ventilation Blocks & Windows

Finding that balance between comfort, community, and privacy is vital for the family. Interior designer Dess studied how air and wind moved throughout the home. He included ventilation blocks and windows throughout the home. Black-framed doors close off spaces when the air-conditioning is on.

A key challenge for the design team was in scaling every individual room. Dess explains, “The measurements must be very accurate for the kids’ beds and wardrobes. The rooms and wardrobes are the same size so that all three kids will feel the balance. Everything is precise but not compromising.”

Customised Main Gate

The customised gate is a standout feature reminiscent of traditional shophouse wooden gates. Made of mild steel and powder-coated in Tiffany blue, it blends with the Peranakan style inside the home.

Homeowner Leonard says, “Homes are supposed to represent the owners. When you step into ours, you’ll know this is where Leonard and Zerline live. Every little thing comes together. It could be the kitchen because that’s where the cooking happens or the display cabinets where all the artefacts are. The last would be the altar, a 100-year-old hand-me-down from my grandfather. The panoramic windows in the main hall also represent us.”