Home Tour: $260,000 Renovation for a real estate agent couple’s HDB Executive Apartment in Tampines
By Shannon Osztonits -
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What happens when a property agent stumbles upon a rare HDB apartment; a unit large enough to comfortably fit a household of eight…and located on the uppermost floor? You chase it, of course.
That’s exactly how this real estate agent couple landed this unique space, creaming the crop of the largest type of HDB housing you can find. As a family of six, a large space was non-negotiable. A space where the kids could grow up comfortably, and parents enjoy the convenience of the area for the foreseeable future.
“We invested quite a bit on the renovation, so that our family will be comfortable for 12 years. And why 12 years? By the time we finish primary school, which is within a certain distance from our house, my youngest will be 12 years old,” explains dad, Aaron.
Apart from being family-friendly, the idea of having an open-style home was at the top of their list. Walking through this timeless abode, there are no corridors. Instead, rooms are conjoined and centered around the massive living room.
“My wife and I love hosting friends and family, and when they come over to feel comfortable as well. So the whole design idea was basically to keep it as open as possible so that the communal space is big,” says homeowner Aaron. “Everything is connected to the living room. So it’s one rectangle. As a property agent, we like this kind of layout because it’s very functional and there’s no wasted space.”
The sun filters through the big bay window, adding natural warmth to the home’s elegant monochromatic palette. Purposefully chosen, the black and white colour scheme is to preserve its classic feel, no matter how many years pass by. This balances out seamlessly thanks to contrasting textures, as well as the white floor and ceilings.
Who Lives Here: A realtor couple with four children
Home: HDB Executive Apartment in Tampines
Size: 1,593 sq ft
Interior designer: Third Avenue Studios
The huge living room, dining area and dry kitchen lead seamlessly into each other. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Wanting to maximise the floor plan, the entire house was converted, replacing the 30-year-old tiles, changing wiring and piping, customising integrated, connecting “hidden” doors, and creating a clutter-free space through open design. It features four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Modern elements are added throughout, whether talking furniture, finishes, or this smart home’s operating system. The blinds, water heater, aircons, toilets, lights, etc., are all automatically set or activated by a sensor.
The open-concept living room with the L-shaped sofa. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Living Room
Personable, friendly, and social, Aaron is certainly in the right line of work. The 10-meter-long living room was a focal point during the renovation, especially for these homeowners who often work from home.
“My relationships and building memories are a core part of me…whether it’s family, friends coming over, my colleagues, or even my clients. That has been me since I was young, but yeah, I think being able to allow people to feel comfortable and me being comfortable with people is important. I’m helping people to buy homes and helping people to sell theirs. It’s a big part of not only me, but in my career as well,
This massive, open-plan living space features an L-shaped sofa, and the original area was enlarged. Not wanting anything to feel too tight, and with the main goal for a free-flowing, uncluttered living room, this area flows seamlessly into the dining room and dry kitchen.
The coffeshop-style countertop below the bay window. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Bay Window Table
Specialty coffee shop or professional home? Across one half of the living room wall, a gorgeous bay window extends over green vistas. A countertop was built and added below this. Doubling as a workspace for Aaron, it’s become a section where he often discusses business plans with clients.
The unobstructed views are fantastic, and it’s the perfect spot to sip on early morning coffee as the sun rises in front of you.
As Edwin’s (the interior designer on this project from Third Avenue Studio) favourite spot in the home, he wanted to make this a feature. A vibrant reddish terra-cotta colour, Sunday, was chosen from Cosentino for the countertop, creating balance against the darker tones. It adds extra character to the black and white vibes.
“I felt that this countertop kind of compliments that view,” tells interior designer Edwin.
The magnetic wall behind a part of the sofa. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Magnetic Wall Feature
One of the niftiest and most innovative features that Third Avenue Studio envisioned was a magnetic wall feature. Spreading across a black laminate wall parallel to the bay window, this magnetic strip is for the kids to display their favourite drawings, paintings, and school work. Its fine-matte black background reminds one of an old-school blackboard. It’s cleverly done because the magnetic wall disguises itself with the rest of the house.
The children are the heart of the home, and this adds a lovely, personal touch.
The open plan Dry Kitchen with its granite single-slab island. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Dry Kitchen
Apart from the living room, the communal dry kitchen is the part of this household experiencing the most foot traffic. The living room leads to an open-plan dining area and dry kitchen featuring a 2.7-meter-long island made from a single slab of Sensa granite from Cosentino.
To the side is a wooden wall, adding texture. Along here is the coffee machine and adornments, such as vintage car models. The dry kitchen cupboards stock mugs and glassware, and there is a fridge and microwave in this space, too. Opposite the island is the wet kitchen and pantry.
The Wet Kitchen. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
The idea of an island was indisputable; a place for the family to gather in the mornings and enjoy breakfast. Right in front of the island is the 2.7-meter-long dining table, custom-made with the precise measurements of the island — the one reflecting the other. Even though things didn’t go according to breakfast plans, and the kids prefer the dining room table, the island adds the finishing touch to the dry kitchen.
“I think from the first house to the second, it also reinforced that I needed an island because we like to host our friends, and I think having it there was a perfect spot. Because if there’s nothing there, then it feels a little too big and too empty,” Aaron explains.
The foyer area. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Foyer
Another key element that sold these homeowners was the apartment’s exclusivity.
“Basically, on the single level, there are only two units. It’s only me and my neighbour,” Aaron says with a matter of satisfaction and a smile.
As you open the main door, you’re greeted by a foyer with its funky dark sage green hexagon-shaped tiles. Previously, the foyer was a storage room, but Aaron and his wife, Cheryl, were set on a grand entrance. Ripping up the existing flooring, the tiles were replaced.
“I’m going to tell you something that you will not unsee once I do. Actually, the tiles look like turtle shells,” laughs Aaron. “When we went to the tile factory, we thought, hey, the shape looks very interesting. We wanted a little bit of a surprise with the house.”
The lift lobby area is reserved for Aaron and Cheryl, and their neighbour’s house.
The glass door front entrance from the elevator lobby. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
“We wanted the entryway to be inviting. We pushed everything back…allowing us to downsize the kitchen and also create a nice, large foyer area,” Edwin informs. “Another feature of the house is actually the main door, which is made of glass. We wanted the hallway to be more private.”
The open-plan Master Bedroom Ensuite. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Master Bathroom
Featuring all types of distinct spaces, the Master Bathroom ensuite is another.
“Something unique about our house is that the en-suite toilet in the master room is an open concept,” says Aaron. “The idea was to let the kids feel like we’re on a holiday at a hotel. Although they are at home. There are no walls for the toilet.”
The toilet walls were done away with, the shower area has a tinted dark glass wall, and the sink sits between the shower and toilet.
The Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom with its tinted glass panel shower. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
Morning school prep time is spent here, getting the kiddos organised and ready for the day.
The master bedroom is kept simple, but continues with the timeless monochromatic palette. The master ensuite takes up one side of the room.
The Master Bedroom. Image by Third Avenue Studios.
The design and planning process took 10 weeks. The renovation process was about 16 to 20 weeks, with a lot of carpentry and tiling work done. The homeowners moved into their home in August 2024.
As their second property renovation, and, of course, being in the property game themselves, Aaron left some insightful advice:
“It’s very important to find the right, or rather, a good and trusted interior designer or real estate agent to guide you through the home building process…because you trust their expertise, you trust them for their advice, you trust them for their recommendations. And I think it’s important to find the right one that suits your lifestyle, or rather your style, rather than finding the cheapest one.”
Through the use of space and colour, Aaron and Cheryl love their home. There’s balance, and the little details are well-thought-out and with intention. The end result is certainly a place to call home for the next 12 years.
“A lot of people ask why you spent a lot on your reno, but if you ask me up to today, sometimes, I’m sitting in the living room with my wife, Cheryl, and then we ask ourselves, is there anything that we could have saved on? And we look around and we say, no, actually, I will do it exactly the same,” finishes Aaron.