Home Tour: $350,000 Renovation for a 50s bachelor’s HDB Executive Maisonette in Pasir Ris

Homeowner, David Ng has always had an interest in space planning. While his job as associate director in a façade consultant firm in China is not directly interior design-related, it does entail similar design and construction aspects. These were what motivated the 50-year-old bachelor to design his own home, an executive maisonette in Pasir Ris, which he shares with his parents. “I also have a lot of stuff to display, thus I thought it best that I design the home myself because I know my needs best,” he adds. 

He undertook all the layout planning, furniture and carpentry placement, colour scheme, material selection, carpentry design, dimensioning and sizing himself, but roped in interior design firm, Rezt+Relax to assist with finetuning the design. Apart from advising David on the feasibility of his design, the firm also helped with producing shop drawings and 3D renderings, and executed the renovation works. The whole project from design to completion took about 18 months and it involved working and communicating very closely with the interior designer, which David reveals is probably the most “tedious and frustrating process faced during the entire project”. 

Who Lives Here: A bachelor in his 50s and his parents
Home: An executive maisonette in Pasir Ris
Size: 1,603 sqf
Interior Design: Rezt+Relax

Amethyst Collection

Stepping into the home, it is apparent that David is an avid collector. Amethyst crystals of all shapes and sizes are displayed on an L-shaped shelf facing the main entrance. Apart from showcasing his collection, the shelf also serves a Feng Shui purpose to prevent any bad luck from entering the home, as well as circumventing direct view into the unit. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of his extensive collection comprising amethyst crystals, rare stone figurines, stamps and Absolut Vodka bottles is displayed all around the 2-storey apartment - on shelves, in glass-enclosed cabinets, above the television console, on the ledge behind the bed and even on the floor. He dedicated much time and effort into integrating these items into the home, down to the specific dimensions and lighting requirements for each of the cabinets. 

By repositioning the balcony door, David was able to extend the living room footprint to accommodate a four-seater sofa. This was a justifiable move considering the living room is where he spends the most time with his family. “I love this space as it has a view of many other parts of the home, including the balcony, main entrance, dining room, staircase and dry kitchen,” he points out. 

Nature-inspired interior design

As a nature lover who has to spend most of his working life in built-up cities, David wanted to incorporate natural elements such as wood textured materials, natural stone wall features and artificial greenery into his home. The balcony adjacent to the living room is a light-filled, double volume space that offers a reprieve from the urban environment. With its artificial vertical green wall that extends up to the second storey, timber-look flooring and ceiling, and a beautiful resin counter table featuring a beach and seascape, the balcony is where he can feel closer to nature while enjoying a glass of wine and the cool breeze. 

The dining room was extended to fit a dining table that can convert into a pool or table-tennis table. This is David’s favourite piece of furniture, one that he associates with feasts, fun and games shared with family and friends since moving into his new home in November 2023. The kitchen next to the dining room is his mother’s domain, so he left the colour and material selection to her. A peninsula island offers an alternative spot for a light meal or a quick breakfast and doubles as a bar counter. 

Bronze Master Bedroom Design

His parents occupy the original master bedroom, which is decked out in a gold-bronze colour theme, with an attached bathroom. The remaining two bedrooms and the common bathroom on the second storey have been reconfigured into David’s bedroom, attached bathroom, walk-in wardrobe and study.

Its dark wood palette, dark grey marble bathroom wall with dramatic gold veins, a freestanding bathtub and integrated track lighting in the walk-in wardrobe exude the ambience of a luxury hotel suite. An elevated platform bed offers additional storage below, while a projection screen with a Harmon Kardon sound system provides David with a cinematic experience right within the walls of his own bedroom.      

$350,000 Renovation

The self-designed home, which saw the 36-year-old flat gutted, was no mean feat. Some internal walls were hacked, spaces reconfigured, and all the existing flooring, doors, windows, carpentry, bathroom and other fittings were replaced.

The whole interior was rebuilt to the tune of $350,000, which may seem like a princely sum, but homeowner David considers the money well-spent. “The home is for my retirement as I have no intention of moving anymore. This is why I designed the house to accommodate all my needs and why I was willing to spend this amount on the renovation and invest in durable materials and finishes,” he shares.