Home Tour: $85,000 Renovation for a family of seven’s HDB Executive Maisonette in Pasir Ris
Kids rule in this HDB Executive Maisonette that has its very own playground.
By Lynn Tan -
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Who Lives Here: A family of seven
Home: A HDB executive maisonette in Pasir Ris
Size: 1,456 sq ft
Interior Designer: Direct Contractor Pte Ltd
35-year-old technician, Ahzuan Ahzaharin, and his wife, Syafiqah Johan, who is 33 years old and works in customer service live by the mantra, “Happy kids, happy parents”. Everything that they do, they do it for their five children- three boys aged eight, seven and four, and two girls aged five and two.
The decision to move out of their four-room BTO flat in Sengkang was to give the kids more room. They were initially looking for an executive apartment, but when their agent invited the family to view this executive maisonette, they fell in love with it, especially the children and that sealed the deal. “It was a tough decision for us based on our finances, but for the sake of our kids, we are willing to go the extra mile to give them a good life in Singapore,” says Ahzuan.
Foyer
Working with Direct Contractor, they designed the space beside the main entrance as a foyer that is also part of the play area. A settee installed against the wall below the window along the corridor provides a seating area for wearing shoes, as well as to supervise the kids when they are playing. A hidden shoe rack built into the settee offers storage for shoes.
Play area
It was the children’s dream to have a slide and playground at home, and that was exactly what their doting parents did. The foyer space at the foot of the staircase has been transformed into their very own playground at home complete with a slide, rope swing, climbing ladder and ceiling-mounted monkey bars. The pops of colour in the playground elements inject a fun and cheerful touch to the neutral coloured interior.
Kitchen and dining
The kitchen and dining area take open concept design to the extreme. There are no walls surrounding the kitchen and dining area, which takes the form of a long, standalone island. The end nearer to the main entrance is a dining counter and it continues as a kitchen counter that extends all the way to the balcony end of the apartment.
The design addresses a myriad of needs and constraints. The island integrates an existing column and pipes in the middle of the apartment, giving it an anchoring effect. The generous length of the island provides ample counter space on top and incorporates much needed storage shelves and cabinets below. The open layout allows Syafiqah to keep an eye on the children while she is busy prepping or cooking in the kitchen. It also makes cleaning a breeze, which is a plus for a busy working mother of five.
Living room
The couple’s priority was to have the apartment as spacious and open as possible to maximise space for the kids and to minimise cleaning. They did not have a fixed style in mind. “It is more of a mix and match based on what we like and what we think is nice and suitable for the kids with the help of our contractor,” says Syafiqah.
The living room conveys the warm and family-friendly vibe of the home that promotes comfort and togetherness. A combination of seating in the form of a sofa and beanbags and cushions placed over a rug provide different options for the adults and the kids to suit their moods and the activities.
Balcony
Ahzuan and Syafiqah love the outdoors and their balcony area was designed to bring the outdoors into their home. It is their favourite space in the home because it is filled with plants that manifest life and calmness. It is where the couple relaxes and enjoys an unblocked view of the surrounding greenery.
Bathroom and laundry area
With their busy schedules juggling the demands of work, kids and the household, areas such as the bathroom and laundry corner have been designed with practicality in mind to make everything as efficient and fuss-free as possible. Keeping to a monochromatic palette, the bathroom balances functionality and aesthetics. The pipes have been painted black and complement the black shower fittings. Stacking the dryer above the washing machine minimises the space requirements and makes the most of a narrow corner.
Master bedroom
A sense of calm permeates the master bedroom on the second storey, which has a view of the greenery outside. The couple have chosen to keep things clean and simple to create a tranquil space where they can unwind after a busy day.
Kids’ bedroom
For the children’s room, they have opted for mostly loose furniture so that it can be adapted to meet the kids’ growing needs at different stages of their lives. The key is to keep things flexible and casual, but fun at the same time.
There were some challenges in ensuring that the measurements for the tall balcony window were accurate and there were some delays in securing the necessary permits for works related to the window, but they were ironed out eventually and the family moved into their new home in May 2025 after a 10 to 11-week renovation. The renovation cost came up to about $65,000, with an additional $20,000 for furniture and appliances.