Home Tour: $25,000 Cafe-style renovation for this 4-room HDB BTO flat in Punggol

Every weekend, newlyweds Lee Jia Yong and Jean Ho visit cafes to enjoy a cuppa and brunch. In fact, the couple love cafes so much that they designed their 4-room HDB flat in Punggol to look like one.

With the help of an interior designer, Mr Lee, a financial analyst, and Ms Ho, did up their marital home in the industrial style. Many of the cafes that caught their eye had the industrial theme as well.

They also felt the style was unconventional and that it gave the apartment character. Ms Ho, who works in media sales, says: "We're both quite sporty and we enjoy the outdoors, so I think we can identify with the rawness of the style too."

Punggol HDB BTO flat

Their 990 sq ft HDB Build-To-Order flat features a television shelf in the living room made from recycled pallet wood and black piping.

The wooden dining tabletop is held in place by black metal frames suspended from the ceiling, with exposed lightbulbs hanging over the table.

The couple say the dining area is their favourite spot because it feels like a cafe.

"We like cafes because they are very cosy and we like to sit there, talk and enjoy each other's company," says Ms Ho, adding that some of their favourite cafes include Chye Seng Huat Hardware in Tyrwhitt Road and Whisk & Paddle near the Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk.

Open-concept kitchen

The open-concept kitchen, which Ms Ho says makes the living room looks more spacious, has wood-laminate cupboards with black metal netting for some doors and an exposed kitchen hood.

A chalkboard panel is reserved for Mr Lee's drawings.

Walk-in wardrobe

The couple's walk-in wardrobe occupies one bedroom. Ms Ho decided on an open wardrobe instead of a conventional built-in one as it would make the room more spacious.

"The beauty of having an industrial-themed home where everything is exposed is that it forces you to keep everything tidy so that there's no eyesore," she says. "Not only will the apartment appear bigger than it is, but it will also be easier to clean."

Industrial-style decor

But the couple - who married in April and moved into the flat in October 2016, after a 4-month renovation that cost $25,000 - were mindful not to go overboard with the industrial decor.

The flat's minimal palette - the walls are white and the furniture is in varying tones of grey - prevents the look from being too overwhelming.

Nautical design for master bedroom

They have also done up the master bedroom in the nautical style, complete with a blue-and-white striped feature wall, a porthole-inspired mirror and a decorative ship anchor on the wall.

The couple had not originally planned for the nautical theme in their bedroom, but they arrived at the idea after picking out a navy and white bed frame while shopping.

Mr Lee says: "I wanted something more tranquil as the industrial theme may not make a conducive environment for a good night's sleep.

"The nautical theme is quite uncommon and I think our friends and family liked it. Many of them said it was special because it stood out from the rest of the house."

This article was first published in The Straits Times.