Home Tour: $130,000 Renovation for a teacher’s 4-room resale in Sunset Way
In this thoughtful Sunset Way home, an educator reconfigured her resale HDB flat into a personal ode to family, function, and the quiet power of meaningful design.
By Sng Ler Jun -
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The educator, who prefers to go by ‘Ms Mush’, lived in this 4-room Sunset Way resale HDB flat for nearly two decades before deciding to renovate it in 2024. With the help of a young architect she selected, she spruced up her home with memorable keepsakes from her late mother, gifts from her diplomat father, and her favourite: a growing collection of cheeseboards.
Who Lives Here: Ms Mush - an educator, her helper, and 3 cats
Home: A 4-room resale HDB flat in Sunset Way
Size: 1,120 sq ft
Interior Designer: AR-Kee Design Studio
The cream-painted iron grille from Ms Mush’s childhood home, now a sentimental centrepiece at the entrance.
When Ms Mush first moved into her Sunset Way flat in 2006, she didn’t do much to it. “At that point, I had a very tight budget, so I didn’t really do a major renovation. I kept the terrazzo flooring,” she says. “I just spent money on rewiring and all that.” It wasn’t until 2024, after the passing of her beloved mother and the difficult sale of their 50-year-old family home, that she decided it was time.
“It was a new beginning for many of us,” Ms Mush, who has other siblings, says. “Now that our mother is not with us, and we don’t have that family home that we used to go to, I wonder: ‘How can I be reminded of the stories?’.”
This question became the compass for the months-long renovation journey. She would eventually collaborate with a young architect introduced to her through an old friend, also a lecturer, who happened to be his student. “Being a lecturer all my life, I have a soft spot for students,” Ms Mush says. “It’s a risk, but as an educator, you need to have faith in your students.”
The result is a deeply personal space that defies trend or template. Though some have casually described the home as ‘Peranakan’, Ms Mush is quick to correct. “It is not Peranakan,” she adds. “I wanted to keep my heritage evident. I would describe the home as fairly modern with a touch of nostalgia.” Her heritage, she says, blends Thai, Indonesian, and Singapore Malay roots.
The eclectic living area, anchored by patterned floor tiles and a plush green sofa framed by warm wooden accents.
A Nod to the Past
At the threshold of the home stands an elegant, cream-painted iron door grille, which Ms Mush holds in deep sentimental value. Once part of her childhood family home, it’s now a centre piece by intention. “We took away a part of the iron window grills from our old home and I want to keep this as a centerpiece,” she says. Flanked by wood panelling and open shelving filled with trinkets, the restored grille not only divides but frames the living area.
Beneath it lie several glass bottles of key chains, which belonged to her mother and were a gift from Ms Mush’s well-travelled diplomat father. “My dad traveled around a lot, and he would always ask my mom, what do you want? And her request has always been, bring me back some key chains,” she says wistfully.
Ms Mush in her living room, surrounded by keepsakes from her family and travels.
Living Room Design
The room’s palette is warm yet eclectic. Wooden accents take the form of a pair of asymmetric coffee tables and a low-slung frame that supports the plush green sofa. The patterned tile floor is inspired by traditional Peranakan ceramic tiles of old and adds rhythm and grounding to the home. There’s tactile richness in the living room, from the soft cushions and smooth tabletops to the matte tiles and more.
She lives with three cats, who trail quietly behind her between rooms and often curl up on the couch. “Even sitting here in the living room, I get reminded by the little things. It’s comforting to come back to things that bring back good memories,” she says.
A classic radio and collectibles styled on a vintage Singer sewing table.
Singer Sewing Machine
At the far end of the living room, a vintage Singer sewing table finds new life as a display for a classic radio and collected pieces.
A modest dining setup with a round marble-top table and dark wood chairs, echoing classic kopitiam style.
Dining Area Design
The dining area is intentionally modest, accommodating just two or three. “It’s me and my helper most of the time,” Ms Mush explains, so there was no need for a large dining setup.
Instead, a round marble-top table and a pair of dark-stained chairs keep things simple. Their silhouette and finish evoke the classic kopitiam sets, softly reinforcing the heritage thread she wanted to weave throughout the home. On the wall above, a framed rattan installation adds a handcrafted texture while a sculptural pendant lamp throws gentle shadows in the evening light.
The study, lined with turquoise shelves holding books, old cameras, and treasured gifts.
Study Room Design
Ms Mush transformed what was once the master bedroom into a study, switching its role with the second bedroom to create a more functional layout. To do so, she had to hack down the wall separating the two rooms. “I work very late and I spend a lot of time here,” she confesses, pointing to the singular, wooden table that anchors the space.
Her study is lined with custom cabinetry, the shelves painted a vibrant turquoise and filled with a mix of books, old cameras, and several wooden Babushka dolls. One of which was also a gift from her father after a trip to Moscow in the 1970s. “That was one of my first few doll gifts,” she says.
The master bedroom, softened with wood accents, a landscape painting, and a vintage red rocking chair.
Master Bedroom Design
Separated by a folding wooden divider, the bedroom sits just across the study, offering a softer, more tranquil counterpart to the workspace. The bed anchors the room centrally, flanked by built-in cabinetry on one side and a slim dressing table tucked into a niche on the other.
A landscape painting stretches above the wood-accented headboard, mirroring the horizontal lines of the cabinetry and window blinds. A vintage-style rocking chair, upholstered in deep red, sits at the foot of the bed, adding both personality and function.
The compact green kitchen, brightened by woven pendant lamps and terrazzo accents, opens into a warm and functional space.
Kitchen Design
Though compact, Ms Mush’s kitchenette punches well above its size: a bright, functional space where personality and practicality meet. Most of the cabinetry is painted a lively green, contrasted with off-white upper cabinets and grounded by a central kitchen island clad in warm wood and curved brass. Terrazzo backsplash tiles add texture, while a trio of woven pendant lights introduces a playful artisanal touch.
Her kitchen island and treasured cheeseboard wall.
Cheeseboard Collection
Across the kitchen island is her beloved cheeseboard collection, hung on a custom wooden rack which in turn transforms a stretch of the wall into a feature of its own. “I collect cheese boards,” she shares.
Vintage Corelle dishes and patterned ceramics neatly displayed in a glass-fronted cabinet.
Corelle Collection
A glass-fronted cabinet reveals a neatly stacked collection of vintage-looking Corelle dishes and patterned ceramics.
One could argue that Ms Mush’s home is about being present. Sentimentality and storytelling serve a purpose here. “I think I keep coming back to living stories,” she reflects. “When you’re surrounded by artifacts that tell stories, you continue the story. I think you relive those stories. And I think a home is not a home when there’s nothing that you can talk about.”