Home Tour: $120,000 Modern Scandinavian renovation for a 3-gen 4-room HDB in Ubi

Purchasing a first home together is a significant milestone in every couple’s journey. For 38-year-old sales engineer, Mak King Hang, and his wife, Dangchat Thanatporn, a quality analyst who is 43 years old, moving into their new home is even more momentous as they have a three-generation family in tow. This includes their two children - a boy and a girl aged 10 and two respectively, King Hang’s father and a helper. 

Who Lives Here: A family of five 
Home: A 4-room HDB flat at Ubi Road 3
Size: 990 sq ft
Interior Designer: Clarice Tay, founder of Concept Theory Studio

When designing a 4-room HDB flat to accommodate an extended family, maximising space and storage is naturally a priority for Clarice Tay, founder of Concept Theory Studio. Style wise, King Hang says: “We wanted a more contemporary design and Clarice was able to advise us on the design layout, colour scheme and materials.” It was also important for the family that the buddha altar be seamlessly integrated into the design. 

Modern Scandinavian Interior Design

With this brief in mind, interior designer Clarice proposed a modern Scandinavian design that integrates wood and marble, complemented by fixtures and accessories with metallic finishes. “The homeowners like wood and marble, so I decided to combine them as there is something luxurious about mixing veined marble with rich woodgrain. Despite one being warmer and the other being colder, pairing these two contrasting materials together strike a perfect balance and can create a dramatic effect,” she explains. 

Privacy Main Gate

As the family likes to have their main door opened for better natural ventilation, interior designer Clarice designed a new entrance gate that would ensure their privacy. Angled members at the top section of the black metal gate prevent passersby from looking into the home without cutting off natural light and ventilation. The different patterns at the bottom create an interesting look and serves as a welcome gesture. 

Full-Height Cabinets

Full-height storage cabinets at the entrance foyer continue in an ‘L’ configuration into the living room. Apart from providing ample storage, the cabinets also help to conceal the household shelter. Whilst prioritising storage capacity, interior designer Clarice was also mindful about not encroaching too much into the entrance foyer walkway. As the space allowance beside the main door was exceptionally shallow, she angled the shoe cabinet shelves in order to minimise the depth of the cabinet. 

Living Room Carpentry

For the built-in carpentry in the living room, interior designer Clarice worked in a combination of closed cabinets and open shelves so that the family can display their personal items, including space for the altar. With a large family and young kids, the more storage, the better, so even the television feature wall has cabinets and drawers at the top and bottom. Functionality aside, the wood and marble panelling complement the home’s aesthetics.   

A full height tinted bronze mirror on the dining room wall helps to give an impression of a larger space. A trio of metallic pendant lights above the dining table anchor the space and adds to the warm and cosy ambience. 

Peninsula Kitchen Island

A peninsula kitchen island separates the dining and kitchen area while still maintaining an open concept feel. It is used as a breakfast counter and incorporates additional storage underneath. Stools with metallic frames echo the dining pendant lights. The existing wall between the kitchen and yard was demolished and interior designer Clarice extended the kitchen cabinets all the way to the yard.

Grey laminates dominate the kitchen, with a pop of colour and texture by way of wood tiles on the backsplash. Marble quartz counter and island tops reinforce the wood and marble theme throughout the home. LED lights built into the top cabinets illuminate the countertop. Electrical outlets are concealed from view to achieve a clean and clutter-free look. “I proposed a bi-fold door at the L-shaped corner of the bottom cabinet so as to utilise the ‘dead space’ that many homeowners struggle with,” Clarice points out.   

Wood and Grey Master Bedroom

The wood and grey palette continues in the master bedroom. The wardrobe doors are clad in grey laminates with a sliver of wood peeking out from behind recessed handles. As per the homeowners’ request, one of the wardrobe compartments has a black tinted glass door with built-in LED lights where the missus can store and display her handbag collection. Interior designer Clarice went with a darker colour scheme in the master bathroom to create a more modern look and also for easier maintenance. 

$120,000 Renovation

The renovation took about 2.5 months and the cost came up to around $120,000 including furniture and appliances. The family moved into their new home in March 2023 and homeowner King Hang has this to say: “We enjoy having elements in the home that resonate with our tastes, colours that evoke a sense of calm or energy depending on the room, and furniture that balance functionality with aesthetic appeal.”

Interior designer Clarice believes that every design begins with a concept and that every client has a new story to tell. “This project is tailored to the homeowners’ lifestyle and preferences to create an aesthetic yet functional space to live in. We believe good design is timeless, able to defy the limits of time and shifting trends, and that function and aesthetic can co-exist.”