Home Tour: $30,000 Contemporary Scandinavian renovation for a couple’s HDB flat

As the afternoon sunlight streams through floor to ceiling windows, it bathes the open-concept living area in a warm, golden glow. This thoughtfully renovated HDB flat stands as testament to how beautiful design doesn’t necessarily require breaking the bank. Space Factor helped them narrow down their many ideas, and keep in line with their $30,000 budget.

The couple chose to have a contemporary Scandinavian look with some industrial elements. This meant creating a soothing palette of wood tones, whites and greys throughout the home, with furnishings in light colours and clean lines.

The careful curation of this aesthetic extends from the larger architectural elements down to the smallest décor pieces, creating a cohesive design language that flows seamlessly from room to room. Natural light bounces off pale walls, amplifying the sense of spaciousness that characterizes authentic Scandinavian design principles.

Feature walls

To jazz up the spacious HDB flat, the interior designers at Space Factor added a bar counter and decided to play with wall textures, creating two standout features. In order to keep within the allocated budget, the designers stayed away from expensive materials and used paint to create the effects they wanted.

The textural elements provide visual interest and depth without the hefty price tag of premium finishes, demonstrating the designer’s skill in maximizing impact while minimizing expenditure – a critical consideration in Singapore’s affordable housing renovation projects.

Metal feature wall

One of the feature walls, in the living room, for example, sports imprinted surfaces that look like metal plates riveted to the wall, says the designer. It was then painted a soft grey. When guests gather in the evening, this textured backdrop creates fascinating shadow play as ambient lighting hits its varied surface.

What appears to be industrial-inspired metalwork is actually a clever trompe l’oeil effect that adds character without compromising the overall Scandinavian aesthetics. This balance between industrial edge and Nordic simplicity creates a living room that feels both contemporary and timeless within the modest HDB footprint.

Faux brick feature wall

Another wall, behind the bar counter, was given an imprint of a brick wall and painted accordingly to look rustic. The faux-brick treatment provides a perfect conversation starter without the structural complications and expense of actual exposed brickwork.

The warmth of this feature balances beautifully with the cooler tones throughout the rest of the space, creating visual tension that keeps the design dynamic rather than flat or predictable.

Wood-like laminates

The homeowners wanted plenty of wood in their home as well, so the designers used wood-lookalike laminates as an alternative to real wood. The bar counter, matching TV console-cum-bench and wall-mounted cabinetry were clad in different styles of such laminates.

These surfaces provide the tactile comfort and visual warmth of timber that’s so essential to Scandinavian design, without the maintenance concerns or environmental impact of genuine hardwoods. As the couple moves through their daily routines, these elements provide the hygge factor – that distinctly Danish concept of coziness and well-being – that makes their modest HDB truly feel like home.

$30,000 renovation cost

The same were also used in the master bedroom and study room, cladding floor-to-ceiling storage units in each room. In the private sanctuary of their bedroom, these wood-effect surfaces create a cocoon-like atmosphere that feels both grounding and uplifting.

The continuity of materials throughout different zones of the home establishes a sense of cohesion that makes the entire HDB flat feel more spacious than its actual square footage would suggest. When working from home, the study’s matching built-ins provide not just practical storage but also emotional consistency – a hallmark of well-executed Scandinavian interior design that prioritizes both form and function in equal measure.