Home Tour: Minimalist corner 3 & 4-room jumbo HDB flat
In the 1980s, HDB introduced the concept to address the issue of unsold 3-room HDB flats.
By Home & Decor -
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What is the largest HDB flat you know of? Can it beat this 1,765 sq ft space? This massive floor area is only possible because this rare HDB jumbo unit is made by combining a corner 4-room HDB flat with its adjoining 3-room HDB unit. The minimalist design concept by interior designer Desmond Ong makes the home look even larger! Start drooling.
Living Room
The homeowners furnished their living room with unfussy designs from Ikea and Ethnicraft. The couple rationalised that as they are usually alone at night, it didn't matter if their bed was exposed to the rest of the space.
Kitchen Island
A large kitchen island was essential to anchor the wide kitchen area, which was where the former kitchen and bedroom used to be.
By tearing down the walls of two bedrooms, a study and the kitchen, the common area now occupies a large unobstructed space that's rarely seen in HDB flats.
Jumbo HDB Flats History
Jumbo HDB flats in Singapore have an interesting history, stemming from a practical housing solution in the 1980s and 1990s. These unique flats are created by combining two adjacent HDB units into a larger, more spacious home.
Combined unsold 3-room HDBs in the ‘80s
Initially in the 1980s, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) introduced the concept to address the issue of unsold 3-room HDB flats in mature estates, particularly in areas like Yishun and Woodlands. At that time, there was an excess supply of smaller flats, and to make better use of these units, HDB offered homeowners the chance to merge two adjoining flats into one.
Got popular in the ‘90s
Jumbo flats became more popular in the 1990s as more Singaporeans sought larger living spaces to accommodate multi-generational families. They were marketed as affordable alternatives to private housing, providing homeowners with ample space without the premium cost.
Jumbo HDB flat locations
Today, there are relatively few jumbo flats left, making them coveted properties. Most can be found in older HDB estates like Yishun, Woodlands, and Jurong East.