How To Maximise Your HDB, BTO or Condo Layout: 10 interior hacks for first-time homeowners from a Brooklyn-based ID

We understand the frustrations first-time homeowners feel when trying to squeeze out as much usable space in a tiny HDB, BTO or Condo layout. Making any type of space work for everyday living is a challenge that requires some creativity, especially when this is a first. If you are at that stage of your home building, where you are trying to make more room in your Singapore home, do not just stop at looking at what other local homeowners are doing. Instead, we suggest casting your sights to see what homeowners in other countries are doing too. For that matter, one city that's experiencing sky-high property prices and small apartment layouts is New York. With that in mind, Home & Decor approached New York-based Interior designer Claire Hung, to see how she managed to optimise the space for the first-time buyers of this small yet highly functional Brooklyn apartment that embraces urban living. Here are her top 10 tips.

1) Split-level Countertop

Giving every nook its purpose can help you keep a clutter-free home and always stay organised. In the kitchen of this apartment, Claire Hung achieved two aims at once by elevating the countertop to the same height as the window sill, while creating a separate level for the sink and food-prep area. This split-level design allows after the sink in the kitchen so “the countertop near the window also becomes a great landing place for home-grown herbs or grocery bags while one puts the veggies away,” she explains. In the Singaporean context, this means placing your countertop next to the window at around 1.03m, while the countertop along the sink and food prep area is about 92cm high.

2) Use Open Shelves Near The Window

It invites more light to pour into the space, while still making use of it for storage. “In this apartment, it became a great place for the homeowners to have their favorite cookbooks and beloved specialty pots easily accessible and proudly on display,’” says Claire. Here, you can see how the top shelves next to the window were rounded off, no only does this allow you to extend the counter all the way to the window, it also means you can turn this normally wasted space into a small display nook.

3) Utilise Odd Nooks

Even if your home has an angled room or anything a little bit different than usual, don’t be discouraged by it. It can be a great opportunity to personalise the space and create something unique.

“I made the dry bar cabinet float, so that it didn't feel too heavy in how it was taking up space,” says Hung. “This also allows for someone dining to feel like they have a little more room to manoeuvre in and out of their chair.”

Interior designers in Singapore are always trying to mask odd corners by concealing them or turning them into storage spaces, but think about converting an odd corner into open shelving instead, so you have just the right space to show off your mementoes.

4) Introduce Warm Colours And Materials That Will Never Go Out Of Style

Choosing a neutral palette for the backdrop of your home is a good way to never get tired of it and be able to change accessories along the way, introducing pops of bold colors and artworks according to your taste and mood. In this apartment, Hung opted for honey-toned floors, dark chocolate oak cabinetry and Italian marble to create a timeless and elegant atmosphere.

5) Dare To Customise

Sometimes, the best option is to invest in a bespoke piece of furniture that will exactly correspond to your needs and hide unsightly elements. For example, in this apartment, custom cabinets with storage were built to fully span the distance and house the heating and cooling units located between the columns along the windows.

If you are on a tight budget, consider putting the money for furniture towards creating more custom or built-in furniture instead, such as benches along the walls or a dining table that's connected to your island. Built-in furniture means you don't have to worry about them not fitting in.

6) Be Smart With Trash And Recycling Bins

“I always like to put trash and recycling cans in a pull-out base cabinet with a shallow interior top drawer for bags and other home items, like parchment paper, foil etc.,” says Claire. “For this project, I put the trash pull-out to the left of the dishwasher (which is also disguised by a custom panel at the left of the sink). In doing so, it makes kitchen clean up easy. The items that drip, pass over the open dishwasher to either be put in the dishwasher or in the waste bin beyond, helping to save the floors from a wet mess during meal clean-up.”

Now we know recycling bins are still catching on among homeowners in Singapore, but this is where we need to take a leaf from homeowners abroad, since climate change is an undeniable fact in our lives and we do need to start thinking about integrating the habit of recycling into our lifestyle.

7) Use A Mirror To Make A Small Space Feel Larger

In the tiny primary bath, Hung specified a large recessed mirror with integrated exterior and interior lighting, that also has outlets within for charging other tools, like an electric shaver or toothbrush. “The mirror not only utilises nearly every inch of wall for storage, but its reflection creates an optical illusion that enhances the scale of the room,” the interior designer says.

8) Add Outlets Inside Storage Areas For Ease Of Use

Here's a great tip for stowing your cleaning appliances. “For linen closets, I like to incorporate outlets inside them, so that broom vacuums and other devices can be charged out of sight and made easily available when needed,” says Hung. “I did this in the hall closet to the right of the guest bathroom, along with a simple shelving system with tall opening for the vacuum to stand up and be mounted to the wall.”

9) Think In The Long Term

This is a mistake many first-time homeowners tend to make, and that's trying to save on furnishing by buying homewares and furniture that are affordable but not made to last. As you move into a new phase in your life, it's also time to let go of this 'Buy And Throw Away' mindset so many Singaporeans have. When choosing materials and design pieces for your home, don’t follow trends and prioritise quality over quantity. Picking things that you truly love and that will stand the test of time is your best bet. In some cases, it means that you will need to invest a little bit but it’s a good way to save money in the long run. Otherwise, don't rush to fill your new home with plenty of furniture, instead, settle for some key pieces that you know you'll want to keep around like. In this simple bedroom setup, a sturdy bedframe and a designer armchair is all that's needed to give the room lots of personality without sacrificing on functionality.

10) Try And Adjust

The journey to make a first apartment your home can be overwhelming. We cannot get everything immediately right and we sometimes need time to experiment and realise that the way we placed some furniture in the space is not the ideal one or that the colour we had in mind for a wall doesn’t match our original idea. It’s all right and any decision can be changed. Creating a home is a work in progress.