What are HDB BTO White Flats?

What is HDB White Flat?

The “White Flat” is a new, open concept layout that HDB is offering as part of a trial, beginning with a BTO project in the Kallang-Whampoa area that was recently launched for sale in October 2024. White Flats come without internal partition walls separating the bedroom and the living spaces, offering homebuyers greater flexibility in planning their homes.

The appeal of open concept spaces can be attributed to the feeling of spaciousness that it offers, especially in the context of highly urbanised cities such as Singapore where apartments have been shrinking over the years due to increasing density. An open concept home is also attractive in terms of allowing each family member to do their own thing while still feeling connected.

In his opinion, broadly speaking, an open concept home is more suited for a smaller family unit because the more family members there are, the more challenging it may be for them to carry out activities simultaneously in one single open space.

Should I get the HDB White Flat?

A HDB White Flat is more suitable for homeowners who prefer to be more hands-on in tailoring the spaces to their unique lifestyles, as opposed to homeowners who are happy to work with a more generic apartment template.

HDB White Flat Layout

With the flexibility of White Flat layouts, homebuyers should think about how they plan to organise the various functions in the flat, as well as the materiality and duration of the separation between adjacent spaces.

Materiality relates to our sensory perception, such as installing a glass partition between a workstation and the living room that allows visual connection while maintaining acoustical separation, or a glass door between the kitchen and dining room to contain the smoke and grease from cooking.

Duration refers to whether the separation is permanent or temporary. One example is the use of curtains around a guest Murphy bed for privacy and light control at night, and retracting the bed and drawing the curtains during the day to free up the space.

In the mid-term, homeowners should consider any foreseeable changes to the family’s lifestyle, work habits and the evolving needs of growing children or additions to the family and ensure that the open concept layout is able to accommodate these changes.

HDB White Flat Design Ideas

The perception of privacy can be instilled without recourse to physical separation barriers. “In one of our very first interior design projects, we raised the sides and back of a platform bed, creating two corners that evoke a sense of intimacy and protection, making it feel private despite the entire bed being open to the rest of the studio apartment,” shares Chung Yen, principal architect at Metre Architects.

A sense of privacy is important not just in private bedrooms. A home, albeit an open concept one, cannot feel like a multipurpose hall with flexible configurations. He points out: “One of the key design challenges for an open concept residential project is how to make the vast space feel nuanced and layer ed, rather than homogeneous and uniform.”

Some examples from his past projects include articulating the corners at the back of the living/dining space to create the feeling of a “room in a room”, and having peripheral seating cum storage as a gesture of embrace around a living/dining space.

HDB White Flat Open-Concept Kitchen Design

Chung Yen recalls a BTO project where he designed the kitchen counter as an open island that fronts the adjacent dining space. He incorporated a raised ledge as a bar counter, which can be transformed into an enclosed kitchen using sliding-folding doors.

If a full-fledged kitchen is not required, the cooking area can simply be a built-in counter with an electric hob and an adjacent preparation space, which can be placed almost anywhere that is convenient within the open concept layout.

“Alternatively, homeowners can also consider a portable electric hob or a built-in hob on a mobile counter with wheels, served by wall or counter power outlets at suitable locations,” he suggests.

8 HDB White Flat Design Tips

“A White Flat is simply a blank canvas for homeowners to customise their dwelling spaces, while an open concept home is a singular, multi-functional space without fixed enclosures between rooms such as bedrooms, kitchen, living, dining,” Chung Yen explains. Although the default White Flat is indeed an open concept home, it may still end up with the same number of enclosed rooms, just sized and located differently from the typical HDB layout.

When treating a White Flat design, think of it as an opportunity to create a completely personalised, adaptable environment that reflects your lifestyle. Here are some essential tips to help you make the most of this blank canvas:

1. Define Zones with Colour and Texture.
2. Invest in Flexible Furniture.
3. Incorporate Storage Wisely.
4. Add Personality Through Statement Pieces.
5. Consider Soundproofing and Acoustics.
6. Use Sliding or Retractable Partitions for Privacy.
7. Think Long-Term with Durable Finishes.
8. Keep It Minimal to Maximise Space.