Designed by principal designer Zhenwei Lai of JOW Architects, this 1,400 sqf HDB maisonette in Hougang is home to bachelorette Suelyn Lim. Drawn to textural materials such as rattan and subway tiles, the homeowner and designer decided on create a contemporary-style home, dressed with these elements.

For flooring, the home is decked in terrazzo patterned porcelain tiles on the lower floor, while timber vinyl boards are chosen for the upper storey. Walnut timber laminate complements the kitchen, and oak-look laminate is selected for the TV console.

Suelyn previously requested for a kitchen island. However, there were constraints on the existing floor plan and building an island in the kitchen was not feasible. Instead, Zhenwei proposed a breakfast counter that connects the kitchen and living space.  This way, there is visual connectivity and is an easy way for Suelyn to interact with her sister (who stays with her), and her guests when they visit.

Upstairs, Zhenwei converted a bedroom into an open lounge space, complete with sliding glass doors that stretch the length of the room. This strategy ensures more daylight enters the stairwell too.

The master bedroom enjoys double volume ceiling space for a lofty feel. A blue feature wall brings in a sense of serenity, while a backlit headboard adds to the cosy ambience. 

The structure of the master bathroom also takes on the silhouette of the pitched roof that brings in a sense of spaciousness overhead.

Interior design firm Mint Studio gave this HDB maisonette a clean and calm feel with its white palette and warm wood flooring. 

The spacious kitchen was designed as an open-concept space which gives it a lofty vibe.

READ MORE: How To Make An Open Concept Kitchen Work In A Small BTO Flat 

An oversized lamp adds a dose of eccentricity in the living room. Placing photo frames at a height from the landing allows one to appreciate the images from the top of the stairs. 

Maximalism rules in this Victorian-inspired home. To keep the living room from looking overbearing, homeowner Ivanna chose furnishings in a neutral palette of beige and white. A geometric zigzag-patterned rug underfoot grounds the space. Despite the glitzy pieces, the overall look exudes a cosy ambience, thanks to the large, cushy seats decked in satin, silk, velvet and fabric upholstery. There are even some do-it-yourself projects that she created, including a table lamp clad in white feathers that sits in the living room. 

To enlarge the kitchen area, a wall between the kitchen and living room was hacked. This allows for easy communication between the areas, too. The original entrance to the bathroom in the kitchen was reconfi gured and moved to the back to achieve a seamless look. Wainscot panels on the walls add dimension to the room.

The dining room sits right by the entrance, and enjoys natural light from the common corridor outside. The light is also reflected off the mirrored surfaces of the dining table, which is complemented by black-and-white round-back chairs. Behind, a sideboard filled with the couple’s photos and knick-knacks give the home a personal touch.

“This is my favourite — yet most expensive — part of the home,” Ivanna shares of the master bedroom design, which showcases black framed glass doors that replaced original walls. “We needed several approvals for constructing the window panels and door, and that added to the costs,” she adds.

The guestroom is complete with high-back chairs in velvet finishes and bright hues like red and gold.

This homeowner and his wife used lots of rich wood textures and a brick feature wall to create a warm, homey feel in their four-room HDB executive maisonette in Pasir Ris. For instance, ash-wood veneer is used on the TV console. 

Distressed handcrafted walnut flooring is used throughout the lower floor. Open shelving adds personality to the home and makes the space feel airier. 

The dining set consists of mismatched seats — a customised wooden bench, and chairs from Om and Marquis. 

Another impressive nature-inspired space in the home is the cosy family room, next to the dining area. Illuminated by sunlight, the space almost seems to glow, as all its walls – as well as floor and ceiling – are decked out in golden bamboo strips. 

Natural light filters in from the balcony area to illuminate the interiors of the master bedroom; herringbone-patterned wood flooring adds character to this space. 

This resale executive maisonette in Mountbatten is home to a young couple with two kids, and the husband’s parents. The ID proposed a major renovation for the two-decade-old flat, ripping off its flooring, transforming the kitchen and bathrooms and reclaiming the balcony footprint to enlarge the living room. A Peacock chair adds curves to the room’s strong, clean lines.

The flat is peppered with unique accents that showcase the homeowner’s tastes and personality. 

Gold accents of the Beat lights complement the wooden legs of the Eames chairs, jazzing up the austere scheme of the dining room.

Splashes of red liven up the neutral finishes in the master bedroom. The louvred panels help to bring light in.

This maisonette in Pasir Ris features a marble and wooden feature media wall in the living room. Illuminating back lights add a warm touch to the subtle colour scheme.

A see-through staircase leads to the family’s sleeping quarters upstairs. The staircase’s full glass panels enhance the sense of light that’s usually limited in these “corridor” units.

The red dining chairs add a pop of vibrancy to an otherwise neutral, soft-lit dining room.

The trick of this apartment in Toh Yi Drive is to set small patterns against large ones, and include big solids such as the sofa, white country-style kitchen cabinets and subway tiles (see next few images).

Grouped art frames make for simple yet stylish wall decor, and the track lighting gives it a cool gallery finish.

The glass panels lend a spaciousness to the entire ground floor, perfect for entertaining large parties!

Vibrant Peranakan floor tiles bring excitement into the black and white space in the hallway and kitchen.

For this maisonette in Serangoon North Ave 1, the two walls dividing the living room from the kitchen and the balcony were torn down, creating one large open-plan kitchen-dining-living concept.

READ MORE: The Clever Designer Trick To Enlarge Small HDB Flats And Condos

Clever use of floor-to-ceiling storage flushed to the wall saves space and doubles up as a display case as well!

What stole the show though, was the skylight that was installed where the old balcony was, creating a classy, breezy dining area that lets in the sun, sky and stars.

Black and white is a classic colour combination that makes any room sophisticated, timeless and chic. This maisonette in Jurong West, which brings to mind Singapore’s heritage black and white bungalows, shows it’s possible to form a balance of old English charm with modern comforts.

A cosy dining area is ideal for hosting dinner parties and long conversations over a glass of red.

The chalkboard wall and easel lend some fun and creativity to the large entranceway.

In this Serangoon home, primary elements such as steel, cement screed floors and walls, and a simple monochromatic colour scheme extend to the clean lines and geometric silhouettes of the interior.

A large area rug softens up the look, while a unique low coffee table with a concrete top makes the room look larger.

The palette flirts with organic colours – browns from the caramal sofa and the teak dining table (see next); and splashes of greenery – but is predominantly neutral.

Concrete + lush botanical plants create a really relaxing and soothing interior!

If you’re a fan of the industrial look, take inspiration from this Bedok Reservoir Road maisonette. The brick wall, timbre floor and decorative pipes gives this apartment a strong character and a lived-in, homey vibe. The juxtaposition of the sloping ceiling above the brick wall creates striking architectural interest in this urban living room. The addition of exposed light bulbs ties the design together.

Play around with unique light fixtures that reflect the kind of personality you want your home to have.

The open-concept kitchen with black cabinets is simple, modern and totally practical.

This maisonette in Jurong West boasts a Spartan, almost contemporary simplicity of line and texture, and a narrow material and colour palette which creates a robust, yet pretty backdrop.

The full-length bookshelf is smartly erected on the blank wall that separates the kitchen and the living area, and makes for a good focal point.

Wood accents + white walls and floors give a clean and homey feel. Play up white walls with a triptych, and a punch of florals can really brighten up the space.

See also: 5 Ways To Decorate A Boring Wall In Your Home

Wood laminates are much easier to clean and maintain than real wood, especially in the kitchen!

See also: 10 Kitchen Organising Ideas To Save Space And Make Life Easier

While the homogenous floor tiles and minimalist cabinets in this Bishan maisonette lack zing, character comes to the rescue in the form of decorative accents. These include a vintage room divider, relics from the past, and plush cushions that reflect the homeowner’s personality. Now their treasured pieces blend comfortably with new pieces in a mix that’s part vintage, part contemporary.

Keep things interesting with lots of comfortable seating areas, like the little niche at the left side, bench by the windows, bar stools and dining area.

Having a bar area is great for entertaining guests and still having space in the kitchen to do proper cooking and prep work!

READ MORE: 
This Tiny Taiwanese Apartment Looks So Bright And Spacious
10 Interior Style Ideas To Steal From Vincent Ng’s Gorgeous Family Home
Home Renovation Ideas To Make Your HDB Flat Look More Expensive

Text: Qanvast; Isabelle Tow and Domenica Tan, Home & Decor SG / Additional Reporting: Elizabeth Liew

This post was updated on 24 May 2018.