4-Room Resale BTO Renovation at Yishun Street

In This Article

The Vision
Design Challenges
What’s Unique?
The Family’s Reno Experience With Livspace
The Family’s Favourite Space
Smart Buys vs Impulse Buys
Why Did the Family Choose Livspace?
So, How Can Livspace Help You Renovate Your Home?

If you’ve moved into or are planning on moving into a resale BTO, chances are you know the struggles of renovation. From managing timelines to ensuring that the end result is exactly what you envisioned, there’s a lot of work that goes into crafting your dream home. This is more or less the story of how this young couple revamped their 7-year-old resale BTO at Yishun Street.

With an eye on cosy design and modern functionality, Livspace designer Stephanie Ng worked towards turning this 4-room BTO into a work of art. Without further ado, let’s take a look at everything that went into conceptualising and executing this project.

Who Livs Here: A young couple
Location: Yishun Street
Type of Home: 4-room resale BTO
Design Team: Interior Designer and Project Manager Stephanie Ng and Business Manager Howie Tan
Livspace Service: Full home renovation
Budget: S$35,000 to S$40,000

The Vision

The Design Brief

✅ Cosy
✅ Calming
✅ Monochromatic palettes
✅ No loud colours or designs

Here’s How We Did It

wooden-altar-design — ***Wooden accents can help add an element of warmth to the space, depending on the shade you choose. Use ashy shades if you want to take a cool-toned approach to design***

black-and-white-pendant-lights — ***Wooden accents can help add an element of warmth to the space, depending on the shade you choose. Use ashy shades if you want to take a cool-toned approach to design***

We used colour palettes that matched the family’s vision of a simple design
For materials, we used laminates in plain, single-coloured tones to achieve a uniform look
We stuck to using a maximum of four to five colours across the home in different shades of brown to maintain design homogeneity
Since the family loves wood-tone colours, we made sure to use wooden accents for all the cabinetry in the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathrooms

Design Challenges

galley-kitchen-layout-with-white-and-brown-cabinets — ***If you have a narrow kitchen entrance, consider hacking down or trimming a wall to open up the space. Be sure to check if the walls are structural or not before doing so***

monochromatic-kitchen-layout — ***If you have a narrow kitchen entrance, consider hacking down or trimming a wall to open up the space. Be sure to check if the walls are structural or not before doing so***

Design Problems	Our Design Solutions
The home previously had very strong colour palettes that didn’t suit the family’s tastes	We painted over the walls with a monochromatic colour scheme that is easy to style
A partial wall behind the dining table made the kitchen entrance cramped and narrow	We hacked the wall to open up the kitchen entrance and make it more spacious
The original kitchen layout was dysfunctional, with the fridge placed by the service yard blocking traffic flow	Our designer changed the placement of appliances in the kitchen to improve overall functionality

Also Read: 15+ Best Space-Saving Ideas for Small Homes That Are Worth Trying

What’s Unique?

wooden-altar-cabinet-with-fluted-panelling — ***Make your cabinetry more interesting with custom designs and patterns to draw attention to it***. ***You can also mix and match textures for a unique look***

wooden-altar-with-geometric-design — ***Make your cabinetry more interesting with custom designs and patterns to draw attention to it***. ***You can also mix and match textures for a unique look***

As the home follows an open-concept layout, the intention behind styling the space was to keep it neutral and congruent between the living and dining areas. Despite the homogeneous take on design, there’s one element that stands out—the altar cabinet.

The family initially wanted to use fluted panels for the design of the upper cabinet, as was done for the bottom cabinet. However, our designer Stephanie advised against it. Since the height of the cabinet was short, Stephanie suggested going for a different pattern and texture to give the cabinet a more unique look.

Decked in an effortlessly neutral shade, this modern altar design is the showstopper of the home.

Also Read: How to Set Up a Catholic Home Altar: Get Inspired by These 5 Designs

The Family’s Reno Experience With Livspace

At the end of the day, we really enjoy coming back to the house, which is the most important thing. We initially threw a lot of ideas at Stephanie and weren’t sure which way to go. However, she did a good job with putting all our ideas together to create something that we enjoy coming back home to.
Livspace Homeowners at Yishun Street

The Family’s Favourite Space

wardrobe-design-with-fluted-panelling — ***Fluted panels are a trendy design element that can help dress up your space and draw the eye upwards, creating the illusion of vertical length***

The family enjoys the living room and master bedroom the most because their time is largely divided between these two spaces. The bedroom wardrobe design uses a mix of textural elements (fluted panels and matte finishing) to give it the perfect blend of modern and contemporary design.

Also Read: 4 Basic Types of Wardrobe Designs You Need to Know About Before Buying One

Smart Buys vs Impulse Buys

minimalist-dining-room-with-wooden-dining-chairs — ***You can create a monochromatic palette by using the same colour in different hues for each element in your design***

If you’re wondering whether this practical family gave into temptation and splurged on any design elements, the answer is a flat no! So, how did they go about planning their interiors to stay within budget and yet create an elegant space? Here’s what they had to say:

All our furniture was thoughtfully selected after checking both budget and space constraints. We really wanted our home to look and feel spacious, so we made sure to take very detailed measurements for all our furniture and other necessities.
Livspace Homeowners at Yishun Street

By doing so, the family was able to avoid over-spending on things they didn’t necessarily need. Since their space was limited, they only opted for the essentials that tied into their exact vision for the space, leading to a neat and budget-friendly design.

Why Did the Family Choose Livspace?

bathroom-design-with-glass-shower-partition — ***Opt for wooden finishings for your bathroom cabinetry to give it some character***

simple-bathroom-renovation-for-bto — ***Opt for wooden finishings for your bathroom cabinetry to give it some character***

After seeing multiple Livspace ads on Instagram, the family knew we were an option they had to try out. During their first meeting with us, their reno vision and Stephanie’s ideas came together seamlessly, making it easier for them to trust they were in good hands.

Most importantly, the family was clear on not exceeding their initial budget, which we helped them stick to! Here’s how the couple rated us on different parameters:

Criteria	Rating on a Scale of 5
Overall	4
Interior Designer Skill	5
Professionalism	4
Workmanship	5
Design	5
Project Management	4

So, How Can Livspace Help You Renovate Your Home?

If you’re looking for designers who can understand and cater to your varied design needs, you’ve come to the right place. We can help plan and design your dream home that checks all the boxes when it comes to your lifestyle, preferences, and tastes. Book an online consultation with Livspace today, so you too can get started on your hassle-free renovation journey.

Have some comments or suggestions you’d like to share with us? We’re all ears! Feel free to write to us at editor.sg@livspace.com.

Disclaimer: All contents of the story are specific to the time of publication. Mentions of costs, budget, materials, and finishes can vary with reference to current rates. Additionally, the designs showcased within the story are subject to availability and will vary based on the year the homes were designed in. Consult our designers for more details on the latest designs, pricing, and availability.