Sometimes, transforming your HDB resale flat into a cozy and stylish abode might seem pretty intimidating, especially when it concerns space issues. But not to worry since most of the time, these flats afford more living areas than the newer ones. In most cases, there will be a restriction on the

square footage. With a little clever HDB resale interior design and strategic planning, you can optimize the functionality in trying to create the spaciousness of your home.

The Art of Space Planning

Make your HDB resale flat stand out with some smart space planning. Get creative with your layout and make sure every square foot is used effectively. Some of the key strategies that you might want

to consider are:

Open Up the Floor Plan: Reasonable flats will more often than not have a compartmentalized space. You could demolish non-structural walls (always with HDB approval), allowing the rooms to have a more open and airy feel. This way, the living area may appear larger, and the interflow between

rooms may be improved.

Think Vertical: Where there is limited space, the walls are really important. Make good use of your vertical space by having floating shelves, wall-mounted cabinets, and floor-to-ceiling storage. This touches on unused areas and keeps clutter from the floor, thus giving the room a bigger look.

Multifunctional Marvels: Consider furniture items that have more than one function — perhaps a Murphy bed that folds into the wall, an ottoman that opens to show a spacious storage compartment, or a table that can expand or contract to suit your size. With multifunctional furniture,

you will achieve maximum functionality without losing your style.

Smart Storage Solutions

With space planning optimized, it’s time to look into storage. Good storage solutions can help a great deal with getting your HDB resale flat organized and free from unnecessary clutter. Here are some ideas suggested by top HDB interior designers in Singapore that could help:

Built-in Brilliance: The cabinets and shelves are designed exactly for what is to be stored and for maximum storage abilities. They can easily be designed to complement all the other already existing decors too.

Smart Furniture Choices: Space-saving furniture is in. Look for furniture that comes with storage space. Examples are beds with drawers underneath, ottomans with inner drawers, and even benches with shelves.

Utilizing Awkward Spaces: Do not let those corners and nooks go to waste! Drawers can be pulled in the areas where pull-outs do not reach, and corner shelves to use up that space. Every square foot counts!

The Power of Light and Illusion

Lighting is everything that sets off the feeling of spaciousness in your HDB resale flat. This is how you should work the lighting:

Embrace Natural Light: Do maximize the best friend by keeping clear the windows with bright-colored curtains or sheer blinds to make the room look larger.

Strategic Lighting Techniques: Avoid just relying on overhead lighting. Use a combination of recessed, task, and accent lighting to increase the sense of depth and dimension in space. This may expand visually and, however, optically open up the room a bit, adding a hint of ambiance.

Mirrors, Mirrors, on the Wall: If they could be perfectly placed, they can work wonders in a small room. Mirrors reflect light and simultaneously give the illusion that the room is bigger. Position a large mirror opposite a window to reflect light in or use mirrored cabinet doors to give depth.

Smart Design Tricks for Every Room

Having looked at ways of maximizing space through light and illusion, it is now time to look at some room-specific HDB resale interior design hacks for your flat.

A. Living Room: Multipurpose Hub for Entertainment and Relaxation

In general, the living room is the heart of a home, but in an HDB resale flat, it doubles up in functionality. Here are some tips to get a comfy yet stylish space that will perfectly fit both kinds of activities:

Multifunctional Furniture is Key: Invest in furniture that can serve a double function. For example, an ottoman having storage built into it can provide sitting space and be used to keep blankets or toys. Nesting coffee tables provide flexibility and can be nested away when not in use.

Define Areas without Walls: Set up designated areas in your living room without using walls. Use area rugs to define spaces and place furniture accordingly to separate areas for entertaining (think TV console) and relaxing (think chair and lamp reading nook).

B. Kitchen: Optimize Functionality and Storage at the Heart of the Home

The kitchen is the best place in every house; even a small space can be more efficient and stylish. Below are a few tips on how to maximize functionality and storage:

Built-In Brilliance: Built-in appliances provide a clean, streamlined look and free up all important counter space. Think of built-in ovens, microwaves, and even refrigerators for unbroken lines.

Storage Solutions that Shine: Make the most of your storage space for glasses, plates, and utensils with some smart solutions like drawers that pull out, corner cabinets, and shelves mounted on your wall. If you have space, you can hang a pot rack over the stovetop or a spice rack on a wall near the stove to free up drawer and shelf space.

Small Space, Big Ideas: In a small kitchen, space-saving ideas make all the difference. Folding chopping boards and hanging pot racks will clear your counters during idle usage.

C. Bedrooms: Creating Spaces for Sleeping, Studying, and Storage

Bedrooms in HDB resale flats often need to be multi-functional, and there lies one reason for the importance of size. Here, find a few clever hacks to make space that’s perfect for sleep, study, and storage in this article.

Multifunctional Marvels: Look at multifunctional furniture. A Murphy bed folds up into the wall, saving premium floor space. A bunk-style bed with a built-in desk is great for a room shared by siblings since it provides sleeping space and a study area.

Storage Solutions that Soar: Use floating shelves to navigate your way through and maximize space from floor to ceiling with the help of the shelving. Place drawers for your beds to maximize space usually left unused.

D. Bathrooms: Modern Conveniences in Less Space

Even the bathroom of an HDB resale flat can be stylish and offer useful space. An HDB interior designer in Singapore can suggest you space saving ideas like:

Fixtures that Fit: Wall-hanging toilets and floating vanities create a feeling of spaciousness and are easy to clean around. And for the times you need to shower off, save yourself some valuable square footage by fitting one in a shower enclosure in place of a bathtub.

Storage Solutions that Sparkle: Make use of mirrored cabinets in bathrooms that not only reflect light into the room but also serve to store small accessories. Corner shelves can offer added space to store toiletries, towels, etc.