Builders Plus elevates a typical HDB BTO layout with soft curves and tactile finishes, proving that understated design can still be deeply functional in a family home.
28 October 2025
Home Type: 5-room HDB flat
Floor Area: 1,216sqft
Text by Disa Tan
This HDB BTO flat in Tampines shows how considered design and restraint can turn an ordinary home into an airy oasis. With soothing neutrals and soft curves, the space sets the calm, welcoming atmosphere the couple living here with their young son yearned for.
The homeowners commissioned Richard Tan, founder of Builders Plus, to design a minimalist home that feels both lived-in and liberating. Anchoring the living space is a sleek glass display cabinet fitted with an air hinge mechanism, a premium detail more often seen in high-end homes. By concealing the hinges at the top and bottom, the cabinet’s glass surface remains uninterrupted, accentuating the home’s clean, linear aesthetic. This refined structure stands against the home’s original HDB tile flooring, which was marble gum polished for a smooth, grout-free finish.
A fluted wall panel cleverly conceals the door leading to the bedrooms and common bathroom, ensuring visual flow throughout. “The homeowners wanted something clean and timeless, so the fluted panels hide the access points and keep the design consistent,” shares Richard.
Near the dining zone, a curved arch in the built-in cabinetry softens the geometry of the full-height storage. “The curve brings movement and breaks the rigidity of straight lines,” says Richard. The fluted niche with a built-in settee, paired with warm lighting, doubles as a welcoming design feature for the front entrance. Overhead, the ceiling was reworked to incorporate concealed wiring and cove lighting.
Richard played up the beauty of subtle contrast in the open kitchen. The matte Gardenia sintered backsplash and sintered stone countertops harmonise in neutral tones but differ in texture, giving the space quiet depth. Light-toned laminates and a fluted glass sliding door for the service yard complete the serene, light-washed interior.
In the master bedroom, Richard reconfigured the layout by extending it slightly into the adjoining room, allowing for a larger custom wardrobe with seamless handles and a microcement effect laminate finish. The new vinyl flooring introduces warmth underfoot and softens the neutral palette of white walls. At the same time, the rest of the furnishings remain intentionally simple to maintain an uncluttered, restful atmosphere.
Both bathrooms continue the home’s quiet, refined tone. In the master ensuite, Richard introduced a rough stone-textured feature wall and a custom curved glass partition that lends a sculptural edge to the shower area.
The common bathroom continues this sense of refinement with a half-height wall and glass partition that neatly divides the wet and dry zones. The result is a bright, well-proportioned layout that feels open and practical.
Delivered in 10 weeks at a cost of $86,800, the renovation reveals Richard’s thoughtful approach to space and material. Every detail serves a purpose, resulting in a home that feels quietly luxurious and deeply personal.
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