HDB

Think under-800 sq ft means compromise? Think again. These four homes show how smart design, clear lifestyle vision and gutsy detailing turn compact living into a serious style win.

These radical renovations will change how you see public housing.

We pick out fine examples of HDB flats that recraft new possibilities for public housing.

What does the future look like for homes? Designers weighed in at a recent Lookbox Living x King Living design conversation.

Balconies are a rare luxury in modern Singapore apartments. If you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to purchase a HDB balcony flat, don’t let it slip away.

Many are turning to resale rather than BTO flats as wait times and prices continue to rise.

Home to a small family unit, this maisonette has been completely transformed into a hip residence that defies typical housing typologies with each level serving different functions.

Home to an avid tea connoisseur and collector, this flat serves as an intimate sanctuary for any tea lovers to relax in, and a catalyst to meaningful conversations.

Once an old and dingy flat, it has been completely overhauled by Vivre Creative Design into a clean and contemporary home for a school teacher.

Metaphor Studio manipulated the layout of this Pinnacle@Duxton resale flat as a stage for a couple to live out their best lives for many years to come.

Craftsmen Studio crafts an incisively simple yet versatile home with details meticulously designed to add depth, finesse and character.

Ethereall designed a fun, safe and practical home for a couple to raise their toddler in.

Warm and inviting, yet sleek and orderly, this BTO flat is a picture of comfort and serenity for the couple who resides here.

This BTO flat is primed for working, relaxing, and entertaining thanks to its open-plan layout, clever space planning and thoughtful details devised by Aart Boxx Interior.

By taking inspiration from Japanese design elements, AMP Design Co. gave this pared-back apartment a minimalist aesthetic.

Thoughtful design mannerism has been put in place to make this HDB flat work for a senior with reduced mobility and her able-bodied nieces and nephew, without sacrificing aesthetics.

The abundance of space in this HDB flat allows Aart Boxx Interior to experiment with secret doors, indoor balconies, and a reconfigured layout.

Industrial, Peranakan and Moroccan elements unite in this eclectic BTO flat designed by Ethereall.

MET Interior designs a spacious and airy home for a young couple to enjoy their personal pursuits.

Fatema Design Studio combined Moroccan themes and traditional Islamic design elements in this maisonette.

This 20-year-old unit gets a makeover with restructuring strategies and customised features by AP Concept.

In this home designed by Ethereall, the living room, dining room, kitchen and gym all sit in one large, free-flowing communal space.

A cheerful colour scheme, geometric carpentry work and an open-concept plan make this flat by DSOD Interior a bright and spacious home.

Despite the limits of a tight brief, Ethereall transformed this five-room resale flat into a timeless yet quietly whimsical abode for a couple.

A well-travelled family’s European-influenced residence mixes classic and modern details for a cosy yet distinguished home.

By taking inspiration from Japanese interior design, D5 Studio Image gave this jumbo flat a bright, airy and sophisticated look.

With its bright and sunny disposition, this four-room flat by interior design firm Ethereall is a contemporary take on jungle chic.

Thanks to interior design firm Artistroom, this HDB flat manages to showcase how minimalism can be an effective design look

An open concept and a flexible spatial layout allow the owners of this HDB flat to adjust the rooms of their home to meet their immediate needs quickly and easily.

A home for a creative couple gets a facelift with an unexpected spin on a modern Japanese style.

This flat’s spacious layout and timeless design make it an ideal place to entertain and retire in.

Eschewing the overdone design of wood-clad interiors, Fineline Design looked to leather, stone and concrete-like finishes and greyish hues to give this maisonette a cosy yet modern look.

Metier Planner employs unconventional design manoeuvres to boost the impression of space and livability in this 721sqft flat.

From Peranakan to industrial, and Japanese to Moroccan style, these amazing homes are your favourite picks of 2019.

Eye-catching features and details create a functional and interesting home for the resident to live, play, rest and work.

Eye-catching stone, Islamic motifs and a keen eye for detailing instil a sense of quiet luxury and homely, hospitality-like comfort in this HDB flat.

This resale flat undergoes a massive transformation to meet a young couple’s work needs, hobbies and personal preferences.

Joey Khu ID balances the use of darker hues in this compact unit with mirrors, seamless design features and sleek lines to maintain a spacious feel.

Bold colours and funky patterns give this home a vibrant and youthful feel, and perfectly reflect the owners’ personalities.

The Victorian aesthetic is given a fresh, modern update in this monochrome HDB flat by D’ Initial Concept.

Flo Design breathes new life into the predictable Scandinavian interior style with a touch of eclectic bohemian flair for this couple’s first home.

Exacting details and finishes channel the idea for this swanky bachelor pad where the function is not an afterthought.

M Atelier personalises this home with unique touches inspired by the couple’s love for entertaining, travelling and baking.

From a mini walk-in wardrobe to an innovative pull-out table, this 740sqft flat gets a major boost in functionality and space with multiple clever design solutions by AP Concept.

Dots N Tots Interior crafts a home with a neutral palette that is as laid-back as its owners.

Designer Joey Khu’s new home is staged for quiet evenings in – and a hoard of design objects.

Vivre Creative Design plays with a monochromatic colour scheme and nifty storage features to give this lived-in resale flat a second life.

Here are the remarkable homes in Singapore that have made it to the LBDA 2019 Shortlist! See which ones will bag the coveted gold at our Gala Night on Thursday 5 December.

Here are the eight inspiring flats in Singapore that are in the running for the title of Outstanding HDB Flat at LBDA 2019.

Glenn Loh of D5 Studio Image embarks on the most significant project of his career – designing his own home.

Humble no more, this HDB flat by Lux Design dials up on luxury and is now a glamorous family home with a space-smart configuration.

What was once a dull, dated and uninspiring HDB flat has now been refurbished with a clean, refreshing Scandinavian feel by AP Concept.

Home to a painter and a businessman, the rustic industrial abode boasts a large art studio, in place of an ordinary living room. Although an unusual choice that calls for careful space planning, the designers from three-d conceptwerke pulled it off with elegance and style.

AMP Design Co. creates a serene and characterful Peranakan-inspired flat that pays tribute to the retired occupants’ heritage.

With striking display showcases and utilitarian industrial accents, Metier Planner pumps up the visual appeal of this liquor collectors’ home.

There’s nothing more gratifying than a transformation that meets the owners’ desire for a stylish, contemporary HDB home. Its timeless appeal also incorporates their feng shui requirements for good Qi with the use of colours.

With a dark palette and industrial elements, this multigenerational family home has a bold personality.

This home takes an experimental and exploratory approach with the help of Lux Design.

Walls have been taken down where necessary to facilitate an improved flow of spaces for a young couple who reside in this minimalist flat.

What was once a dreary five-room HDB flat is now a modern, open-concept home, thanks to the designers from Dots N Tots Interior.

D5 Studio Image works with the unique interior architecture of this HDB flat instead of against it to create a dynamic living space for its inhabitants.

Ushering warmth and visual depth, dark colours are the order of day in this bachelor pad by Fineline Design.

In this 4-room HDB flat, the designers from Metier Planner came up with a concept that works for the family of three.

The home of OuterEdit co-founders is a manifestation of a harmonious fusion of individual ways, ideas and concepts.

Each room in this HDB flat designed by I.D.I.D sports its own colour palette, lending a quirky and eclectic flair to the interiors.

Despite its dusky blue walls and dark wood floors, this industrial chic flat by Carpenters still looks light and expansive.

This resale flat unit overhauled by Design 4 Space showcases a timeless modern classic style with a bold new twist.

Though not at once obvious, this HDB flat has been specifically designed with cats and small children in mind, without compromising on style.

A raised platform that hides a mattress is just one of the clever design solutions employed in this residence to maximise the efficient use of space.

From HDB flats to private apartments and landed properties, here are 10 impressive homes to steal ideas for your own.

This HDB flat gets reworked by Design 4 Space and now presents lots of open spaces and a homely Nordic design aesthetic.

To cater to the couple’s love of hosting guests, Metier Planner designed this home to feel as spacious as possible.

Dark wood textures and a clean-lined design by Couple Abode bring forth an HDB flat that shines with a minimalistic yet laidback vibe.

From regular to radical-looking, this HDB flat designed by Fatema Design Studio is characterised by elaborate patterns and textures inspired by the diverse Moorish culture.

Design 4 Space nailed the Hello Kitty-meets-Nordic aesthetic by finding common design ground in light pastels.

Charming and nostalgic, this uniquely-designed executive apartment by Dots N Tots Interior presents a fluid spatial flow which encourages family bonding and hosting company.

This four-room HDB flat looks and feel supersized thanks to open, connected spaces and a streamlined design scheme by Nest Spatial Design.

Blending modern comforts with the existing wood finishes, Design 4 Space has created a chic and cosy living space all set for better liveability.

To bring the homeowners’ love for cafes to life, Dots N Tots Interior established a multi-faceted material palette that exudes relaxed and rustic vibes.

A complete guide on site inspection and important factors to consider, to avoid regrets and disappointments.

Bearing a modern, Zen-like aesthetic, this HDB flat is a quiet repose adapted for a young couple who embraces the minimalist Japanese lifestyle.

Endowed with full creative control, Raymond Kuek’s team from Fineline Design, turned this plain-vanilla BTO unit into a modern contemporary haven for a pair of newly-weds.

The new Lookbox Annual 2019 features 232 pages of incredible interiors, products and reno ideas, including the 30 Singapore interior design firms you should know. Here are all the reasons why you should get yourself a copy.

Here are the Lookbox Living Top 10 most read stories. Which is your favourite read?

White, bright, luxurious and modern describe the look that the homeowners wished for their home together. They entrusted the project to the design team at Fineline Design, who elevated the look with marble and brass trimmings.

Following plenty of restructuring to the layout, Artistroom conceptualised a home that embraces sleek furnishings and a variety of textures for a family of three.

These amazing old home conversions will make you want to move into a charming old property made new again.

These outstanding HDB flats designed by some of Singapore’s top interior designers will have you question your current living space.

See which homes from before the 1980s have been shortlisted by our judges as having undergone the most inspiring old home conversion.

See which Singapore homes have been shortlisted by our judges as having undergone the most dramatic and inspiring transformation.

See the five most inspiring showcases of open-plan living in Singapore homes that are in the running to take home the LBDA title of Best Open-Plan Concept.

See the five stylish entertaining spaces in Singapore homes that are in the running to take home the LBDA 2018 title of Best Space for Entertaining.

See the six HDB flat projects in Singapore that are in the running to take home the LBDA 2018 title of Outstanding HDB Flat.

Covering around 90 hectares, Plantation District by HDB will be green and smart and revolve around community farming.

This 4-room HDB flat sports a black-and-white vintage look that beautifully captures the atmosphere of its location in a mature neighbourhood.

Artistroom turned this dimly lit resale HDB flat on Havelock Road into an airy, comforting home.

When the owners of this 5-room HDB flat hired JX Design, top on their brief was their desire for distinctly separated private and public spaces. Designer Goh Cheah Sheh has taken this directive and given them so much more: a fun barn-style concept, and rooms that connect with one another.

Receiving an update in both style and space, this old resale HDB flat has been transformed into a contemporary home by the designers from Third Avenue Studio. The versatile strokes of monochromes complement the clean design lines and promote a fluid flow of light, air and space.

By incorporating a sophisticated-looking material palette, the designers from Meter Square have transformed a simple HDB flat into a picture of elegance.

Art, design, colour and spatial practicality come together in a fashionable composition to give this BTO flat a modern luxe vibe.