3 Interesting Condo Design Themes

For many Singaporeans, being able to afford a condominium – whether executive or private – means not only having a very comfortable home to live in but also having the prestige or status that comes with it. And for good reason: many of our condos here in Singapore are built by award-winning developers, so you can expect really luxurious and exquisite designs plus the added bonus of being able to command a fairly decent resale value in the market.

Naturally, one of the benefits of buying a condo as compared to a HDB is having the option for your new unit to come furnished, either partially or fully. This can include many different items, ranging from things like the oven and cupboards to even different flooring surfaces for different rooms. And so, going about deciding on a design style for your condo home can be somewhat challenging, depending on if you decided to retain these furnishings or not, and also what type of designs these furnishings would complement.

If you’ve yet to decide on a snazzy design theme for your home, here are 3 interesting condo design themes for some inspiration!

1. Timeless White

One of the easiest design styles to accommodate would be the simple and classic white minimalist, owing to its versatility to complement a wide range of secondary themes and furniture looks.

Apart from just being easy to design and stage, the design also invokes a sense of calmness and serenity from its uncluttered nature, while also having the ability to evolve into a swanky upscale modern design. 

To achieve this look, the aim of the game is to keep it simple. Start out with a base palette of white or off-white (i.e. light colours), and ensure that the majority of the living spaces are of that colour. Next, choose furniture and other decors that add to the white expanse, but also have items that are dark in colour, such as black or dark grey, to provide that strong contrast. To make things swanky and modern, look for furnishings that have elements of luxury and/or opulence, such as leather or marble, thus creating that smart clean look that makes it look as though it was taken right out of a New York penthouse.

2. Urban Industrial

One interior design style that has really picked up in popularity as of late is the industrial style, inspired by how an imagined upscale warehouse or factory space would look like. 

To achieve this look, one of the main elements that you should look to add to your overall interior is cement screed, either as a flooring surface or wall texture. Unlike a smooth plain grey surface, a cement screed surface creates some variation and texture to the look, adding a level of sophistication to the overall mood of the space.

As for furniture, you would ideally want to get metal or wood-looking fittings, or a combination of both; for instance, you can go for a brown wooden table with a black metal frame or even light options that show off the entirety of the bulbs and/or its wires. This creates the sort of grungy, garage metal type of vibe, which contributes to the overall industrial look!

One thing to be careful of is the type of light (note: not light fittings) that you choose. We recommend going for warm lighting for most of your home; you’d want to manufacture a more warm and welcoming mood, rather than having cool lighting which might come across as being more intimidating or “formal”.

3. Earthy Islander

There are condos, and there are condos.

If you’re fortunate enough to snag a condo unit that has more than one floor, then this certainly opens up more design theme options for your home. One interesting style that we came across is a theme that is inspired by what you might find in a private villa or hotel built in nature.

In particular, this is characterised by incorporating a Scandinavian-based clean and uncomplicated interior, bolstered by ‘earthy’ components such as wooden surfaces and plants. One of the great benefits of ‘nature’ elements in the home is that it promotes calmness and serenity, and so having them integrated throughout the home not only gives you an aesthetically-pleasing home, but also one that has tangible side benefits for your health as well!

Needless to say, there are many possible avenues for you to incorporate such natural elements in the various spaces around your home. Some of these include the flooring, furniture like tables and chairs, or even the steps if you’re fortunate enough to have a 2-floor condo!

How do I start my condo design journey?

To kickstart your interior design journey, one thing that you can do before approaching an interior designer would be to create a mood board of sorts. This involves you curating a collection of pictures of things that visually appeal to you. For example, the pictures can be of places that you find aesthetically pleasing, such as your favourite spa place, hotel, or even shops or restaurants. These pictures can also be of random items that speak to you!

Overall, the aim of this exercise is to help your interior designer decide on what you would like in a room, rather than just taking a stab in the dark or just following what’s popular. Providing that mood board will help them narrow down a few possible choices!

Another thing to consider when designing your home would be to take into account your lifestyle habits and functions, in order to ensure a pragmatic home to accommodate your activities.

For instance, if you like cooking and having people over all the time, then you’ll need to ensure that your home is hardy enough to facilitate heavy usage. This might mean forgoing certain types of surfaces in spaces like the kitchen so that they can withstand things like water damage from splashes or steam. In addition, things like the layout and placement of storage solutions like cupboards/cabinets have to be considered as well, or else you might find it a hassle to manoeuvre around the kitchen!

On the whole, having a condo unit to call home is one of the many blessings that many Singaporeans can enjoy. As you embark on your own design journey, here’s wishing you all the best, and remember to have fun along the way!

Take a look at more interior design tips:

• 5 Design Ideas For Optimising Space In A 3-Room HDB
• 3 Unique Interior Designs Of 4-Room HDB Flats
• Twin Vew: A Glimpse Through A Bohemian-Styled Home
• Gate Door Window – Your One-Stop Renovation Accessories Supplier
• Debunk the ‘Luxury Hotel Mattress Myth’ and get the best sleep you’ve ever had!

Check out stories of other homeowners and their home renovation challenges:

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• Traditional Homemakers vs. Small Condo Kitchen 
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• Living with her clothes on the floor for almost 2 months!
• Fatherly Interior Designer Buys Into Young Realtor’s First-Home Investment Dreams