Beautiful 5-Room HDB Flats: 8 Unique Interior Designs For You

April 3, 2023

If you’re a homeowner with a 5-room HDB flat, you’re probably wondering what to do with all that space. Unlike smaller homes, having a bigger home gives you an abundance of space and the luxury of decorating your home into a concept of your choice. With more rooms, you’ll get to also expand your creativity and have the freedom of adding extensive decorations and furniture, opting for bolder designs and even making use of certain spaces to create unique corners around your home.

With plenty of spaces to fill, it’s time to unleash your creativity and let your self-expression flow. Here are 8 unique HDB interior designs to inspire you and get you started. You can also find interior design ideas for your 3-room and 4-room HDB flat.

1. Warm Rustic

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys entertaining people and loves having guests over for get-togethers and parties, then one of the best designs that you can go for is one that conveys a sense of warmth, comfort, and homeliness.

To achieve this, you wouldn’t really want to go for design styles like Scandinavian, Minimalist or Modern; rather, you’d want to go for something more vibrant and lively, which is exactly what the first home on our list has done.

Designed by local interior design firm Swiss Interior, this home’s design is aptly described as “rustic meets modern luxury”, by harmonising both warmth and wood tones to create an elegant and welcoming interior. Taking a look at the living room – which has been adorned with Christmas decor to usher in the festive spirit – you get the sense of the home is a very welcoming environment, and most certainly creates a great atmosphere for people to fellowship.

Moving to the dining area, you can immediately tell that this is where the life of the party will be at. Having the luxury of space means you can really expand the capacity of spaces where guests will congregate (e.g. living room, dining area), and this can also mean facilitating different modalities of parties, such as having a grazing table where people can come and go, rather than say a traditional sit-down meal.

According to Swiss Interior, the kitchen and dining area also features marble detailing, which adds a hint of visual weight to the overall look, and where its exquisite and classic touch amidst the raw and natural textures uplifts the overall laid-back atmosphere.

To further complement the space, we would suggest really going big on the little things that help to further contribute to the overall mood. For example, consider really going big on the textures on the various surfaces – not just the floor, but also the walls, tabletops, and surfaces of fittings like cupboards and cabinets. Having a variety of patterns would optically create a sense of being vibrant and lively which does contribute to the overall mood, as compared to just plain surfaces.

In addition, use light fittings that give off warm hues instead of white lights, and you can also explore creative and unique light solutions like drop lights, spotlights, or glow lights to inject some playfulness and distress, characteristic of the rustic design style.

Moving away from the ‘common’ areas and into more private spaces like the bedroom, you’ll find that the same rustic design theme runs through these areas, and yet serves a different purpose for the space that it is in. In the case of the bedroom, having warm and welcoming vibes makes the space conducive for the homeowners to relax and unwind after a long day.

Even for the bathrooms, you’ll find that they have been outlined with doses of gold accent and orange lighting that have been incorporated throughout the home. According to Swiss Interior, this helps to further accentuate the luxury and elegance of the home, while not sacrificing the rustic and homely vibes of the warm aesthetic.

2. A Mix Of Styles

If you’re looking to inject a bit of fun and playfulness in your interior design and avoid having decor that’s too flat, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with going for a little bit of everything.

According to Swiss Interior, the next home – a 4-room HDB BTO in Tampines – decided to go for a creative mix of styles instead. Think of it like eating at a buffet – taking a little bit of everything and bringing them together for a complete meal. In this case, the home’s design theme takes design cues from a wide variety and integrates this eclectic mix of styles into a cohesive Modern design style that underpins the other mix of design themes.

In the living room, the home adopts a somewhat Modern Minimalist style, incorporating largely neutral tones like white, grey, and tinges of brown accompanied by simple, slim furnishings. As you can see, it’s an uncluttered space with just about the most common elements found in most living rooms (e.g. sofa, coffee table, TV console), and in doing so creates a sense of openness and calmness for its inhabitants.

Moving to the dining area, you’ll find that the theme immediately starts to somewhat shift. While there is still the main Minimalist theme that acts like a central spine for all the other spaces’ design styles, the dining area deviates slightly by incorporating a more ‘warm’ atmosphere, through the use of yellow lights in and around the dining area. What results is a very welcoming and conducive space for people to congregate and enjoy each others’ company.

Moving to the kitchen, you’ll find that once again the style shifts to adopt more of an industrial look, with the use of cement-screed-looking flooring and utilising neutral colours like grey, white and black once again. The kitchen is a largely uncomplicated space, with all the common functions and elements found in most kitchens.

One nice touch that Swiss Interior did was to include hidden warm line lights just below the overhead cupboards, which gives off a nice warm glow effect to the cooking area of the kitchen. This helps to create a form of separation from the wall and overhead cupboard, and also helps to accentuate the clean edges of the fixtures.

If you take just a peek around the corner, you’ll find that there are also some elements of eccentrics and fun that stand out from the rest of the interior, as part of the creative mix of styles theme that Swiss Interior was going for.

In this case, this involves a Boho-styled hexagonal-tiled feature wall that is slightly obscured from certain angles, depending on where you’re standing. Even though it may not exactly blend seamlessly with the rest of the surrounding elements, having this stark contrast that pops out injects a sense of fun and bizarreness, and that in turn creates a character for the space. Be sure to not go too overboard with this, or else you’ll find that they become too jarring and make the space too “noisy” or busy.

3. Minimalist With A Twist

Of course, there’s no harm in going for what’s popular with most people, and this leads us to what is arguably the most common design theme in Singapore – the Minimalist design style.

Unlike the warm rustic style that we’ve outlined earlier, the Minimalist style is largely composed of more neutral tones with white as the main palette. In addition, going for a Minimalist interior would require you to ensure that the various spaces around the house are as uncluttered as possible. This means exploring innovative options for hidden storage solutions, and also striking a balance between being uncluttered and avoiding being too sparse.

While Minimalist styles usually involve a pairing of white and various shades of grey, you can always switch up the latter for a different contrasting colour. In this case, going for wood tones like brown is a really good choice, especially if you want to get furniture (e.g. sofas) that come in a more reddish brown hue. Even though you may not exactly have a very consistent monochrome colour characteristic of most Minimalist homes, having that nice contrast between white and a bolder colour creates more depth in the overall look, almost to the point of it being sophisticated…in a good way of course.

One of the more commonly-neglected surfaces that people tend to not pay too much attention to when designing their home is the flooring. There are plenty of options, such as tiles, cement screed, plywood, laminate, and so on. To create more character in your home, why not go for a unique tiling pattern such as chevrons (as seen above), rather than the usual square or rectangular tiles? In addition, you can also pair the chevron patterns with a wood finish; doing so helps to shine attention to the unique and non-uniform wood grain, adding a nice earthy and natural vibe to the room.

You also need not be confined to the flooring alone. What you want is to really let the wood’s character stand out, so look for opportunities to incorporate them in some of the surfaces around the home. This can be in places such as kitchen countertops, certain walls in rooms, or even cupboards. To add some contrast, you can explore different shades of wood, or even change up how the wood is tiled compared to other surfaces.

That being said, you also have to factor in the practicality of having wood surfaces in places such as the kitchen and bathroom, where there tends to be more moisture and heat. As you may know, environmental effects like water damage and warping can be a real concern for wood. Thus, if you want to include wood surfaces in these spaces then you’ll have to explore ways to ‘protect’ the wood, such as applying a lacquer finish.

4. Industrial Meets Rustic

Another design style that has been quite popular as of late is the Industrial design style, inspired by what you might find in – as the same suggests – industrial estates and warehouses. Typically, this involves the use of cement screed flooring, as well as furniture that has metal frames to look like what the inside of a factory might be like.

If you’re looking to add your own twist to this, there are many possibilities to let your creativity flow. One way is to mix up the industrial elements with a slightly more rustic feel, by incorporating aged wood as part of the overall theme.

By mixing steely grey tones with earthy wood tones, what results is a space that is kind of reminiscent of the old 60s and 70s; for this home, almost like what you’d expect a cafe in the 70s might look like. Coupled with the yellow warm lighting that is spaced out throughout the home, it creates a nice warm welcoming atmosphere that invites people in and creates a conducive environment for people to let their hair down and relax in the company of others.

The dining area is a simple space that has been carefully crafted with design elements to mimic what you might find in a rustic old cafe. With wooden furniture, a bookshelf nearby, and a vintage-looking light fitting, this is a space that certainly fits the purpose of the space, and definitely a welcoming space for meals and conversations.

What is undoubtedly the highlight of the home is the bar area, tucked away in a small corner next to the dining room. Complete with a bar counter, back shelf, and a low-hanging drop light, it truly channels the spirit of a rustic old bar, with old-school vintage feels.

5. Elegant and Luxurious Hotel

A cool yet simple design to go for is easily an elegant and luxurious hotel concept. As a calming place for getaways and rest, a hotel will certainly transform your home into a sanctuary and an ideal location for a permanent vacation.

The layout of the hotel is often what makes the foundation of the space. That said, the right furnishing, fittings and materials can help complete the look. Start off by decking the living room space in all black and gold. As black is the colour of elegance and sophistication, you’re sure to capture the essence of a hotel straight away. For a bolder statement, you can even create your very own reception area with a bar counter.

Then, display your finest collection of wines to create an elegant backdrop against the bar counter, and top it off with some wineglass and coffee machines. For your lighting, it is best to stick to warm lighting to accentuate the gold in your furniture, along with creating a sophisticated aura around your luxurious space.

Moving on to the kitchen, you can opt for the space in a majority black colour. From your countertops to cabinetry, use either varying or stick to one shade of black to define the space. Decoration-wise, we wouldn’t recommend going overboard – remember to keep the space clutter-free for that minimalist and elegant look.

For the walls, add black marble tiles for a touch of sophistication and texture, and add under-cabinet lighting to create a cool glow in your kitchen. You can even have sliding doors to separate the living room space and the kitchen, while still allowing natural light to come in.

Keep the bedroom consistent with the ongoing black and gold theme by opting for the same shades of black on your closet and bedframe. To create contrast, you can opt for a lighter sheet of bedsheet such as greys, off-whites, or even light blues.

To complete the look, hang your wedding picture or display your favourite photos in a monochromatic theme to capture the epitome of an elegant and luxurious hotel.

6. Living the Victorian Era

Although originated in the 19th century, Victorian interior designs have stood against the test of time and they continue to mark many homes today in their distinct architecture and furniture. To relive in the Victorian era, you can easily create a home rich in splendour.

Create a lasting impression by making the living room or hallway the centre of attraction in your home. As Victorian elements are well-incorporated into the proportion of space, go big by having tall ceilings, large windows and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

Add an antique chandelier in gold to grace the space and allow light to flow through the open area. Then, decorate the space in rich colours such as dark blues, greens, blacks and browns. To create a cosy space, you can even outfit the space with fringed curtains, a velvet armchair and a marble side table. Don’t forget to also keep your staircase in beautiful marble to further bring out the elegance and beauty of a Victorian home.

The kitchen in a Victorian home should be also kept luxurious. Opt for patterned floors or carpets to mark the walking space, and have your cabinetry and fridges in sumptuous colours — deep blues, greys and black are excellent choices for this.

To further accentuate the intricacy of the space, add gold fixtures on the handles of your cabinets and onto the hooks of your floating shelves. Pair these fixtures with opulent furnishings such old school coffee machines and ovens for the finishing touch.

A Victorian bathroom is one that is kept graceful yet commanding. Be sure to pay close attention to your light fixtures as they influence the vibe of the space. For instance, you can choose to install simple downlights on your ceiling to light up the space, but, have an additional pair of rounded wall lamps to light up the darker corners of the bathroom.

To also decorate this space, create a dressing area and accompany the space with a cushioned chair for added comfort and softness. Your walls can also be furnished with light hues of marble tiles for extra warmth.

7. Modern Peranakan

If elegance and grace are not up your alley, you’re free to choose something more vivid and fun. A beautiful design that combines geometric designs, gilt elements and a wide array of colours and features, a Peranakan home design is brimmed with a vivacity that gives life to a space while creating an intriguing aesthetic altogether.

For starters, an easy method to define a Peranakan home is through geometric shapes. You may choose to incorporate them into your photo frames and carpets, and your walls as well. But if you want to infuse an ambience that is more modern, you can have geometry on your furniture such as on your island table or chairs, while keeping the entire space in a monochromatic theme.

For the fun elements, add distinguished light fittings such as old-school lamp fixtures, retro coffee machines or traditional teapots and cups to decorate the space. The more gilt features they are, the more Peranakan features you’ll boast.

It’s time to go bolder in your kitchen. Paint your cabinets in shades of blue or turquoise to create a bright overall kitchen look, and bring out the tropical beauty of a Peranakan home. A white patterned brick wall backsplash is also a great interior decor to invite more light into the kitchen. Match your walls by installing geometric tiles on your floors that span throughout the entire length of the kitchen.

Likewise, to add more colours, you can choose to incorporate some indoor house plants such as potted plants or hanging vines for greenery. Instead of white lights, switch them out with warm lights for your under cabinets for an adequate amount of warmth in your kitchen.

The same geometric shapes used in your kitchen can also be infused throughout your home and in your bathroom. As a unique design, the tiles easily stand out from the rest of the decorations in the space and easily reflects the Peranakan style. Add in accompanying sink cabinets in the same brown shades as the geometric shapes to create a sense of quaintness and integrate the entire Peranakan look seamlessly.

To light up your bathroom, opt for bigger windows without grills to allow natural light in. You can also opt for a transparent divider to separate the shower and sink areas without creating an additional blockage.

8. All Things Boho

Another design that spells fun is boho. Free-spirited and artistic, you can opt for a bohemian home if you enjoy mixing different cultures, styles and elements in your home. This interior design is also ideal if you like embracing the unconventional or if you’re on a path to toss out common design rules and overturn home standards.

When creating the perfect boho space in your living room, no one is stopping you from mixing different patterns, furniture, woods and decorations. In fact, they are highly encouraged. So get creative and mix your patterns – from lines to circles and zigzags, or even layering different textiles, rugs, and throws.

Besides going wild with furniture, you can do the same with the colours of your furniture. Opt for metallic gold on your light fixtures and door handles while selecting bright shades of green and yellow for your sofas and vase decorations. You can also throw in shades of pink and red onto your photo frames and carpet as bright colours help to set the stage for a perfect boho living room.

As you dive into the bedroom, feel inspired in your place of rest by embracing handmade items. For instance, adorn your walls with paintings and macramé decorations, your bedside table with sculptures and potted plants, and your bed with patterned quilts and bedsheets. Layer on even more patterns with rugs and a leaf-inspired bedframe or fun pillows — there is simply never “too much” for a boho style.

To light up the room, add a plethora of lights such as woven chandeliers, sconces or funky lamps to create a cosy but fun atmosphere. Lastly, add vintage treasures such as rare finds from souvenir shops or flea markets on your shelves to add more variety to your bedroom.

While a bathroom is not a space to display intricate items, you can still add pops of colour everywhere. With botanicals such as ferns, succulents and vines, they add greenery to your bathroom and create a refreshing environment.

More plants also help to purify the air in your bathroom and create a chic boho space altogether. Then, pair the plants with bright-coloured towels and geometric floors to create a maximal look. You can even consider adding nature-inspired floral or leaf prints onto your walls to transform your bathroom into a mini oasis. As the sky is the limit, we absolutely encourage you to have fun when redesigning your bathroom and go wild with crazy patterns and colours.

Conclusion

With so many designs to choose from, it is ultimately up to you how you want to define your space. Be it following the latest interior design trends or creating a space based on your personality, do remember to also keep your home functional and practical at the same time.

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