Wainscotting, double doors, custom-made fixtures and carefully curated furniture turned this humble HDB flat in Bukit Batok into a bachelorette pad worthy of a heritage resort.
Homeowner TC Tan purchased this two-room resale HDB flat in Bukit Batok as soon as she turned 35 nearly nine years ago. An administrator in the education sector, she had been wanting to get her own house and chose the location for its proximity to her parents’ home in Choa Chu Kang.
Who Live Here A bachelorette in her 40s
Home A two-bedroom resale HDB flat in Bukit Batok
Size 786 sq ft (or 73 sqm)
Interior Designer Yichun Lee
![h_d_005-1024x705-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_005-1024x705-1.jpg)
Home Renovation Took 8 Years
Brimming with interior design ideas, TC enlisted the help of freelance interior designer Yichun Lee and her contractor to realise the vision for her home.
A design aficionado and a long-time Home & Decor reader, she moved in in December 2014 and spent the next eight years perfecting the house to finally invite us for a tour last year. The result is breathtaking.
![h_d_13-06-22_0048-883x1024-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_13-06-22_0048-883x1024-1.jpg)
30 Years Old HDB Resale Flat
The original flat was almost three-decades-old when she bought it. It had a long, rectangular layout in which the two bedrooms ran parallel with the living space and the kitchen, with a storeroom separating them.
![h_d_007-806x1024-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_007-806x1024-1.jpg)
Storeroom Hacked For More Space
Homeowner TC had this storeroom removed to create a better flow and bigger dining space. She also had a portion of the kitchen converted into a yard and the two existing bathrooms combined into a large, sumptuous one.
![h_d_009-1024x766-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_009-1024x766-1.jpg)
Black and White Colonial Metal Gate
The labour of love is apparent right from the front door, which reminds one of a black-and-white bungalow with its dark-stained timber steps, oversized planter, and black scissors-style metal gate.
![h_d_001-597x1024-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_001-597x1024-1.jpg)
Interior Design Inspired by Raffles Hotel
Entering the house, one is received into an entryway with a matching aesthetic featuring antique-inspired furniture and black-and-white accessories.
“I am a fan of colonial design,” says TC. The places that inspired her include Raffles Hotel Singapore and Seven Terraces in Penang. This aesthetic informs the rest of the interior.
![h_d_002-816x1024-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_002-816x1024-1.jpg)
Home Fixtures Ordered From Taobao
TC curated the architectural details and fittings herself, including the doorknobs, wrought iron window grille and the retro-inspired filigree above the doors, which she ordered via Taobao.
The site wasn’t as sophisticated as it is today, TC went through a painstaking process to custom order her fixtures and liaise with the Chinese merchant through the help of Google translate. But all the effort had been worth it, as she got the balance of the scales and textures just right.
![20220609_112719-1024x692-1 Travel books and souvenirs from TC's trips are part of the decor.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20220609_112719-1024x692-1.jpg)
![h_d_004-1024x596-1 Custom filigree above the doors enriches the colonial aesthetics.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_004-1024x596-1.jpg)
White Walls, Dark Wooden Flooring
Throughout the home, white walls create a nice contrast with darker flooring. The lower half of the walls feature wainscoting details, while the upper half is dedicated for decorations.
![h_d_003-1024x918-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_003-1024x918-1.jpg)
Classic artworks, an old world map, knick-knacks from TC’s travels, and plush textures like velvet, woven jute, sheer curtains and faux fur lend a laid-back colonial charm and a touch of sophisticated luxury to the living room.
![20220609_112809-884x1024-1 The home is filled with interesting knick knacks, including this oil lamp.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20220609_112809-884x1024-1.jpg)
![h_d_016-814x1024-1 Whimsical details in the Jane Austen- inspired study add to the Regency-period vibe.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_016-814x1024-1.jpg)
In place of the hacked-off storeroom are storage walls in the kitchen and an L-shaped banquette bench with a storage base, which extend the dining room’s capacity while making it cosier and easier to clean.
![h_d_015-1-1024x613-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_015-1-1024x613-1.jpg)
Regency-Era Study Room
One bedroom has been converted into a study that would not look out of place in a Regency-era TV show. It features chinoiserie wallpaper and eclectic pastel-coloured furniture, including a chic blue bookcase with brass hardware and a pink scalloped chair.
The plywood dollhouse was a chance find from Cotton On Kids years ago, while the solid wood desk was another Taobao find that TC bought only three years ago.
![20220609_124320-783x1024-1 Cute accents add just the right amount of feminine touch to the home's design.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20220609_124320-783x1024-1.jpg)
![20220609_124334-786x1024-1 The wainscoting evokes a classic european style to the interiors.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20220609_124334-786x1024-1.jpg)
Furnishing a House Over Time
“Short of customising everything, sometimes you just need to wait for the right pieces that speak to you to come along. Unless you’re like Joanna Gaines, who has a huge collection of furniture and fixtures on standby, I’m not sure it is possible to fully furnish a home within a few weeks. But that’s part of the fun, to curate and contemplate upon how a single piece of accessory can change the look and feel of a space.” she shares.
![h_d_008-710x1024-1 Various paper stationery, like birthday and thank you cards, hung on this simple wall- mounted wire hanger make for great wall decoration in the dining room.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_008-710x1024-1.jpg)
![20220609_112745-692x1024-1 TC takes pleasure in making pretty vignettes with her eclectic decor collection.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20220609_112745-692x1024-1.jpg)
![h_d_013-1024x836-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_013-1024x836-1.jpg)
IKEA Four Poster Bed Frame
Another item TC brought from her childhood home is the discontinued four-poster Ikea bed frame in her bedroom. Paired with an antique carpet, a chandelier, and a pair of nightstands with a mirrored finish, it creates a distinctly Rafflesian colonial air.
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A Colonial Bathroom & Bathtub
But the crown jewel of the flat’s design is its bathroom. Accessible via a double door from the bedroom, it features a free-standing bathtub and hexagonal black-and-white mosaic tiles from Hafary that evoke the sumptuousness worthy of a five-star resort.
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This was made possible by merging the bedroom’s existing en suite bathroom with the adjacent common bathroom, which now hosts the shower and toilet area also accessible from the yard.
![h_d_010-680x1024-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/h_d_010-680x1024-1.jpg)
Renovation Cost: $55,000
The renovation cost TC $55,000, excluding the fixtures. Although she is happy with how it is now, the home remains a work in progress with the design aficionado constantly playing with ideas such as replacing the wingback chair with a swing or converting the common room into a gym or yoga studio.
Asked if she has any advice to homeowners who are planning their own renovation, she says, “Start with a broad vision to get the main renovation and fixtures right, then take your time to outfit and furnish the space. It may take a few iterations to perfect the look, or if you are like me, it is constantly a work in progress to refresh the space and keep it updated.”