The many homeowners who come through our doors are always concerned about making the most of their HDB BTO bedroom. As space gets increasingly small, it’s frustrating figuring out the best layout to include necessities like a wardrobe or a vanity table desk. Let’s not forget the other essentials like decor pieces and lighting which goes toward making the HDB BTO bedroom feel like home. To help with this predicament, Interior Designer Felix Yan shares his best tips, and photos, to decorate your HDB bedroom of any size with whatever budget.
Put Your Money Where Your Bedroom Is
“When thinking about designing a BTO bedroom, prioritize the lighting, flooring and walls,” says Felix.
This focused approach assigns your budget toward the right places. Moreover, it avoids expenditures which may rack up maintenance costs in the future. A shining example is in the choice of wall colour for the bedroom.
Optimising and Planning the HDB BTO Bedroom Layout
DIY space planners listen up.
Do not tetris the arrangement of your room. Do not attempt to fill every square meter of space in your bedroom. Lastly, take all your Pinterest board inspiration with a handful of salt (Check out Juz Interior’s Pinterest board for more realistic ideas for HDB bedrooms). As most Pins are from homes which are much larger than what Singapore’s HDBs have to offer, homeowners here can’t directly apply the ideas because of space constraints.
Visual proportion is critical when designing any room including the bedroom. Without this, it’s impossible to make the room appear balanced and spacious. Lining wall to wall with furniture will only serve to make your already small room crowded and not functional.
However, do the following:
1. Choose the Right Bed Size for Your HDB BTO Bedroom
Firstly, have space on both sides of the bed enough for a small bedside table. Abide by this even if you don’t include one. With sufficient room to manoeuver, you avoid injuries.
Based off this estimate, you can decide on the size of bed with the space you are blessed (or cursed) with. Most HDB BTO master bedrooms can comfortably fit a queen size bed frame. A king sized bed would fit better in the merger of two bedrooms.
Secondly, the foot of the bed should be at least 30cm away from the wall. The space can be used for a dresser or wall ledge to prop up decorative items or store clothes.
2. Wardrobe Woes
The size of a HDB BTO bedroom wardrobe should roughly match your existing wardrobe. It should also take into consideration your personal needs. And remember, abstain from any temptation to make or purchase a wardrobe any bigger than it should. Not only is it an imprudent use of space, it creates hoarding tendencies.
Although everyone dreams of a walk-in closet, it’s not realistic for small HDB master bedroom designs in Singapore. Consider a built-in wardrobe instead. Don’t let anyone fool you that it’s not. In fact, wardrobes are the best built-in anything, according to Felix as they make the most efficient use of space.
However, if custom carpentry is not within your budget, opt for loose pieces of furniture. Stand alone pieces are great because you can you can update or introduce furniture based on your lifestyle in the space. Flexibility is important for small spaces.
Remember, you can always add carpentry after renovations are complete. Afterall, carpentry is always the last thing to be installed in renovations. Moreover, there isn’t much dust created as pieces are created offsite.
3. Don't Forget to Plan for Electrical Outlet Points
In the chaos of furniture procurement, remember to plan for electrical points. Include points for the fan, the aircon, and other small electronic appliances.
Aircon placement follows the positioning of the wardrobe. An optimal place for the aircon in a HDB BTO bedroom is at the beam near the room entrance (a feature found in most new launches) or above the door.
Lighting the Bedroom the Right Way
“You’ll be surprised. Lighting a room is learned behaviour,” says Felix.
Many young couples who move into their new home attempt to replicate their childhood home. For many Singaporeans, this includes one LED tube light in the centre of the room. And nothing else.
Such “traditional” methods are not desirable. Here’s why: a single light source acts like a harsh spot light. Only one spot in the room is lit; casting shadows in the other parts of the room. There will also be “dead” spots.
Hence, aim for scattered light using multiple light sources. Implement Felix’s suggestion with lamps in corners of the room like the bedside. Keep one on either side for symmetry. Or, jazz things up by choosing a different lighting accessory on either side.
False lighting and track lights are also good options. Place these along the edge of the wall or above the headboard, or even above artwork. At the same time, don’t rely only on tracklights to illuminate the room. Lighting should be a collection. So consider pairing it with other lighting accessories like pendant lights. Pendant lights are a great way to diffuse a cosy glow, plus doubling up as an accessory.
“If you’re in need of inspiration, think about your favourite hipster cafe. There’s no bright lighting but lots of exposed lightbulbs,” offers Felix.
How to Choose Wall Colours for the Bedroom
Imagine the wall as the room’s canvas. Although a colourful printed wallpaper might inject pizzazz into a room, replacing the wallpaper will be an expensive project. Given Singapore’s humidity, wallpaper warps and needs to be replaced every 5 years. Secondly, if this home is not your forever home, take precaution. Wallpaper will undermine resale value.
Hence, opt for classic wall paint instead. Felix suggests using white and bright colour scheme to make the bedroom appear visually larger. Darker colours recede the walls, make the space appear cramped.
While some homeowners might prefer a dark interior, keep in mind that bolder paint colours are not so easy paint over with a new colour scheme. Changing colour schemes could incur costs in the future. Instead, Felix recommends homeowners to introduce bold colours with accessories which can be purchased affordably and are easily replaced.
Accessorise Your HDB BTO Bedroom
Finally, as you reach the end of your money pot, you’ll want accessories to work doubly hard in an already small HDB bedroom.
“A nifty decorative item everyone should include in the bedroom are mirrors,” says Felix. “Not only do they bounce off light to effuse that iridescent glow, it helps to make the room appear much larger. Effectively doubling it.”
That’s if you’re not superstitious about decorating with mirrors. A good place to hang mirrors are above the bed headboard. Alternatively, choose to cover the wardrobe door with a mirror to give the impression of a much bigger room.
Another good accessory to have is a rug or carpet. Place large carpets under the bed so that your feet hit a fuzzy and plush landing the first thing in the morning. Similarly, a long runner can be placed along the foot of the bed. This is a good way to dress up the floor without spending excessive amounts of money redoing the floor with vinyl coverings or new tiles.
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