Breakout Style

Feeling a bit uninspired by your hdb unit’s standard layout and fittings? Elevate your flat with these design tricks

- Yuen Yi Ying

HDBs may be comfortable, convenient and a great way to mingle with people of all backgrounds, but the cookie cutter interiors may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Try these ideas to break out from the pack.

Clear Winner

One way to change the layout and make areas seem larger and brighter is to hack walls. However, you may want to consider putting up glass panels to block out sounds and smells as well as to keep cool air confined to a smaller space when the AC is running.

1 Besides being a stunning design feature, the blue enclosure provides some visual separation between the vanity, bathing zones and the bedroom. It serves a practical purpose as well, keeping water from splashing around the room and its occupants warm when they step out of the bath.

2 A glass divider between the kitchen and study lets parents watch their kids while not distracting them from their homework with clanging pans and food smells during meal prep.

3 Outfit a bedroom or office with a Smart Glass divider that turns frosted and opaque at a flip of a switch. This lets you enjoy light and openness but also provides privacy, blocks out work and hides clutter in an instant.

4 Besides glass walls, you can opt for glass blocks if you want to create more of a design statement or prefer more obscurity. Light can still filter through and you get more soundproofing from the thicker blocks too.

Great Divide These chic solutions let you enjoy an open floor plan and privacy.