The document outlines various strategies for renovating and maximizing space in small BTO flats, emphasizing an open concept design, the use of movable walls, and multifunctional furniture. Suggestions also include utilizing vertical space, painting in light colors, and incorporating sliding doors to enhance functionality. Additional tips highlight creating levels within rooms and using design elements like curtains to create illusions of height and space.

2. 1. Create an Open Concept
One effective and widely known way to renovate your BTO for a spacious
open look? Create an open concept by knocking down walls in various
parts of your home to enlarge spaces or make them multi-functional. Do
note that structural entities like load bearing walls, beams, columns and
floor slabs cannot be hacked or removed. Make sure to find out what you
can't touch before looking into your desired floor plan for an open concept

3. 2. Transform your Spaces with Movable Walls
HDB flats as we all know, are getting smaller as the years go by. The best way to make
the most out of our small-ish BTO flats is to create rooms suitable for many different
purposes. To do that, divide and transform your spaces with movable walls that
enable you to, for example, open up and enlarge your living area for entertaining; or
even mount your TV on a rotating portion of the wall that lets you get in solid TV time
from either the living room, or your bedroom

4. 3. Decorate and Furnish for Double Duty
In everything you buy, look for
multiple uses. Stools that provide
stylish seating options, beds with
hidden storage, and even wardrobes
with hidden dressers too!

5. 4. Use Your Vertical Space
Fully utilise every inch of of your BTO flat by getting creative
with your vertical space. Add bookshelves in the corners of
your living room, shelves in the shallow area behind your door
if available, or mount your nightstands AND lamps on the
walls beside your bed. Apart from giving you more storage
space, depending on where these vertical elements are
implemented – they may also serve as great focal points that
help to uniquely pull your space together.

6. 5. Play with Different Levels
within a Room
If you're tired of the standard bed, why not create a built-in
platform for your bed of any desired (appropriate) height.
Again, get creative and discuss possibilities with your interior
designer. Create deep storage drawers for storing bulky items,
or even build a slide out study table into the platform, the
possibilities are truly endless.

7. 6. Paint it Right
Small homes have a tendency to come off as dark and suffocating.
Avoid this by keeping your home light and airy with the right colours.
According to design experts, one trick you may use is to pick a single
hue for the entire space. For example, light blue with a hint of grey will
counteract the lack of natural light, while the complimentary colours
will give the illusion of a larger space.

8. 7. Hide Your Bed
If you really, REALLY, want to go all out for a spacious apartment, do as the
New Yorkers do, and use the popular NYC apartment renovation trick by
hiding your bed. Using a Murphy bed will allow you to remove the bed and
at the same time, help to increase the space and functionality of your
room.

9. 8. Drape Down
Create the illusion of height by simply
using floor to ceiling curtains. Let your
curtains drape onto the floor, and layer
them for a more detailed look. If you
want your room to look more open, use
light coloured drapes. Finally, top it off
with decorative curtain rods, knobs and
beautiful curtain tiebacks

10. 9. Scale it Down
If you haven't yet been to the Trick Eye Museum
exhibit in Singapore, you definitely should. When
you want to make something appear smaller
visually, use something bigger. If you want to make
something look bigger visually, use something
smaller. Case in point, if you have a small space, use
smaller pieces (sofas, tables, etc) that fit the scale of
your flat so your space feels bigger.

11. 10. Sliding Doors
Last but not least, sliding doors are a great alternative for
wardrobes, bathrooms, and doors to different rooms in the
home – as they require less space compared to swing-out
doors. One really cool sliding door option you may look into,
check out how barn doors were used here!

12. 5. Play with Different Levels
within a Room
If you're tired of the standard bed, why not create a built-in
platform for your bed of any desired (appropriate) height.
Again, get creative and discuss possibilities with your interior
designer. Create deep storage drawers for storing bulky items,
or even build a slide out study table into the platform, the
possibilities are truly endless.

13. Photo Credits: 1. H20 Interior Renovation; 2. Left Free; 3. Harvey Norman; 4. Apartment
Therapy; 5. Apartment Therapy; 6. Rootnh; 7. Motivo Interiors; 8. Singapore Brides;
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