The housing development board (HDB) in Singapore is involved in the construction of a large number of affordable flats. Many young people who are purchasing a home for the first time prefer to purchase these built to order (bto) flats since they are reasonably priced. The flat owner will usually hire the services of a reputed interior designer like darwin interiors to give their home a unique look. Since this is the first flat they own the flat owner would like to find out the hdb bto interior design process, how much time it will take, and the different stages for design.
Design finalization
The first step in interior design is finalizing the design of the flat. For this, the interior designer will take inputs from the flat owner to finalize the different aspects of the design for each room in the flat. This includes finalizing the room layout for each room, the flooring, and painting of the room. The type and location of furniture and interior decor for each room will also be finalized. The bathroom and lighting fixtures will also be selected. The interior designer will first get the flat owner’s approval for the design and costs, before starting any of the work.
Initial work
In many homes, the wiring and plumbing is concealed for better aesthetics. The lighting is also recessed. So if additional wiring or plumbing has to be done, this work will be completed first since it is concealed. If there is an air conditioner in the room , provision for installing it will also have to be made, so that there is proper ducting and wiring . Depending on the budget of the homeowner, the flooring may also have to be changed, and this work will be done at the initial stage. The time taken for the initial work will depend on the size of the house, and the number of workers hired for doing the work.
Painting
After the initial preparatory work is completed, the walls and ceiling of the room will be painted in the color specified. For this, the walls will be closely inspected for damage. For older homes, there may be cracks or holes in the wall, so epoxy putty may have to be applied to make the surface uniform. It is usually better to apply multiple layers of paint for a better finish. After the first coat of paint is applied, the painters will wait for some time so that the paint will dry, before applying a second coating. Hence it is usually better to schedule the painting during summer when the weather is dry.
Furniture
The furniture is an important aspect of the interior design since it gives the room a unique look and makes it more usable. The flat owner can use their existing furniture if they have a limited budget or purchase new furniture. Many flat owners prefer wooden furniture since it is cheaper and also easier to customize. Carpenters can be hired who will make furniture according to the design provided. Softwood or plywood is used for making cheap furniture while expensive hardwood like teak, mahogany, is preferred for high-quality furniture.
