Who doesn’t want to redo their home and change its outlook? However, many would think that this is not an achievable task unless you have tons of money. This is not the case though. There are some simple ways in which you can transform your home to give it a new look without it costing you an arm and leg. Doors play a large part in changing up the look of your house, including bedroom doors and HDB main doors.
While renovation costs may vary from as low as $5000 to a lavish $100,000 for the average HDB in Singapore, a run-of-the-mill renovation for a 4-room flat should cost anywhere between $40,000 and $50,000 for a mid-range makeover. Of course, not everyone has the finances to support a renovation. Simple changes in décor, lighting or your doors can make a big difference.
Home improvement projects not only add value to your home but are also fun. In this article, we will describe some of the most simple yet cost-efficient ways in which you can transform your HDB home, starting from your HDB door.
Paint And Wallpaper
Probably the simplest of ways through which you can completely change the outlook of your home is to change the wall colours. Painting a room with a different shade of colour as before not only adds a fresh touch but can also act as a backdrop for all your other creative and fun decorating ideas.
For HDBs and condominiums in Singapore, we can’t change the colour of our exteriors like a semi-detached terrace or bungalow. However, your main door can have a sensible colour while still reflecting your artistic sensibilities. Beige, white, black (for the bold) and brown are all great choices for your front door. Timber doors provide a complementing natural look to go with your houseplant collection too.
Depending on your preferences, you can choose neutral colours or experiment with bold and different colours. You can paint one wall of a room with bold colour and balance it out by painting the remaining walls in neutral tones. This does not have to be the same as your bedroom door colour, so get creative and think outside of the box! Certain colours also have optimal colour combinations, like beige going well with muted, pastel and hues reminiscent of Scandinavian interior design.
Another idea in this regard would be to add new wallpapers on the wall or change the existing ones. Again, you have the choice of putting up wallpaper on one of the walls of a room and keeping the other walls empty or you can choose wallpapers for all walls for a room. For instance, having a complementing wallpaper opposite to your laminated sliding door can be used to inject depth into your design. In fact, laminated doors are versatile in the sense that they can come in any colour you want (since their laminated surface is tacked on to the core of the door in manufacturing).
One of the walls could have floral wallpaper while the other walls could have striped wallpapers. Just let your imaginations go wild and experiment with different options to find the one that best stands out for you. Play with the colors in the rooms for more variance in mood types or settings! Or get in touch with us to see how we can help beautify your interior.
Rugs And Carpets
The flooring of a room or house also plays a vital role in bringing out the home’s general outlook. Since all the flooring could not be changed in the budget, one relatively cheaper option would be to add or change area rugs and carpets. They are a versatile choice through which you can completely transform a room’s appearance, while being a great way to transform your HDB home on a budget!
There is no difference between rugs and carpets and these terms can be used interchangeably. They can be used to accentuate a certain area or bring it to focus. Area rugs can also be used to define zones in a room which can be decorated or made functional accordingly. Speaking of decorations, they provide an element of decorative interest, adding a layer of texture to the room. Rugs can also be used to demarcate furniture placements and more.
Rugs also work very well when placed in front of a door. Bedroom doors of varying colours would appreciate a complementing colour from your rugs and carpet. Clean looking doors are like black shoes – they go great with most outfits. This simple laminated wood door matches well with a light wallpaper or wall colour, and provides versatility in design – they complement most design themes, furniture and your carpets. Once again, we cannot overstate the versatility of laminated doors in the amount of customizability you have with its design, allowing you to pair any rug you find.
Finally, rugs come in different shapes and sizes. You do not want to go overboard with them either. So choose the one which is neither too big nor too small according to the room size. Pay attention to how well it goes with the other elements of the room so all of them enhance each other’s appearance, which is a core consideration of matching interior design and doors.
Upcycle Or Replace Furniture
Another efficient way to bring about a good change in your HDB home is to change your old furniture. If you have a little extra cash, you can always opt for new furniture. However, in case you do not have enough money to buy new furniture, you can always upcycle your old one at a much reasonable cost.
There are several ways to upcycle old furniture. Wood furniture can be sanded and repainted to give it a new look. Sofas and couches can be reupholstered in new fabric to give them a completely new look. Old furniture can be cut and sawed to create newer pieces of furniture. Another option is to paint your furniture for a fresh new look. Keep in mind that painting with a brush leaves wet brush marks in the process, so find a good foam roller from your local hardware store to produce the best result. You will find that painting your old furniture is way cheaper than buying new ones, too!
Replace Doors
Another simple way in which you can change the outlook of your HDB home is to replace the doors. If you have a lesser budget, you can just change the main door, otherwise, for a full change, you can opt to change all the doors of the HDB apartment. Doors come in different designs, sizes, materials, and colours.
By getting a different coloured or different material door, you can instantly change the appearance of a room. Moving away from the conventional brown and wooden colours of doors, you can opt to choose bold colours such as blue, green, red, yellow, turquoise, or any other colour of your choice. It will help to bring about a new and positive change in your home. Wooden doors can come in various laminated hues to accentuate your wallpaper choice.
Replacing the door itself presents a whole other challenge. If you want to replace your door without replacing the frame, keep in mind that you will have to carve out the hinge positions in the door according to your original hinges in the frame. If that sounds like too much hassle, you could always hire a certified door installer to do the work for you, which SG Doors provides! Contact us for all your door-related needs.
Your door is the first thing that you see when you enter your home or room and sets the overall mood. Something simple like the lovely marble door in our HDB project at Tampines for their main door gives the flat an aura of sophistication and class. Just like having a marble countertop, it elevates a Contemporary or Modern styled interior. Consult a designer for their recommendations on a door type that best suits your home!
Color theory can also be applied here to achieve a pairing that suits your needs. Doors in your bathroom are also easily replaceable and not too expensive, so give your aged door an uplift and browse our range of Bifold doors here!
Bedroom Linens
If you want to change the appearance of your bedroom, a very simple and budget-friendly option is to change the bedroom linens! You will be surprised by how much of a change you can feel by changing the bed linens to something different from what you are used to. If you usually use pastel colors, switch to bold and contrasting colors to immediately uplift the room’s appearance. Matching your HDB room door with your sheets is a fancy touch that will be sure to surprise your guests.
If you normally use solid colored linens, switch to florals and tropical prints to create the awe-inspiring outlook. Of course, you need to choose the linen that best goes with the other elements of the bedroom as well. But there could be a lot of different options to choose from, so do not hesitate to experiment with new and different colors and designs. Your bathroom bifold door can also come in a variety of prints and designs, so the sky’s the limit!
Different Kinds Of Lighting
Lighting is one of those elements of interior design that, if done right, can immediately transform a room from a boring and plain one to a highly elegant and beautiful abode. Even if the other elements of the design are not that sophisticated or well-coordinated, a properly lit room will cover all the loopholes and still make the room look brilliant. Changing up the light setting is can be a good makeover to transform your HDB while keeping to a budget.
There are many different types of lighting that you can use to enhance the different elements of the rooms such as accent lighting, direct lighting, recessed lighting, task lighting, spotlighting, and others. You can use them to put certain elements of a room into focus while down-playing the other parts to create a dramatic effect. Lighting is a relatively cheaper form of change that you can incorporate in your home to change its appearance.
Change Curtains
Curtains also play an important role in defining the overall theme and design of a room. By just changing the curtains, you can bring about a new and fresh change to your home. You can opt for a different shade of curtains or switch to a different print. You can choose luxurious plush curtains to add a victorian touch to your design.
The rods of the curtains and their accessories can also be changed to bring new design elements. If you want to greatly transform the room’s appearance, you can remove the curtains and install blinds in its place. There are several design options available in blinds also, so you can still have beautiful and trendy blinds while being different from traditional curtains.
Use Artwork
If you do not have any artwork either displayed on the walls or as decorative items, then adding some art pieces will surely add a touch of something new to your home. If you already have some artwork, consider changing them or replacing them with some new or upcycled.
It will definitely make the space look different from its previous appearance and you will appreciate the change. Your artwork design can even be extended to some doors, such as laminated sliding doors that could even come with 3D designs.
Plants and Shrubs
One of the very effective ways in which you can add freshness and a completely new outlook to your home is with the addition of plants and shrubs. Plants are very pleasing to the eye and help in uplifting one’s mood. You can add different types and colors of plants in your home.
They can also be of different sizes. Use large planters for placing on the floor in the living room and bedrooms. Place some plants and shrubs on the side tables, coffee table, and study desk. Not only will you feel that the air that you breathe in feels purer but the green color of the plants and colorful flowers will help you feel closer to nature and at peace.
Interior Doors
Installation costs for interior doors
The usual price when it comes to installing a door within your home can go from anywhere between $175 to as much as $1000 per door. In this case, the material and type of door installed will directly affect the price.
Timber doors
Timber doors are a classic choice for many parts of the home. Their price range goes from approximately $600 to as high as $1000. Higher quality timber doors are often fairly expensive, which might make it less suitable for homeowners who have small budgets.
However, timber doors are high-quality, sturdy and extremely durable. This makes them the optimal choice when it comes to your main door, which needs to be strong and sturdy to provide your home with the best sense of safety and security.
Furthermore, the timber itself is a rust-free and environmentally-friendly material, which are added bonuses. Additionally, timber is resistant to fire, which makes timber doors fire-rated doors that provide extra safety. Some HDB’s require fire-rated doors, so check with your installer to be sure!
The flip side is that while timber doors are sturdy, hefty and add a luxurious touch to your home, they are still natural wood. Their coating of varnish and lacquer can be damaged over time, especially if they are used for bathroom doors or your main door. These timber doors need to be replaced or maintained with a certified door specialist like SGDoors over a few years for them to reach a good lifespan. If done properly, they can weather any storm and last for decades.
Laminated doors
Laminated doors cost anywhere from around $300 to $600. Laminated doors are a type of wooden door made with syntactic material that is layered onto a wooden surface. It is made up of good quality plywood, which makes it a very durable option.
Laminated doors can be used as bedroom doors. Its surface can incorporate many designs, which gives homeowners creative flexibility and input. Its customizability makes it a very popular option in terms of door choices, and it comes with an option of a hollow core or a solid core, based on what you need. Customizability also means more available designs to choose from, which adds depth and pairs well with your room via color theory.
These doors are also more resistant than their timber counterparts since they are entirely man-made. They get their namesake from the laminated coating applied on the core, which makes it scratch-resistant and weatherproof. To save even more space, laminated sliding doors can be hidden in a recess in the wall. This is called a pocket door, which is great for separating spaces like a home office, kitchen or kids play area. Laminated doors are great all-rounders for your home without breaking the bank!
You can find out more about laminated bedroom door and laminated sliding door on SGDoors.
Bifold doors
Bifold doors are on the cheaper side in terms of doors, being priced around approximately $200 to $300.
They are very popular options for washroom doors due to their space-saving properties, as well as places with smaller capacities such as small bedrooms, kitchens and even balconies or patios. Good for semi-detached homes and bungalows, separating the porch or your driveway.
Don’t confuse bifold doors with sliding doors, however. The former is thinner since it comprises multiple panels that fold in on themselves, going up to seven panels for the largest spaces. Sliding doors are slightly pricier and are usually made of glass which raises their cost price to anywhere between $300 and $1600 for high-end designs. These sliding doors are usually just one panel that slides away when opened. Be confident of what door you want for your home and contract a certified HDB door installer for guaranteed results!
Bifold doors can come either plain or with pictures, which makes them available for customisation.
Door Accessories
Door accessories, sometimes known as door hardware, refer to door-related products such as door stops, knockers, peepholes, door hinges, doorbell buttons and other such items. Technological advances have also given rise to high-quality door accessories such as digital locks, which provides added safety and security for your home.
Here are some door accessories that are popular with homeowners looking to upgrade or repair their doors.
Digital locks
Digital locks are priced anywhere between $350 to $400. They can be accessed via passcodes, card access and fingerprint scanners, which is an extremely convenient option for homeowners who do not want to fumble with their keys when unlocking their door.
The passcode sensitive nature of digital locks helps to strengthen the security of your home, making it popular for tech-savvy homeowners looking to upgrade safety levels.
These are inexpensive and modern implements to create more sophistication in home design. Check out our catalogue for more designs and types of door locks!
Door hinges
Door hinges are an essential part of most doors. After all, nobody likes a noisy and creaky door hinge that creates a ruckus every time the door is pulled open. Door hinges come in various sizes and materials. Some even arrive in different finishes and styles.
While door hinges are somewhat limited in terms of customizability, you can still pick your preferred finish so that it better matches the aesthetics of your home. For instance, homeowners who prefer a chic and sophisticated interior design can choose a black finishing to complement their home.
Door guard and door locks
Door guards, also known as door locks, are a safe door lock alternative for non-tech-savvy homeowners who prefer the old-fashioned tried and tested method. When picking a door lock, ensure that you pick a sturdy, strong and durable material that cannot be dented easily by brute force.
After all, a door lock (or a door guard) is meant to protect you from external forces, such as people attempting to break in. As such, you should invest in a proper and secure one for added safety.
Similar to a door hinge, a door lock may be limited in terms of customizability, but you can determine its colour by picking a finishing of your choice.
Other door accessories that you may be interested in can include:
- door closers
- door fittings
- emergency exit systems
- door bolts
- padlock bars