Renovating a new Build-to-Order (BTO) flat can be both an exciting venture and a creative challenge.
As it’s usually the first time someone owns a property, it’s also their first opportunity to express themselves creatively through their home.
However, due to the space constraints that most flats have, every square metre counts. As a result, homeowners need to be extra selective about what goes into their space.
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For young couples planning to expand their families, especially, making the most of their small space is important so they’ll have enough room for potential new members.
If you’re in such a situation, fret not as we have some easy ways to save space in your BTO.
When square footage is limited, it’s time to avert your eyes from the floor to the sides, aka your walls.
Instead of conventional cupboards and drawers, wall shelves, cabinets, and hooks can offer you a whole new world of storage to keep all kinds of items.
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Floor-to-ceiling shelves and cabinets, for instance, allow you to store your items neatly while serving as a design focal point when accompanied by decorative lighting.
Lighter items can hang from hooks or nails, freeing up space on your countertops or tables for other essentials.
Start thinking of every large furniture in your home as more than its primary purpose. Bed? Extra storage space. Coffee table? Extra storage space. Sofa? You get the idea.
Take beds for example. Depending on your budget, you can either opt for a higher bed that will allow you to stash boxes and other miscellaneous items below, or install drawers under the bed.
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This makes it easier to store items that aren’t often in use but need to be within reach in the bedroom, such as batteries and coldwear.
If you need to clean up your room in a pinch, you can even stuff clutter in it and your guests would be none the wiser.
Similarly, you can look for sofas with drawers to put away books, magazines, and spare cushions. There are also couches where you can slide the seating cushions out to reveal more storage space.
Since they don’t open inwards or outwards like most doors do, sliding doors are a no-brainer for saving space.
Sliding against a wall or into a hatch, these doors won’t obstruct your walkway or any space around them, allowing you to place extra furniture or decor without worrying about them getting in the way.
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To give your home the illusion of a wide, open-concept space, you may even go for transparent sliding doors.
Do remember to consider the utility of the room, such as whether it is primarily a public or private area. For example, transparent sliding doors may be less feasible for bedrooms and bathrooms, and more suited to kitchens and study rooms.
As much as you’d like to have 10 friends over for a dinner or just to lepak, you won’t need that super long dining table and extra chairs all the time.
To give yourself the option of hosting such big events while still keeping your home neat, convertible furniture would be something right up your alley.
From chairs to tables and even beds, you can pull parts of the furniture out whenever you need the extra capacity.
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That dining table that can seat eight guests for your birthday party, for example, can perhaps fold in to become a study or work desk for two.
That way, you’d be saving money on furniture too, as you can use each piece for multiple purposes.
An easy-to-install and budget-friendly way to hang things up in your home, tension rods also free up precious floor area.
To give you more bang for your buck, they can be used in various ways, with the most popular one being to hang clothes on your balcony. If you have space under your sink, you can also adjust their length to hang up cleaning supplies.
As an alternative to sliding doors that separate your shower area from the rest of the bathroom, you may also opt for a tension rod to hang up shower curtains – provided they aren’t too heavy.
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Additionally, tension rods don’t require any wall drilling or hammering, which makes them ideal for homeowners who aren’t keen on compromising their walls.
In a time where almost everything we use is electronic, having ample power sockets in your home is a real concern.
With power tracks, you can turn almost any wall into an electrical outlet. Once you place power sockets into the track, you can plug in any manner of electronic devices.
Since the sockets are removable, you can bring them anywhere in the house that has a power track. You can thus binge-watch Netflix shows in any room without stressing over how to charge your device while lying down in the most comfortable position.
Source: Aseel Osama on Pinterest
If a pile of tangled cables is a thorn in your eye, power tracks can take care of that too by keeping them organised and concealed.
Floor and wall space aside, the items you choose to put on elevated surface areas like tables and countertops matter too.
That’s where compact electrical appliances come in, as they’re small, and take up only as much space as needed to fulfil their functions, or sometimes even more.
Couples who love starting their day with a healthy dose of nutrients would adore the Hurom H310A Easy Series Slow Juicer.
Lean and compact, it barely takes up space on your countertop, yet fulfils all the functions you’d want in a juicer.
Image courtesy of Modern Link
Not forgetting its stylish, minimalist appearance, that’ll easily fit with any kitchen aesthetic, whether you’re going for Scandinavian, modern, or contemporary.
A healthy family is a happy family, and that starts with consuming the best foods full of vitamins that even picky eaters can enjoy.
Thanks to the compact Hurom H310A Easy Series Slow Juicer, BTO homeowners can plug this slim appliance anywhere and prepare their fave smoothies in a jiffy.
It takes up less counter space too, so you can make juice while whipping up a feast in the kitchen like a masterchef.
Image courtesy of Modern Link
No need for extra tools like a strainer as the juicer has a multi-screw feature that basically combines a strainer and auger in one.
The larger inlet also allows you to juice entire fruits without slicing them, which is a great time-saving perk for mornings when you need to chiong to work.
Available in colours like blue, lavender, and beige, the Hurom H310A Easy Series Slow Juicer‘s pretty appearance will have you reaching for it often to make healthy drinks for the fam.
You can now find it exclusively on the Hurom Singapore website, for a special launch price of S$549 (U.P. S$698).
You may also follow @huromsingapore on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the latest product releases.
To some, the idea of saving space may mean settling for a pared down version of their dream home.
In truth, as long as you get smart about what you put inside your home and how you place them, you can still strike a balance between function and design.
Preparing to save space now and going in with a minimalist approach also makes it less difficult when you acquire more possessions – or family members – later down the road.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Modern Link.
Featured image courtesy of Modern Link and adapted from @charlesdeluvio on Unsplash and @3dottawa on Unsplash.
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