THE CHALK &amp; CHARK COLLECTIVES
DESIGNING THOUGHTFUL, INNOVATIVE, AND DELIGHTFUL ARCHITECTURE &amp; SPACES.
We are a boutique Architectural &amp; Interior design firm. A multidisciplinary design practice that provides architectural &amp; interior design and consultancy services for residential, commercial &amp; institutional clients.

Heard about HDB's new BTO layout coming out in October? Called the ‘white flat', these are named after the blank canvas they provide, with no walls, saving homeowners the cost of hacking them down.&nbsp;We've put together a list of pros and cons if you're considering applying for one. Plus: design possibilities with this new layout to spark your creativity.&nbsp;<h3>Pros and cons of a ‘white flat’ layout &nbsp;</h3><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li>Save money on potential hacking costs</li><li>Greater design possibilities and flexibility, since there isn’t a need to be concerned about structural walls</li><li>More adaptable to different life stages e.g. if you are welcoming a child or an elderly family member down the road</li><li>Less cookie-cutter home</li><li>May feel more spacious, brighter and potentially have better ventilation with the absence of walls</li><li>Fosters a sense of togetherness</li></ul> &nbsp;<h4>Cons</h4><ul><li>Requires more planning and effort, driving up design and renovation costs</li><li>May also be more difficult to put together a cohesive design</li><li>Lack privacy if you aren’t going to build dividers or walls</li><li>Lack of sound and odour barriers e.g. cooking smells can easily waft from the kitchen to the bedroom zone, may not provide enough privacy if you need to WFH</li><li>May not be attractive to a portion of future buyers who prefer a more traditional layout</li><li>Potentially drive up electrical costs for running the AC since open spaces tend to require more energy to cool efficiently</li></ul> &nbsp;<h3>Design possibilities with HDB’s ‘white flat’ layout</h3><h4>&nbsp;</h4><h4>1. Layout switcheroo</h4>&nbsp;Now you can have the living room situated in the centre of your HDB flat and facing a different direction. Imagine the dining room on one end and the bedroom on the other, creating a less-than-conventional layout for your apartment.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/801;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/8881bf06-7633-4429-aadc-1ad40efbf6da-blob" width="1200" height="801"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/801;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/5b0ccc23-3bfe-4152-8ac5-5af0526b98dc-blob" width="1200" height="801"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/265007bb-22ed-4e70-8fee-194743d802d0-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/lemonfridge-studio">Lemonfridge Studio</a>&nbsp;<h4>2. Curtains for dividers!</h4>&nbsp;Who needs walls when you have curtains as dividers? We love how light and airy the home below feels with these soft furnishings separating the different areas at home. The best thing is that they can be easily opened, giving more flexibility in how the space is used.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/0a90d411-f192-4bb4-b9e0-472bc014df6b-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/35fe04de-e50b-423b-8561-25178aa02bb4-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/ab8e6750-99a6-4166-a94a-d2e03fa87e14-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/chalk-architects-and-chark">Chalk Architects</a>&nbsp;<h4>3. More storage!</h4>&nbsp;Demarcating your home with built-in storage is a great way to make the most of your space. Without any walls in the way, you can really use every inch of your floor for storage. It's like turning your whole home into a giant walk-in closet!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/318b737f-f34e-4cb0-a250-dcb7530e54f6-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/1b5d84e0-ab0f-4221-ace7-89ef6aaa8f44-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/859;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/0be6e6b0-31aa-4c4d-a8cc-096097b38ddc-blob" width="1200" height="859"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/produce">Produce</a>&nbsp;<h4>4. Studio style living</h4>&nbsp;Have you ever admired those iconic SoHo lofts? Now, with the ‘white flat’, you can create a similar look in your own home, minus the extra tall ceilings. Add some brick walls, glass dividers, and concrete floors, and you'll feel like you're in the heart of New York City in no time.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/d3e2501e-24ef-4fef-a948-5f0df484e785-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/675;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/854da8cb-8777-430f-8f11-c765f8433e5c-blob" width="1200" height="675"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/e158b8a7-4fdf-4ce0-a9a4-2525de85489c-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/linear-space-concepts">Linear Space Concepts</a>&nbsp;<h4>5. Carving out a balcony &nbsp;</h4>Not every BTO comes with a balcony, so if you really want one in your home, the 'white flat' layout makes it easy to plan for one. Just reserve a small space along the windows and create internal windows for your rooms to overlook that simulated balcony.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:800/1200;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/ebd7e0f8-1534-45e9-8216-63b56aa9bd46-blob" width="800" height="1200"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:800/1200;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/e40f0bbb-6021-4e0e-be46-3dc46488f9d1-blob" width="800" height="1200"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/b326874a-3634-4e41-8831-fb978f732525-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/threehaus-works">Threehaus Works</a>&nbsp;<h4>6. Go with the flow</h4>&nbsp;Who needs boring, straight walls when you can have these unique, wavy ones that flow like waves, guiding you through each room. It's like a fun little maze in here—you never know which room you’re going to end up in next!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/ee10ef89-3918-4c6e-bb21-c193f934f442-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/1fccba58-c804-4f9d-9f60-6ed36cbcd354-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/d7b974a8-2c81-448d-be79-49fe7ca77dbd-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/932-design-consultants">932 Design</a>&nbsp;<h4>7. Multipurpose use of space &nbsp;</h4>When you don't have walls defining a room's function, you can opt for flexible furniture (see those castors?) that can easily be moved around the house to create a truly versatile living space.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/802;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/53eb8e59-bc06-406a-b676-86e2d79dad35-blob" width="1200" height="802"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/17fac6c0-787e-42a3-9051-e35b9b27da45-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/three-d-conceptwerke">Three-D Conceptwerke</a>&nbsp;<h4>8. Bedroom in the middle &nbsp;</h4>Thinking about adding an art studio right in the middle of your flat? The power of choice is now in your hands thanks to the ‘white flat’ layout.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/800;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/4547a28d-1783-47b0-a094-6ce91d38fbbe-blob" width="1200" height="800"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:858/1200;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/4e74beeb-812c-4add-9400-960e96e995f3-blob" width="858" height="1200"></figure><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1200/850;" src="https://d213h1b7vxzzl3.cloudfront.net/staging-editor/f4d0629d-781f-4490-8709-ec80308dafac-blob" width="1200" height="850"></figure>&nbsp;Design: <a href="https://www.renonation.sg/professional/three-d-conceptwerke">Three-D Conceptwerke</a>&nbsp;As you start thinking about designing your own ‘white flat’, remember to consider HDB guidelines and renovation regulations to make sure everything is above board.

8 Design Possibilities With HDB’s Newest ‘White Flat’ Layout 

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