How to Renovate an Executive Apartment
An executive apartment (EC) is a hybrid form of public and private housing that is increasing in popularity. However, EC renovation is a complex task that requires professional help.
A specialised interior designer can help you stay within your body corporate’s restrictions without sacrificing your design choices. You may need to implement safety precautions and work around toxins during construction.
Flooring
As with the rest of your home, there are a variety of flooring options to choose from for an executive condo renovation. While wood floors are popular, some homeowners may prefer to go for a more modern and minimalist approach by using tiles or carpets throughout their new home. Having worked with an interior design firm, you will be able to find the right flooring that suits your personal taste without violating any HDB regulations.
For instance, the homeowners of this executive apartment executive apartment renovation went all out to create a lavish home, from embedding rockwool in the ceiling to customising doors, cabinets, and mirrors. However, they also advise other homeowners to take their time and do the financial calculations thoroughly – including things like utilities and maintenance costs.
In addition, they recommend sourcing professional and more expensive flooring materials to ensure that the flooring can last for a long time. This will help to avoid the need for frequent replacements and repairs, which can be costly in the long run.
Interior Design
When it comes to interior design, there are many options available for an executive condo. Aside from the typical wood and metal features of industrial design, other elements can include exposed bricks, Edison bulbs, open layouts, a mix of concrete floors and carpeting, and more. An experienced Singapore interior design company will know the ins and outs of these designs to help you make the best choices.
When you think of a luxury-themed home, you might immediately imagine a lavish flat that costs tens of thousands of dollars to renovate. But that’s not what this homeowner got – instead, they chose to add a more organic element to their home – a full-height tree in the middle of their living room!
This is just one of the unique ideas that this couple used to achieve their dream home. They also employed a few smart design strategies, including embedding rockwool in their ceiling, constructing furniture decks, and more.
Alfisyah and Fairuz are a great example of how homeowners can improve their ECs without doing a complete renovation. One of their tips is to use a neutral or pastel colour scheme to increase the brightness of the room and make it feel larger. They also suggest hacking down walls to create an open concept. This will not only boost the look of your EC but it will also reduce your utility bills since the larger space requires less energy to heat or cool.
Lighting
Creating a harmonious lighting system is important in any renovation project. It’s also essential to balance a well-lit environment with energy savings, especially for apartment buildings. Using smart lighting, such as LED bulbs from Lightronics, can help reduce electricity usage and costs by integrating motion sensors, twilight switches, and connectivity.
For instance, installing recessed lighting can make an apartment feel bigger and brighter, but it’s important to use them as a supplement to other light sources, such as table lamps or floor lamps. Additionally, ceiling fixtures can be used as decoration and can define space in open-concept living areas. For example, parking a lamp in the corner of a living room creates a reading nook.
Raising the ceiling can also dramatically improve an apartment’s appearance. However, it’s important to understand the impact of raising the ceiling on the piping and structure. In some cases, this step may not be possible, and it’s essential to consult a professional architect before making a decision. Moreover, knocking down walls to create an open floor plan can increase the value of an apartment. It can also give the apartment a more airy feeling and allow it to take advantage of premium views.
Electrical
The last step of any apartment renovation involves upgrading the building’s electrical system. This can involve new risers running from the main service switch in the basement to each apartment’s electrical panel box, as well as new hospitality renovation general contractors circuits and a new fusebox. If the upgrade is extensive, it may require a permit from the city’s electrical code department.
While the upgrades necessary to modernize an apartment’s electrical systems may seem expensive, they are important for safeguarding people and property from the hazards that can arise from a lack of proper power distribution. For example, a fuse that blows due to overtaxing an electrical wire may cause a fire.
In older buildings, where the electrical lines are antiquated, it is often not possible to accommodate residents’ requests for more capacity. Boards must carefully weigh each resident’s request against the capacity remaining in the building, and must also consider whether the requested amount of power is truly necessary for the specific project at hand.
To help prevent a few residents from grabbing all the available spare capacity, the building’s engineer reviews each request by reviewing the resident’s design plans and load calculation (which the resident’s designer typically provides). This can provide a more accurate picture of how much power the project really needs. Rationing capacity may seem harsh, but it is the only way to fairly distribute power to all residents and keep the building safe for everyone.
