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Most homes nowadays have small spaces and could cost quite a fortune. This is especially true in Singapore where owning a modern home or condo is considered the height of luxurious living. However, not many homes and condominiums fit a feasible budget for some. But there is one type of home that is as luxurious and equally glamorous as the above mentioned. And that is the maisonette.
(So, you might be wondering, what is a maisonette?)
Strictly speaking, a maisonette is a type of HDB house that has two floors of livable space or in today’s modern definition, a penthouse. Unlike the other HDB homes, the masionette’s ground floor has the living, dining and kitchen areas while the second floor, accessible by stairs, has the toilet and bath and bedrooms. They were considered a luxury during the early 80’s, but slowly lost its appeal in the late 90’s.
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Suffice to say, most of the maisonettes have been replaced with the executive condominiums. Although, there are a few houses that are the genuine maisonette. And the best part, the maisonette is just within every feasible budget. If you happen to own a maisonette, or are considering owning one, you’re probably wondering how to make it look stylish and luxurious. Fear not, here are several ways to have that amazing and luxurious maisonette renovation.
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1. THE BASIC REPAIRS
Like with most houses, the first thing you need to consider when working on your maisonette renovation is if the maisonette needs repairs.
- If there are cracks in the walls, patch them up and then paint over with a paint primer.
- Check the electrical wires and see if they are frayed. If so, hire an electrician and have them replaced.
- If there are broken tiles either on the floor or walls, consider either replacing them or retiling them.
- How about your stairs? If you have stairs that are concrete, check if they are still sturdy and strong enough. Or if they are made of wood, check and see if there are any termites.
If there are, quickly call for an exterminator and afterwards, repair them. Check also your door and window hinges. Once you have done whatever repairs were needed, you can start your renovation project
2. MAKE A CHECKLIST
Take the time to look at your maisonette and ask yourself:
- What would you like to have?
- How big is your living or dining room?
- Do you want to change your kitchen or keep it that way?
- Do you have tall windows or short windows?
- Are your bedrooms big or small?
- Do you need to add more lights or change your fixtures?
Make a list of what you want to do for your maisonette renovation. Start with the top priority be it either a kitchen or bathroom renovation. You can even list down the furniture you need and where you can buy them. You can search online for your materials and suppliers. More importantly, you will need professional services. You can also search for electricians, contractors and even designers who can help with your project. They can also help with your budget and will give you their opinion on what is feasible.
3. TO TILE OR NOT TO TILE
Let’s start with the floors. Now, depending on the style you are going for, most maisonettes will have tiles that will fit your theme. Another thing to look out for is molds. Check and see if there are any molds and if there are any, then you must treat it right away before setting in some new tiles.
If you are considering retiling them, remember that the tiling works will take up most of your budget for renovation. Go for neutral colored tiles, specifically white or light grey tiles as they will give the illusion of a bigger space. If the existing tiles are still in good condition and can work with your intended style, all you need to do is mop it clean. The same can be said for the wall tiles in the kitchen and bath.
4. IDEAL STYLES AND THEMES
This is where you can try out several stylish looks to your maisonette. There are many schemes to try out and you will be surprise to see that you can emulate a particular look with your home. The most popular style is the Modern Minimalist look; especially if the maisonette has particularly high ceilings the look is quite clean and organized and can easily adapt to any kind of interior. The minimalist look can even make the space look even more luxurious. To achieve this style, opt for furniture pieces that have less and straight clean lines. Opt for design elements such as steel legs, glass table tops, leather upholstery, custom built in cabinetry and minimal decorations.
Another look to consider is the Scandinavian design, which has since been experiencing a rebirth of sorts since the early 2010’s. This style is characterized by the use of natural wood, neutral and pastel colors and the iconic simple and functional furniture. Go for furniture with soft straight lines and made of wood such as oak and teak. For sofas, you can go the extra mile and opt for sofas that have storage and can be converted into a bed or even add more seating capacity.
5. BRING IN SOMETHING OLD
Just because you are renovating an old maisonette doesn’t mean you can’t make do with something you own. Quite the contrary, this gives you the opportunity to incorporate something you currently own into your maisonette renovation project. It could be anything ranging from an antique bed to an accent chair to even some family heirlooms like a painting or a statue. This helps lessen the cost of furniture in your project. Another clever idea is by looking around many thrift stores for quality second hand pieces like a dining set or a cabinet. You can search online for the nearest thrift stores. And it’s not limited to furniture. You can bring in hand carved wall art, doors and even some figurines.
6. CLEVER STORAGE IDEAS
As with most homes, the most important thing that you should never forget is storage. It is important to always have storage to keep most of the things you own in place. And believe it or not, regardless of the style or theme, customized and built in storage fits perfectly. And there are many creative ways you can incorporate storage in your maisonette. You can build a small bookcase under the stairs or even a small cabinet. If you have spaces in your maisonette walls, you can even create hallway cabinets that can be concealed with well-designed doors or panels.
The same can also be said for bedroom cabinets. While some maisonettes have bedrooms with walk in closets, there are some that don’t have that. So take advantage of the ample space and create storage pieces that can help enhance the interior.
Invest also in furniture that can provide storage. Ottomans, coffee tables, buffets, even sofas and beds. It is a good idea to have pieces that can help enhance the look of your maisonette as well as provide storage. This is what makes the maisonette a uniquely luxurious home.
7. WINDOWS
Most maisonettes will have spectacular views, all thanks to their well-placed windows. The same can be said for natural light. Curtains and window treatments are the go to solution for regulating light and sound as well as providing privacy for everyone. If you have tall windows, you can opt to have roller blinds. They come in various colors and patterns, but for a more modern and uniform look, go for plain, textured blinds. If you have standard sized windows or doors that open to a balcony, you can use floor length cloth curtains that help regulate the noise or black out curtains that completely cover the interior.
8. LIGHTING
Last, but not least is lighting. Just because your maisonette is on the top floor, doesn’t necessarily mean it will settle for the natural light. On the contrary, you will need to provide ample and suitable lighting for your newly renovated maisonette. However, this would depend entirely if you have average or very high ceilings. For average or standard height ceilings, which tend to range around 2.6 meters or 260cm, you can have recessed lighting for that dramatic effect or employ pin lights to evenly distribute the light. Now if you have high ceilings, you can have a drop pendant light hanging from the ceiling. There are many designs you can choose from, ranging from modern lights to classical chandeliers.
Apart from ceiling lights, you can also have floor lamps that provide task lighting for your living room, wall lamps for your hallways and stairs and table lamps for your bedrooms and desks. As much as possible, you need to make your maisonette’s interior as homey and comfortable as possible and providing ample light can help that.
And there you have it. With this tried and tested tips, it is a sure fire guarantee that your maisonette renovation plans will go on without any problems at all. You will find that it is both a rewarding accomplishment for you when you create a luxurious and stylish home without even making a huge dent in your budget.
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