Colonial styled interiors have become more and more popular over the years and it’s fairly easy to see why. After all, it’s a remnant of a gentler age, one that wasn’t riddled with technology and the basic clutters of the modern world just yet.
With this particular style, the occupants have the feeling of just being invited in to sit in a nice and comfortable spot while the day fades away with some good conversation and great company. During the height of the British Empire, the Britishers spanned the globe and along with that, brought in tales of exotic travel, romance, and culture to the areas they visited.
When recreating the colonial style, it should give you the vibes of being in far flung places such as the Far East, the Caribbean, India, Africa, and so on. It’s a marriage of the West with the other cultures of the world and has a very charming and old-world feel to it. It’s a homage to a bygone era that’s cultured, elegant, and genteel. And here’s how you will be able to easily recreate the look for your own HDB flat.
Add in curated, well-traveled pieces
One of the main inspirations for HDB colonial style interior design is a life that’s very well-traveled. Think of decorative elements and furniture pieces that will help evoke this look. It’s one of the main building blocks for this particular design theme and is considered a bit of a mainstay in really bagging the look.
In this HDB bedroom, we brought in a large ceiling fan that’s a must for considering the humidity and hot temperatures in this colonial location at the time. The piece that stands out here is the textured side table that seems to have only been acquired through travel and proper curation.
Rattan and teak are everything
Rattan and teak work with almost everything but they work best with HDB colonial style interior design. These materials offer soft variations in terms of tone and how the light falls on them. They ultimately create something warm and neutral. It reminds you of the unique appeal and charm of organic furniture.
It’s one of the most relaxing materials furniture pieces can be made out of and surprisingly, they can also be quite sturdy and can stand the test of time if taken care of well enough. As for this living-dining area we’ve redesigned, we included native-backed chairs, an exotic-looking throw rug, and a macramé throw pillow. There’s also a vintage-looking wall fan apart from the other elements you can add on top of this, from leather trunks, to safari pieces, and so on.
Throw in some exotic textiles
Textiles that have been printed with exotic patterns usually showcase scenes that include the local flora and fauna in it. This was very popular at the time and has gotten a huge comeback. Animal prints are also great to have around and they make for very nice accents, like this throw rug and pillow we added on to this HDB living room space. The uniqueness in the textiles really scream HDB colonial style interior design here and it’s something that you can easily recreate by throwing some on your couch as well.
Add in some indoor plants
The predominantly brown palette can get a bit monotonous at times but the occasional inclusion of some greens can really help liven the space up. If you aren’t the type who can take care of plants, you can always go with artificial plants. This way, you don’t even need to worry about keeping them watered and the best part is that you can be away on vacation for long periods of time without having them wither away or die on you.
Add some shutters along with the architecture
The soft whites of this bedroom paired along with dark shutters paneling the windows create great variations in tones. It creates a very classical look that’s quintessentially what HDB colonial style interior design is all about. They don’t even have to be real shutters. You can add faux shutters for the element of design.
Looking for more interior design ideas and inspiration? Check out Space Factor today for the latest trending interior design portfolios in Singapore.
