Written by: Benjienen Toledo
New Housing Development Board (HDB) flats will now come with open kitchens since last February 2018’s Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise.
The HDB said in a press statement last 4 Feb 2018; “This move comes as open kitchens have gained popularity in recent years, with seven in 10 BTO flat buyers opting for an open kitchen since the option was first made available in September 2012.
This means that the wall dividing a kitchen from the rest of a flat’s living space will no longer be offered under the Optional Component Scheme in line with buyers’ preferences, where buyers pay for additional features such as floor finishes, sanitary fittings and room doors.
These flats are located in various HDB towns and estates such as Bukit Batok, Hougang, Jurong West, Punggol, Sembawang, Sengkang, Toa Payoh, Woodlands and Yishun. New BTO launches in February include units in Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands, Tampines and Geylang.
Do You Prefer an Open Kitchen Concept?
Ohmyhome conducted a Facebook poll in April whether they prefer an Open Kitchen Concept. After 7 days, the poll ended with 43 votes, of which 58% answered Yes and 42% said No.
How Does an Open Kitchen Benefit You?
- Greater choice in how you want to use and design the space
- Provides flexibility to lay out your furniture to better suit your lifestyle needs
- Save you the hassle and cost of hacking the partition walls to create an open kitchen layout
- Allows you to apply your creativity by using cupboards and shelving to define the kitchen and dining/living room area if you wish
- Your home can look and feel much larger and expansive than it is, given the increased in floor plan without the walls
- The space is freshening with no walls to block the light or ventilation
- It gives you the liberty to customise your home according to your family’s stages and milestones
- An open kitchens encourages interaction with guests while you cook
- You can still keep an eye on the young ones whether you’re washing the dishes or making a cup of coffee
We understand that an Open Kitchen is not for everyone. Cooking odours, grease and smells will escape the kitchen and permeate your living room furniture, curtains, display items and even to your bedrooms.
There are multiple ways to best manage your open-concept kitchen. Stay tuned for more while you view HDB’s show flats with the open kitchen concept at the HDB Hub. They can also be viewed online on the HDB website, or via the Mobile@HDB app.
Sources: Today,
The Straits Times,
Channel News Asia
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