KEY TO YOUR HOME 2020

20 / KEY TOYOUR HOME renovations Understanding your floor plan Take a good look at your floor plan. A good understanding of this blueprint will allow you to understand your home’s layout better, and consequently, give you the capacity to consider a total spatial reconfiguration. The first thing to know is that the floor plan presents a top-down view of your home. Everything is drawn to scale and it includes your walls, doors and windows. By looking at the lines, you should be able to identify which walls can be knocked down and which walls are structural constructs that cannot be removed. A good understanding of the floor plan will also allow you to play around with furniture placement. You will have an idea of where each furniture piece goes, and how much space you need. Just remember to leave enough room for you to walk around the room comfortably. 2. Know your limitations It’s easy to get carried away when you’re thinking about your dream home. You can dream about spacious rooms, open- concept homes and Instagram-worthy vignettes, but the truth is, there may be a lot of limitations holding you back. Setting your expectations is important. Firstly, your renovation budget will immediately affect your renovation scale. Almost everything will cost a little extra, from knocking down a wall to opting for better quality materials. Next, you’re limited by the space you have. For example, a luxury bathtub in a small bathroom might not be possible without making some sacrifices. It’s just as important to note that you’re also limited by laws and regulations. Before you make any drastic changes, you might need to request for approval from the appropriate bodies, whether it’s HDB, URA or condominium management. 3.