Renovation Launched Interior Design Career

Visitors to this HDB flat were so impressed that they asked the owner to work on their homes

- Home & Decor

Many interior designers end up working on their own homes. For Homely Matters director Dominic Leong, it was the other way around.

While employed at a non-profit organisation, he decided to design his Housing Board resale flat in Haig Road, working directly with subcontractors.

He and his family—his wife Tay Wei Ling, a 36-year-old manager in a non-profit, and their four-year-old son—moved into the 1,238 sq ft flat in March 2023 after a 3½-month renovation costing just over $70,000.

Friends who visited were so impressed that they asked Mr Leong to design their homes as well—and that was how his new career began.

Mr Leong picked up 3D drawing skills using his SkillsFuture credits and learnt the principles of the trade, including how to set up an interior design firm, from London-based designer Ula Burgiel.