The Housing and Development Board (HBD) is Singapore’s housing authority, responsible for planning, developing and building the majority of Singapore’s housing estates. HDB flats house over 80% of Singapore’s resident population, and over 90% of all of these residents own their own home. Naturally, this means HBD renovation ideas are in high demand for everything from bedrooms to bathrooms.

In particular demand at the moment is innovative bathroom design; specifically, toilets. HDB flats have regulations around their renovations, but these will rarely be of concern if you only intend to switch toilet bowls. However, renovating a toilet window will require permission and registered contractors to carry out the project.

The renovation guidelines are in place to prevent any projects that could negatively affect other residents, meaning anything that could compromise the building’s structural integrity, pose a fire hazard, create a public eyesore or otherwise affect the exterior, and anything that might infringe on the lease agreement.

Examples of renovations that might not be allowed include: removing structural members such as walls or staircases, installing fixtures outside the flat, using combustible or toxic emission materials, plastering ceilings, or overloading the floor slab.

You can read more about the types of projects that will require permits and which renovations are likely to be rejected here on the HDB government website. It is important that you familiarize yourself with these rules even if you don’t intend to undertake a major renovation, because as the homeowner you are liable for any breaches of these guidelines.

Please note also that all renovations must only be undertaken by registered contractors from the Directory of Renovation Contractor (DRC). To learn more about the difference between old HDB flats and BTO flats for renovation, as well as HIP toilet information, see here.

Common toilet design is usually focused on subtly rather than glamour. Particularly in a HDB flat, toilets are usually engineered to take up as little space as possible. This is achieved through streamlined design, wall mounting, bathroom layout, colour schemes and informed decoration. Current HDB trends are following these strategies, using the design elements of the rest of the  bathroom to help the toilet design blend in with the overall bathroom décor.

Common methods to achieve this include installing soft lighting, feature walls, ventilation fans, mixing textures, light colours, and matching all of the furniture pieces in style to create one uniform look. Read more about the 5 most popular bathroom designs in Singapore here. This is a beautiful and effective way of making your HDB bathroom beautiful; but it is not the only style option available.

Toilet design is becoming more intelligent. Recently, designers have been making progress in creating beautiful toilet bowls that actually add to room design rather than melting into it. To show you the benefits of both approaches to bathroom design, here is a list of the best bathroom and toilet ideas for a HDB flat. Whether you have a 4 room HDB flat, 3 room HDB flat, or even a simple HDB studio, these beautiful HDB toilet design ideas are sure to inspire.

HDB Toilet Design: Pictures and designs to inspire your HDB bathroom renovation makeover

5. Otto – Lazada

With a clean appearance and traditional design, toilets by Otto are a great option for a small HDB flat. They will not detract from the other elements of your bathroom and will blend comfortably into the background.

This traditional toilet is water efficient and available for relatively cheap ($292.36). Its rough-in is an S-Trap of 140/250mm and dimensions are: 660 x 380 x 800 mm.

This is an excellent choice for a bathroom upgrade on a budget, and will work particularly well as a hip toilet for a larger household (4 bedroom HDB) or as a master bedroom toilet. However, it is not the most aesthetically pleasing toilet, so if you have some money to spare in the budget, we suggest considering some of these other models as well.

4. Bathroom Warehouse

This modern LIFEwall-hung toilet is an elegant solution to the limited space of a small bathroom. A wall-hung toilet cuts down on the bulk of the room that intrudes into the floorspace, opening up the bathroom area and making it feel larger. This toilet contrasts a traditional white porcelain look with the streamlined modern design for a subtly contemporary appearance overall. You can purchase this toilet from Bathroom Warehouse here.

3. Duravit

Duravit provides a similar concept, only with a much more contemporary twist. This wall-mounted washdown toilet available from Two Store is also rimless, but it is also matt black. This gives it a sleek and contemporary feel which is sure to wow your guests and drastically change the mood of your bathroom.

This modern toilet is unique and would work best in a contemporary bathroom with a moody or monochromatic colour scheme. It is available here from Plumbing Online for just $499.16 and there are a number of customizable settings such as the type, colour, coating (though the default and recommended choice is WonderGliss) and rim setting.

2. Azora

Similar to the Duravit, this toilet also provides a bold and contemporary look in its colour choice. Another matt black, this toilet provided by the designer brand azora keeps a little of the traditional toilet design intact. This S-trap toilet is not wall-mounted and contrasts the typical toilet water-closet design with the modern matt black colour.

This toilet would work well in a contemporary style bathroom, blending in with the rest of the bold décor, or it could make for a stunning standout piece in a traditionally styled bathroom. This toilet is one of the highest quality models available and you can purchase it here from Azora for approximately $1,388.

1. Clean By Design – Kohler

Taking the idea of toilet advancement to the next level, Kohler is a well known American brand famous for their innovative approach to bathroom design. They strive to make their toilets beautiful as well as functional, and one of the best examples of this is their recent model, Clean by Design.

This toilet is edged in gold and boasts a number of revolutionary developments in sanitation technology. You can read more about Kohler and their dedication to toilet design advancements here. For more bathroom renovation ideas, see here to consult a list of the 10 best bathroom accessories in Singapore.