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Renovation, Remodelling, and Home Styling: What’s the Difference?

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Written By: Henny Maherah

So you’ve decided to have a fresh look for your home. Or perhaps you’ve purchased a unit and wish to improve its layout. Before you start looking for a contractor, make sure you know the exact service you would need.

Would you require home renovation, remodelling, or styling? While these terms are often used interchangeably by the average joe, they have distinct technical meanings for professionals like interior designers and contractors.

Don’t worry! The key here is to know exactly what changes you’d like to make to your property.

Home Renovation

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-home-renovations
A minimalist kitchen with white built-in cabinets, pale wood flooring, and track lighting. Photo and design by Ohmyhome.

Renovation simply means “to revive” or “to restore.” The goal is to improve the home while keeping its original form.

Rather than a complete overhaul that involves hacking down walls or redesigning the layout, the renovation process focuses on cosmetic changes or repairs. Examples of renovation include:

  • Painting the walls
  • Adding new lighting fixtures
  • Fixing creaky floors
  • Replacing old door hinges
  • Installing built-in storage areas
  • Adding a feature wall

Changes to the kitchen is a popular home renovation project for home buyers. Some may question, “If all the kitchen cabinets have been hacked and replaced, would that be considered a renovation or remodel?” In this case, it would still be considered a simple renovation as the holistic structure of the kitchen is still in place. Changing the cabinets is considered a cosmetic change.

A renovation would be most suitable for BTO flats which are new and merely require adding customised features.

Ohmyhome Renovation Services offers round the clock quality service throughout your renovation journey. Our team partners with credible international brands from Japan, Europe and USA to source high-quality materials and furnishings. With the Ohmyhome Renovation team, rest assured that your home is in good hands.

Home Remodelling

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-home-remodelling
A living room in dove grey and white with wooden accents.

Remodelling involves making fundamental changes to the form or layout of a home. These include major projects like:

  • Removing a wall
  • Adding a wall
  • Opening a new doorway
  • Adding a tub to an existing bathroom
  • Modernising plumbing or wiring
  • Creating a drop ceiling

For example, contractors may knock down walls to create an open-concept living space or combine rooms to create a wider space.

Remodelling is more common for older resale flats that require more than just exterior tweaks. Resale flats often have a bigger square footage that provides more opportunities for a layout redesign to fit the tastes and preferences of their new homeowners.

Since resale flats are older, they sometimes require internal structural changes such as pipe and electrical wire replacement. When these changes are due, many homeowners choose to realign the home layout as well. The realignment often involves demarcating new living spaces from the existing layout.

Home Styling

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-home-styling
Master’s bedroom with a black and grey wall and bold yellow accents. Photo and design by Ohmyhome.

Home styling refers to the artful rearrangement of existing furniture and fixtures. This does not involve any construction work. Instead, changes are limited to the furniture layout and addition of pieces such as indoor plants, vases, and art pieces.

Though it may sound simple, home styling requires a keen eye for detail and a flair for combining colours and patterns. This involves the consideration of the living space as a whole rather than segmented rooms. An overall theme should be consistent throughout the home.

Common design trends in 2020 revolve around these themes:

Scandivanian Design

Looking like it came straight out of an Ikea Magazine, this concept highlights minimalism through a neutral colour palette, clean lines and lots of natural light.

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-scandinavian
Living room with a neutral grey pallete and earth tone furniture and finishings.

Industrial Design

Mixing textures and material such as wood and metal creates an edgy and warm industrial-themed living space. This concept is common for younger homeowners who would prefer a more modern and unique home.

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-industrialLiving room with brass and metallic fittings for a rustic and edgy home aesthetic.

Biophilic Design

You don’t need to be a nature-lover to be in love with this new trend. A biophilic home combines the tranquility of nature into your concrete space. The addition of nature through indoor plants and wood furniture softens an otherwise sterile home, creating a serene and inviting space.

renovation-remodelling-and-home-styling-whats-difference-biophilicBedroom in a minimal and neutral colour pallete with additions of indoor plants and natural finishings.

With these three home improvement options, you can now add a personal touch to your property and make it feel like a true haven for you and your family.


Inspired to transform your property into your ideal home? Ohmyhome’s Home Renovation Services are here to make your vision into reality. From conceptualization till completion, you can be assured that our experts provide you with a seamless renovation.

Call 6886 9009 now!

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