Yes 933 DJ Hazelle Teo’s newly renovated condo has a S$3,000 smart toilet and purse display

While it is not uncommon to run into challenges during a home renovation, Yes 933 DJ Hazelle Teo wasn’t expecting the issues to be with her condo management and neighbours.
Last October, the 30-year-old bought her first home, a S$1.18 million (US$903,000) resale condo in West Coast. She moved into the 710 sq ft two-bedroom apartment in August after a three-month renovation period.
While giving 8days.sg a tour of her new abode, Hazelle shared that she had received emails from the condo management regarding “multiple complaints” from neighbours about how her renovation had caused “great inconveniences” to the units around it.
According to one resident, workers had left the door open while doing renovation works, resulting in dust and debris flying around the common corridor and into the homes of her neighbours.
This left the floors of neighbouring units dusty and “clothes in the balcony were soiled several times”.
“We have endured too much. Please tell them to keep the door closed when renovating,” read the email.  
Workers had also allegedly left the estate without properly cleaning the common corridor, though Hazelle said it was only for a brief period and that they had returned to clean up later.  
As a result, a S$100 cleaning fee was “once again deducted from [her] renovation deposit”.
Hazelle is not sure how many times she was charged a cleaning fee during the course of her renovation.
“I didn’t know condos will fine you for such things,” said the radio jock.
Showing 8days.sg photos the neighbour took, she said: “It doesn’t even look that dirty, just some shoe prints at the dusty corridor…but I understand their point of view [because] it happened many times.”
However, she hoped that people can be more understanding as dusty conditions are “inevitable” during renovation works. The workers also left the door open as it was too hot, she explained.
When Hazelle moved in, she gave her neighbours cookies and a handwritten note thanking them for their patience over the past few months.
“And you know what? One neighbour bought me drinks and a pineapple. So sweet. She’s not from Singapore but she heard that the culture here is to roll the pineapple when you get a new house. I didn’t roll it ‘cause I was scared I would scratch the floor. I just cut it up to eat,” laughed Hazelle.
Neighbour complaints aside, Hazelle’s reno journey has been pretty smooth. The reno came up to around S$85,000 (excluding furniture) and a portion of the cost was sponsored.
Decked out in beige limewash walls, neutral and warm wood tones, and textures of nature, the four-year-old apartment has been transformed into a zen haven. 
Hazelle wanted a minimalist space that is “clean, mellow and cosy” and the wabi-sabi theme, which embraces imperfection, simplicity, and the beauty of natural materials, was her interior designer’s suggestion.
“I love the message it conveys – embracing imperfections – so there are a lot of unfinished touches, rounded and rough edges in my home,” chirped Hazelle.
“But when my mum saw the place, she was like ‘Why are the walls so dirty and unfinished? Is it meant to be like this?’ I can see why she said that, but I love it.”
We admit we were surprised by the muted palette and minimalist concept of her home; Hazelle is, after all, known for her bold and bright personality as well as fashion sense.
“I’m not all that lively. When I come home, I need time to decompress before I recharge for my next day of activities. So having a house with bright colours has never been on my list to consider,” she told us.
Curves, a popular decor trend in recent years, are a running theme through much of the cosy home. Playful curved designs like the boucle couch, lights, wall arches and decor pieces not only soften up the space but also add visual interest.
Wall niches, a chic way to offer some extra storage, are another common feature.
But such touches can rack up renovation costs. According to Hazelle’s ID, it costs around S$1,000 to carve out a recessed niche in the wall, and around S$2,500 if a false wall is built.
The balcony has been converted into a chill al fresco dining area.
To maximise all that precious square footage, one of the walls is lined with a bench seat which doubles up as storage space. The counter table allows Hazelle to accommodate more guests when she entertains.  
She told us proudly that the resin pendant lamp, which she saw for S$5,500 at a showroom in Singapore, cost her just S$200 on Taobao.
The balcony is Hazelle’s favourite spot and at the end of a busy day, she loves nothing more than winding down with a glass of beer while enjoying the view.
Situated on a high floor, the unit overlooks private developments and offers unobstructed views of the neighbourhood.
“One of the reasons I bought this house is because of this view. When I first saw it, I went ‘wow’,” she beamed.
Part of the wall between the rooms was hacked and replaced with a display cabinet for Hazelle’s purse collection.
“This is something I’ve always wanted. I love bags and I thought it’s nice to have them on display as a motivation for me to work hard and get my next bag,” she shared.
Despite this, they have to “take a step back” for her Star Awards trophy, if and when she gets one.
“I will personally clear the shelf for the trophies. The goal is to fill the shelves with them,” she quipped.
If you’re wondering if there’s a walkway between the bed and the wall in front, there is, but a very narrow one. So narrow that the gap is shorter than the length of a mobile phone.
Hazelle admitted it was a miscalculation and now she has to “crab walk” to get to the windows or roll over her bed.
“The wall behind the bed frame was originally further back but there was a part that juts out, so my ID levelled it to make it nicer. Combined with this thick bed frame and the study display shelf which also ate into the space, it ended up like this,” she explained.
“I wouldn’t have gotten this bed frame if I had known that I couldn’t even walk in properly,” she added.
One of Hazelle’s must-haves for her home is a walk-in closet, which was converted from an ensuite bathroom.
“My mum was like ‘Why did you hack the bathroom? What if you and your guest need to use toilet at the same time?’ But what are the odds, right? I feel I need this space more than my private toilet space,” she said.
“Now I have so much space to hang my clothes and I love getting ready at this vanity. I feel like Christina Aguilera in Burlesque when I do my make-up here.”
With its pops of pink and sintered stone walls, the bathroom is a slight departure from the rest of the house.
Hazelle decided to give it a different theme as it is a “special room on its own”. It also allowed the pink lover to “feed [her] pink desires”.
“I didn’t want to turn the house into something feminine, so the pink sink and towels are the only pink elements in the house. It makes me so happy every time I wash my hands,” she said.
Another thing she loves is her S$3,000 smart toilet, which she got for the seat-warming function.  
“I was very inspired to get it after sitting on one in Japan. Guests ask me why I would want a warm toilet seat when the weather is so hot but I like the warmth. I’m someone who gets cold easily,” she shared.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/