S’porean Content Creator Spent Up To S$25K Renovating 823 Sq Ft Rental Home, With Decor Inspired By Jurassic Park

Spending S$20K to S$25K renovating a home isn't particularly unusual in Singapore. But spending that much on a home you don't actually own?

That's what Singapore actor, host and content creator Kishan J (aka Jai Kishan) did with his 823 sq ft home, which he recently opened the doors to on Kaypoh Room Tours.

The home is a 1950s heritage property rented from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).

According to Kishan, available SLA properties have a short viewing window followed by a bidding process. "It's an open process, they'll inform you if there's a higher offer and ask if you wish to raise your bid," he explained.

Before securing the property, Kishan said he also had to show that he had sufficient funds and put down a three-month deposit plus his first month's rent. And unlike your typical ready-to-live-in rental, Kishan said the property came bare.

But back to that S$20K to S$25K renovation. Kishan wasn't interested in completely transforming the 1950s home. "I just wanted to enhance what was already there," he said.

His aim was to retain a black-and-white colonial feel, while introducing his own style.

One thing he definitely wanted gone was the original flooring.

"Every time I came home, I felt like I was still at work!" he joked, sharing that he spends plenty of time in studios with similar floors.

So he replaced it with vinyl flooring. But because this is a heritage rental, there were limits to what he could change.

According to Kishan, tenants receive guidelines on what they can and cannot alter, while proposed renovation works have to be submitted to SLA.

"You submit a list of proposed works, SLA conducts a site survey, and then issues approval," he explained.

Kishan said his requests, including painting and installing air-conditioning, were approved.

But there's a catch. When his lease ends, he has to reinstate the home to its original state.

Which sounds slightly painful after spending up to S$25K making the place look and feel like yours.

Thankfully, Kishan has thought ahead.

"Everything you see in the house that's renovated is actually modular," he explained. "I can remove these sliding doors or this headboard and bring them to my new place because they are on wheels underneath."

So while the property eventually has to be restored, Kishan doesn't necessarily have to leave everything he's paid for behind.

And making the renovation removable didn't stop him from injecting plenty of personality into the place.

"Everything is actually inspired by one poster you see out there," said Kishan, referring to a Jurassic Park poster.

His dedication to the iconic film extends to the bathroom too. Kishan even wanted a toilet door inspired by the kitchen-door scene where the kids are hiding from a Velociraptor.

His instructions to the contractor?

"I just screenshotted Jurassic Park and sent it to my contractor. As long as it had that circular window in the middle, it worked!" he said.

For Kishan, though, getting his own place was ultimately about something bigger than having a Jurassic Park-inspired toilet door.

"I finally decided it was time to stop living like a teenager and get myself a proper home," he quipped.

"I wanted to learn independence rather than waiting until a later age bracket to get my own home."

Well, putting down the deposit, renovating it within SLA's guidelines and eventually having to restore it, Kishan certainly didn't choose the most fuss-free way to learn.

But hey, if you're going to learn independence, might as well do it in your own mini Jurassic Park, right?