S'pore man, 44, livens up Tampines HDB corridor with Hari Raya decor, impresses his neighbours

A man in Singapore brought festive cheer to his Tampines HDB block by transforming the corridor outside his flat with vibrant Hari Raya-themed decorations.

Speaking to Mothership, 44-year-old Haidar said that he had wanted to "do something different" after moving into his new flat.

The decorations were also well-received by his neighbours, who paid him to decorate the rest of the common space on their floor.

Adorned corridor with fairy lights and Raya-themed ornaments

In a clip shared on his Instagram account on Feb. 28, the content creator with a following of more than 11,000 on the platform, gave a tour of the decorated common space outside his flat.

Stepping out of the lift onto the corridor, one would be greeted by a carpet of artificial grass lined with pebbles.

Colourful, twinkling fairy lights hanging down the ceiling brightened the corridor while golden Raya-themed ornaments added to the festive atmosphere.

On the other side of the common space leading to a flight of stairs, the walls, beams and ceiling had been spruced up with more Raya-themed lights and a set of neon lights showcasing a verse from the Quran.

Worked on it himself, wanted to "do something different"

Despite the elaborate and well-curated decorations, Haidar told Mothership that it was his first endeavour in livening up the common space.

It was also his first time observing Ramadan and celebrating Hari Raya Puasa in the flat with his family as they had just moved in.

"Since the layout of my new house is as such, I want to do something different and link the lighting from the first door area to the second door area," Haidar said.

On whether he had enlisted help from friends or relatives, Haidar said that he had worked on the decorations on his own.

"I did it myself. Phase by phase, area by area," he quipped.

According to him, he spent around four hours, typically between 1am and 5am, on each section of the corridor.

When asked about the total cost, Haidar said that the LED fairy lights, otherwise known as "lampu lap-lip" in Malay, cost him less than S$120.

He added that he has not observed an increase in the utility bills so far since the lights are known to be energy-saving and cost-effective.

"But it should increase by a bit," he acknowledged.

Neighbours "love it", paid to have half of their area decorated

Haidar's efforts bore fruit, as the decorations were well-received by his neighbours.

"They were stunned and really love it," he said.

He added that his neighbour, who lives next door, had also paid him to decorate the floor leading to his part of the common space.

On whether he will decorate the area on other special occasions or festive seasons, he said that he will still use the same lightings during the Hari Raya Haji period.

"Maybe next year, I'll add new lighting on a yearly basis," he said.

Haidar also expressed that he is thankful for the house, ideas and understanding neighbours.

Top photos via @hydbanger/Instagram