Interior design for a three-storey tube house is a very particular brief: the plan is narrow, deep and usually open on only one face, so the home easily feels stuffy and underlit. Handle the zoning, daylight and furniture selection correctly, and a tube house can still be spacious, modern and comfortable. Below are the core principles for a three-storey tube house.

What makes a 3-storey tube house different

Before designing, understand the strengths and weaknesses of this housing type:

  • Strengths: simple structure, fast construction, reasonable building cost — well suited to young families and mid-range budgets.
  • Weaknesses: built wall-to-wall with neighbours, so side windows are rarely possible and ventilation is poor; the tube shape channels wind and echoes sound; the modest footprint forces functions upward across floors, making circulation and moving furniture inconvenient.

The through-line solution is to “pull” light and air deep into the house while choosing compact furniture so the space never feels compressed.

Modern, bright and airy 3-storey tube house interior

Define the functional zones clearly

With only one open face, the functional layout must be resolved carefully at the drawing stage for both daily convenience and feng shui. On a narrow, enclosed plan, consider a split-level design or light partitions (glass, timber slats) instead of solid walls — they zone the space while letting light travel between levels, making the house both more attractive and airier.

The skylight well — the heart of a tube house

A skylight well is close to mandatory for a three-storey tube house. It draws daylight and natural ventilation down through the floors, relieving the boxed-in feeling and saving on lighting costs. Leave a small front yard and rear yard rather than maximising every square metre of the plan — a sensible void trades a little floor area for light and airflow across the whole house.

Furniture notes for the main rooms

Each space in a tube house has its own rules for visually stretching the area:

  • Living room: keep belongings to a minimum and choose furniture with simple, light lines; prioritise floor-to-ceiling glazing to admit light and create a sense of width.
  • Kitchen: connect it openly with the living room (a light partition works), using an L- or U-shaped counter with built-in cabinets to save space and keep surfaces tidy.
  • Bathroom: exploit the room’s length by placing fixtures along one wall behind a clear glass screen; favour wall-hung fittings (basin, back-to-wall toilet) and wood-effect tiles to visually enlarge the room.
  • Bedroom: fit glazed openings for natural light, borrow ventilation from the skylight well, and lean modern-minimalist to create a restful atmosphere.

Open-plan tube house living room and kitchen optimised for daylight

Materials and lighting — two levers that widen the space

In a tube house, light-toned materials, gently reflective surfaces and a layered lighting scheme (ambient, task and accent) noticeably widen the space visually. Mirrors, glass and wood-effect tiles are familiar allies. Just as important is acoustic control between floors — a point many owners overlook, leaving the tube house echoing.

Staircase and skylight well carrying light deep into the tube house

Good design is only complete when built correctly

A three-storey tube house involves many interlocking technical packages: the skylight well, electrical–plumbing–HVAC (M&E) risers running through the floors, bathroom waterproofing and acoustic separation between slabs. Consolidating them under one quality-controlled general contractor avoids the “drawn one way, built another” problem.

AIC works to a single-point design-build model, with over 10 years in the trade (since 2016 under the predecessor Nhan Viet; AIC was founded in 2019), two in-house factories (1,200 m² and 600 m²) and more than 695+ completed projects. From a floor plan, AIC can produce a BOQ estimate within roughly 4 working hours so the owner can size the budget; projects are handed over with a warranty of up to 24 months. See our residential interior design and build service, or read more on designing a 100m2 3-bedroom apartment and 3 common mistakes when setting up a shophouse interior.

Frequently asked questions

Does a 3-storey tube house really need a skylight well?

It is close to mandatory when the house is open on only one face. The skylight well carries daylight and natural ventilation down to the deep floors, reducing stuffiness and saving electricity. If the plan is too tight, substitute a small void between floors or a rear skylight combined with a glazed roof.

How do you make a narrow tube house look wider?

Use light materials and tones, floor-to-ceiling glazing, mirrors and glass partitions instead of solid walls, compact wall-hung furniture and a layered lighting scheme. A split-level design and an open kitchen–living connection also make the space flow and feel airier.

How much does a 3-storey tube house interior fit-out cost?

The cost depends on floor area, style and finishing level, so it needs a BOQ take-off against the specific plan. From the drawings, AIC can produce a BOQ estimate within roughly 4 hours to give the owner a reference figure before deciding.