SINGAPORE - You must be living in a very isolated space if you haven’t heard Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo’s now infamous words “you need a very small space to have sex”. Her remarks in a Straits Times interview earlier this week on Wednesday (Oct 12) about couples not requiring a flat to have children has set Singapore buzzing, causing much outcry, protest as well as hilarious gifs and memes over the last few days.

To be honest, we all know Minister Teo is right. Sex can be done in small spaces. But we do like it to be ahem, conducive, to say the least. For couples who still stay with their parents or rent a room elsewhere, an ordinary—and tiny—bedroom can be your pleasure dome.

With the help of home renovation platform Qanvast, here are some ideas on how to turn a simple bedroom into an intimate boudoir.

1. Keep it dark and cosy

Think about your favourite sleek, slinky bar. What it has going for it is that suggestive intimacy that comes with chic compact spaces. You can do the same with your bedroom, like this bedroom in a Lengkong Court apartment. The tight-fitting space is kept dim—with dark coloured walls and sheets—making it all the easier to, you know, get closer.

2. Play with textures

When space is limited, enhance the mood through the use of various textures. Check out the above chamber in a Pasir Ris flat. Brick walls, black-out satin curtains, furry floor rugs, dark wood wardrobe … these elements help the bedroom look and feel more sensuous. Of course, the candles add warmth and set the stage for some serious romancing.

3. Drama a bit

Why do you think staycations and holidays are so popular with couples? Recreate one aspect of a gorgeous hotel bedroom — be it through a four-poster bed or a freestanding bath tub. If you’re lucky enough to get the master bedroom, take the chance to design your bathroom such that it suits your need for romance with details such transparent glass doors or an open rain shower enough for two. Alternatively, a simple bedroom can be jazzed up for maximum effect with canopy-like curtains. Now, cocoon yourselves away from the outside world and do your national duty to procreate.