Hotel concept, cafe for two in interior designer’s four-room Punggol HDB flat

SINGAPORE – When interior designer Jeremy Lim and his spouse, financial adviser April Cheok, stepped into their four-room sale-of-balance HDB flat in Northshore Drive, they knew they wanted to overhaul the layout.

The couple, who are in their mid-30s and enjoy hosting, removed one bedroom in the 1,001 sq ft flat to create a large open floor plan. 

“We wanted it to be cosy and warm enough to host our friends and family. That’s why the living, dining and kitchen are all combined,” says Lim, senior designer of home-grown studio Inizio Atelier.

Cheok adds: “We wanted it to have a bit more of a ‘hotel’ concept.” 

For Lim, who has worked on many projects for clients, designing his own home was a novel experience.

“With my own place, the main challenge is: What can I not do in my house?” he says. But he was able to “take things slow and easy to make sure it’s the right decision”, he adds. 

The open-plan layout reflects the couple’s routines and how they use their shared space. For instance, Lim often watches TV in the living room, so the layout was designed in such a way that the couple can see the screen whether they are seated at the kitchen island or dining area.

They also have a movie setting in their carefully planned smart lights, with a warm LED set-up for a cinematic ambience. 

Curved elements appear throughout the home, softening the sharp corners of the layout. Lim thinks of curvature as more than a design fad.

“It started off as a trend, but I see curvature as an important part of the house,” he says. “It mutes a lot of hard angles.”

In the living room, a curved corner was introduced at the TV feature wall. An initial mistake here – the delivery of the wrong mould – led to an unexpected solution.

“It was smaller and didn’t achieve the curved effect I wanted,” says Lim. 

The mould was eventually repurposed as a bulkhead in a space above the dry pantry, where it conceals exposed air-conditioning and water pipes.

This little niche is something of a personal cafe for Cheok, who grinds her coffee beans at the counter. 

The curved elements continue throughout the kitchen and dining area.

Cheok bought the dining table, chairs and bench from three different stores on Taobao.

Much of the furniture and decor was sourced online from the Chinese e-commerce platform, though Lim was initially sceptical of the quality. “But when it arrived,” he says, “it was actually not bad.” 

For larger pieces, the couple shopped closer to home.

“Bed frames, sofas, ottomans – these are better bought locally or in Malaysia,” says Lim. “These are the pieces worth splurging on.” 

As a DIY project, he installed glass blocks in the study as a divider that continues into the master bedroom.

Rather than functioning as a solid wall, the glass blocks, set within dark timber frames, introduce texture and some privacy while letting light in and maintaining visual continuity across spaces. 

In the bedroom, a curved ceiling detail traces the headboard wall, paired with warm cove lighting for night-time. Storage is kept flush against the walls for an uncluttered look. 

The en-suite bathroom is Cheok’s favourite space. With warm muted finishes, dark cabinetry and strategic lighting in the form of discreet LED strips, the space is cosy without being claustrophobic. Built-in wall niches keep toiletries within reach, while a frameless glass screen maintains visual clarity. 

The couple began renovating their home in December 2024 and had moved in by June 2025. The renovation took six months and cost about $120,000, excluding furnishings.