Mr Zach Lim wanted his 1,100 sq ft bachelor pad to feel like a hotel.

To achieve that, the 29-year-old community manager of a tech company hired Mr Joey Khu, director of home-grown Joey Khu Interior Design.

Mr Khu says: "My design for this home is very lifestyle-driven because Zach is a bachelor. It also takes into consideration that he has family and friends over quite often, so there should be more open spaces."

This led to a complete reconfiguration of the layout of the three-bedroom condominium apartment in Flora Drive, including removing the kitchen walls and combining the space with the adjacent dining area.

The new layout also saw two of the three bedrooms turned into an extension of the living room and a walk-in wardrobe.

With the kitchen walls removed, Mr Khu created an open-concept kitchen-cum-dining area.

In the living room, furniture is arranged at an angle. Apart from adding visual interest, this is also for practical considerations.

Mr Khu says: "Placing the furniture diagonally enhances the circulation flow. It also better complements the free-standing TV stand Zach bought as he did not want a typical built-in console."

A bedroom that used to be adjacent to the living room is now part of the living space.

Extending the existing bay window to accommodate a large daybed turns it into a cosy area where Mr Lim can read or chill out.

The original passageway and another bedroom, along with the existing master bedroom and bathroom, were reconfigured. They now form part of a master suite comprising the bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, study, bathroom and vanity area.

The study, which sits within the walk-in wardrobe, was requested by Mr Lim.

With the old bathtub removed and the vanity counter relocated to the walk-in wardrobe, wet areas such as the toilet and shower now occupy a smaller footprint.

Mr Khu says: "This frees up more space in the walk-in wardrobe for plenty of storage cabinets and drawers."

The home is also decorated with art pieces created by Mr Khu himself. Instead of a feature wall in the living room, he painted the wall grey as a backdrop for a graphic artwork.

As his work can be hectic, Mr Lim, who moved in in July 2019, wanted a home he could come back to and relax in. The renovation took 21/2 months and cost between $170,000 and $200,000.

"I love having friends and family, as well as their kids, over. The open-plan and fluid spaces work very well and are child-friendly too," he says.

• This article first appeared in the December 2020 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.

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