{"id":632059,"date":"2026-10-16T04:28:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T04:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632059\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T04:28:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T04:28:14","slug":"hotel-concept-cafe-for-two-in-interior-designers-four-room-punggol-hdb-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632059\/","title":{"rendered":"Hotel concept, cafe for two in interior designer\u2019s four-room Punggol HDB flat"},"content":{"rendered":"

SINGAPORE \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted it to be cosy and warm enough to host our friends and family. That\u2019s why the living, dining and kitchen are all combined,\u201d says Lim, senior designer of home-grown studio Inizio Atelier.<\/p>\n

Cheok adds: \u201cWe wanted it to have a bit more of a \u2018hotel\u2019 concept.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Lim, who has worked on many projects for clients, designing his own home was a novel experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith my own place, the main challenge is: What can I not do in my house?\u201d he says. But he was able to \u201ctake things slow and easy to make sure it\u2019s the right decision\u201d, he adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The open-plan dining area and kitchen are designed for hosting.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

The open-plan layout reflects the couple\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

They also have a movie setting in their carefully planned smart lights, with a warm LED set-up for a cinematic ambience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Gentle<\/p>\n

Gentle curves and layered lighting soften the angles of the rebuilt living room, with smart lighting for movie nights.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

Curved elements appear throughout the home, softening the sharp corners of the layout. Lim thinks of curvature as more than a design fad.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt started off as a trend, but I see curvature as an important part of the house,\u201d he says. \u201cIt mutes a lot of hard angles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A curved corner at the TV feature wall introduces softness, highlighted by warm cove lighting.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

In the living room, a curved corner was introduced at the TV feature wall. An initial mistake here \u2013 the delivery of the wrong mould \u2013 led to an unexpected solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was smaller and didn\u2019t achieve the curved effect I wanted,\u201d says Lim.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An unused mould was repurposed as a bulkhead to conceal pipes above the dry pantry, which doubles as a personal \u201ccafe\u201d.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

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

This little niche is something of a personal cafe for Cheok, who grinds her coffee beans at the counter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A curved island and dedicated coffee pantry support the couple\u2019s daily routines.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

The curved elements continue throughout the kitchen and dining area.<\/p>\n

Cheok bought the dining table, chairs and bench from three different stores on Taobao.<\/p>\n

Much of the furniture and decor was sourced online from the Chinese e-commerce platform, though Lim was initially sceptical of the quality. \u201cBut when it arrived,\u201d he says, \u201cit was actually not bad.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Curved<\/p>\n

Curved edges and customised finishes define the dining set, sourced from multiple Taobao stores.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

For larger pieces, the couple shopped closer to home.<\/p>\n

\u201cBed frames, sofas, ottomans \u2013 these are better bought locally or in Malaysia,\u201d says Lim. \u201cThese are the pieces worth splurging on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A glass block divider lets light into the study, separating spaces while preserving openness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

As a DIY project, he installed glass blocks in the study as a divider that continues into the master bedroom.<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A curved ceiling detail and warm cove lighting transform the master bedroom into a cocoon-like zone. \u00a0<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Soft<\/p>\n

Soft lighting, wall niches and muted finishes transform the master bathroom into a spa-like retreat.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: STUDIO L\u2019ARC<\/p>\n

The en-suite bathroom is Cheok\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article first appeared in Home & Decor Singapore. For more beautiful homes, space hacks and interior inspiration, go to homeanddecor.com.sg\/interior-design<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SINGAPORE \u2013 When interior designer Jeremy Lim and his spouse, financial adviser April Cheok, stepped into their four-room…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632060,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-632059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632059"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632059\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}