The running theme in all of Suhaimi Lazim’s homes – he’s designed three and several friends’ places – is the openness of space. “It’s a signature of mine. I don’t like clutter and prefer open plans with lots of light. This creates space, which is a luxury in Singapore,” says Suhaimi. The 50-something homeowner is a partner in a law firm, but has been dabbling in interior design — under a design outfit called Rumah by Lieblingsg — for several years.

He now lives in a contemporary luxe apartment with his family. To accommodate everyone’s needs while maintaining a bright and airy interior, Suhaimi rejigged the layout — resulting in one master bedroom with a spacious ensuite bathroom, as well as a convertible guest room for his mother-in-law. The guest room features an accordian door and a Murphy bed, giving Suhaimi the option to free up the space when it is unoccupied.

His wife, Faridah Sidik, loves white kitchens. Here, printed tiles add visual interest.

Suhaimi finds odd-shaped apartments a good challenge. Using ottomans, instead of large pieces of furniture is one way to provide seating without closing up a space.

Suhaimi has a collection of authentic Moroccan decorations and crockery, which he bought for his previous Moroccan-themed home.

Inspired by hotel bathrooms, the master bathroom features large mirrors and mood lighting.

Faridah wanted the home to have a luxurious ambience. He achieved this by using a plethora of stone-look tiles and laminates in shades of cream and grey. Darker and brighter colours, such as the brown patina-look tiles in the bedroom and the mustard dining chairs, add depth and texture.

The patina-look tiles were not something within my consideration at first, but I saw their potential. The metallic sheen is interesting compared to regular wood flooring, while the reddish tint can still add warmth to a room. Another unique material I used is the TV console laminate, which depicts the cross section of different stones. It’s unusual, so creates visual impact,” he shares.

Written by Eliza Hamizah.