Home Tour: A retired bank vice president’s $150,000 renovation for his cafe-style 4-room HDB in Choa Chu Kang

In the heart of Choa Chu Kang, a 4-room HDB flat stands as a testament to one man’s passionate love affair with cafe culture. Mr. Aeden Tang’s home is not just a living space; it’s a meticulously crafted cafe-inspired design that tells a story of culinary memories, personal experiences, and unbridled creativity. From the moment one steps inside, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary apartment – this is a cafe interior design dream brought to life, complete with a display chiller in the kitchen, a chalkboard menu, and a 10-seater dining table furnished with deliberately mismatched chairs that echo the aesthetic of Singapore’s hipster cafes.

Mr. Tang’s journey to creating this unique living space is as rich and complex as the design itself. A former bank vice-president who retired at the age of 57, he carries with him a lifetime of experiences that have shaped his distinctive aesthetic. His early days working in a catering business in Texas and Iowa during the 1980s planted the seeds of his fascination with food presentation and hospitality design. This passion led him to take an even bolder step earlier this year by opening a cafe in Siem Reap, Cambodia, which he has since closed, bringing his international culinary experiences full circle.

Dining room centrepiece

The centerpiece of this remarkable home is a stunning $2,000 display chiller that serves as a dramatic divider between the dining room and kitchen. For Mr. Tang, this was more than just a decorative element – it was a lifelong dream realized.

“I was always fascinated with how nice food looks in a chiller,” he explains, his eyes lighting up with the same enthusiasm that drove his cafe-inspired design. The chiller is meticulously stocked with an array of drinks, cakes, desserts, and salads, with a regular fridge and freezer nearby to complement its specialized function.

4-room HDB renovation

When it came to reimagining the space, Mr. Tang was uncompromising. Following his mother’s passing, he transformed the flat from a practical, accessibility-focused home to a vibrant, personalized sanctuary. The previous design, which he candidly described as looking like “an old folks’ home,” was characterized by grab bars and ramps to support his mother’s mobility, and a deliberately plain and simple aesthetic that catered to her preferences.

$150,000 renovation cost

The transformation was significant. Mr. Tang purchased the approximately 1,000 sq ft HDB flat and undertook a comprehensive $150,000 renovation that included furniture. To bring his vision to life, he collaborated with interior designer Ivan Ong from Ideal Design Interior. The project was far from straightforward – Mr. Tang was admittedly a “fussy” client with very specific design ideas sourced from the internet.

Wood feature wall

One of his must-have elements was a feature wall constructed from wood pallet pieces, showcasing his commitment to unique, unconventional design. The kitchen received special attention with shelves partially covered by frosted glass panels on rollers – an innovative storage solution that perfectly matched his cooking style. As he does not engage in heavy-duty cooking, preferring instead to boil and steam food, this design minimizes cleaning requirements while maintaining a stylish, open-concept look.

Interior designer Ivan Ong reflected on the challenges of the project, noting that Mr. Tang’s specific design requirements were unlike those of typical clients. “His ideas were very special, and some of the things he wanted were not available in Singapore,” Ong explained. “While other clients can be more easily convinced to change their plans, Mr. Tang was resolute.” This determination extended to hands-on involvement, with Mr. Tang actively participating in project work such as dismantling pallets for his feature wall.

Hacked walls

To accommodate his vision, Mr. Tang made significant structural changes. He removed the walls of a third bedroom to make space for a massive 2.4m-long dining table – so large that it required two men to carry it up six flights of stairs, bypassing the lift. The table, surrounded by deliberately mismatched chairs, became a focal point of his maximalist, cafe-inspired interior.

Creative repurposing of furniture

The apartment is a vibrant canvas of colors and eclectic accessories. Perhaps the most conversation-starting piece is a tractor bonnet sourced from a women’s clothing store at Clarke Quay Central, which has been ingeniously transformed into a bar counter table. This piece exemplifies Mr. Tang’s creative approach to design – unexpected, bold, and deeply personal.

The space has become more than just a personal sanctuary – it’s a social hub. Mr. Tang hosts pot-luck dinners every two to three weeks, bringing friends together in his unique environment. The home’s distinctive aesthetic even caught the attention of a friend’s daughter, who chose it as the backdrop for her wedding photoshoot. “She came over once and fell in love with it instantly,” Mr. Tang says with evident pride. “The look of this home is something, I think, no one else has.”

Cafe-inspired HDB home

In the world of interior design, some spaces tell stories – and this cafe-inspired home speaks volumes, narrating a tale of passion, creativity, and the extraordinary potential of personal design.