Home Tour: An Indian interior designer & wealth manager couple’s semi-detached house in Bedok
This designer’s home is one that is connected to nature and filled with furniture, art and accessories that reflect her personality and Indian heritage. Home & Decor uncovers the aesthetic nuances and layers of personal history through the spaces.
Born in Jaipur, India, Nidhi Jain, the founder and principal designer of Nidhi Jain Associates and her husband, a wealth manager at a French bank have called Singapore home for the past 15 years. The couple, who are in their 40s, have two daughters, aged 11 and six, both of whom were born in Singapore.
The island’s lush tropical landscape and the serenity of green public spaces such as East Coast Park and the Singapore Botanic Gardens have always captivated Nidhi and they give her a sense of calm. She wanted her home to possess this same connection to nature.
Achieving this can be challenging in the context of a smaller landed home compared to the larger scale of a green public space. To make things even trickier, the outdoor areas in the semi-detached property that the couple purchased were bare and devoid of any greenery.
“My vision was to completely transform it into a lush sanctuary- one that feels immersive and alive. I introduced layers of tropical foliage, sculptural trees, a herb garden and meandering pebble pathways to create a sense of discovery and organic flow. Now, every window on the ground floor looks out onto a vibrant green landscape, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors,” says homeowner Nidhi.
Who Lives Here: A family of four
Home: A semi-detached home at Limau Garden
Size: 2,800 sqf (land area); 3,600 sqf (built-in floor area)
Interior Designer: Nidhi Jain, founder and principal designer of Nidhi Jain Associates
Entrance Porch
Next to a lush green lawn and tropical planter-lined boundary wall, the entrance porch is surrounded by verdant greenery that gives it a sense of seclusion and tranquility.
Colonial Checkers Floor Tiles
The black-and-white checkered floor tiles and exposed timber rafters are a nod to the 27-year-old property’s history and old world charm.
Living Room
The double volume living room has a palatial air, yet feels warm and welcoming thanks to plush armchairs, soft furnishings such as cushions and throws, and an oversized rug from Rugs.sg by Nasser Nishaburi. The light filled space enjoys a view of the peripheral greenery along the boundary wall, framed by two-inch, light wood borders around functional aluminium doors.
Striking up a dialogue on the opposite wall is a rustic stone wall that extends the full two storey height of the living room and which took over a month to execute. Positioned in front of this wall is an intricately carved antique wooden console with a Penta Glo table lamp whose handblown glass sphere was crafted to enhance the reflection of light. This pairing aptly showcases Nidhi’s skill in blending traditional elements with contemporary design to make the space feel more transitional and unique in character.
Elevated a few steps up from the living room, the cosy and intimate dining area features art from Ketna Patel depicting the doors and windows of Singapore.
Kitchen Archway
An archway beside the dining room leads to a very sizeable kitchen with an island in the middle. Originally red – a colour that homeowner Nidhi disliked, she had completely overhauled it to a more neutral colour palette with a timeless and sophisticated look. She also introduced a partition wall to semi-enclose the kitchen while maintaining the open and airy feel.
Backyard with Outdoor Kitchen
On the other side of the partition wall is the former backyard which has been transformed into the family’s second entertaining zone with a fully equipped outdoor kitchen and a bar for her husband, who enjoys crafting botanical cocktails.
“My husband takes his mixology very seriously. He is always experimenting with different recipes to perfect classic cocktails and the bar is his one non-negotiable request. And not just any bar, but one that is nestled in the greens yet spacious enough to house his ever-growing collection of spirits, tools and glassware. Let’s just say that happy hour at home is now a well-designed affair,” shares homeowner Nidhi.
Family Lounge
The second storey comprises a mid-landing area overlooking the living room.
Nidhi has taken full advantage of this often overlooked transition space by turning it into a family lounge complete with a piano, books and an entertainment corner where the family unwinds every night watching their favourite television series.
Master Bedroom
Located on the third storey, the existing partitions in the master bedroom were hacked to create a more open layout.
One of the biggest challenges was integrating a generous wardrobe into the master bedroom, something that was at the top of Nidhi’s wish list. The size of the room was not large enough to accommodate a walk-in wardrobe without major structural changes and besides, the sight of a bulky walk-in wardrobe does not appeal to her. She devised an ingenious solution of combining function and art by turning the wardrobe doors into a mural with botanical motifs.
“Despite the space constraints, I managed to carve out a 7.5-metre wardrobe with dedicated sections for shoes, bags, belts and ties, along with a separate vanity area featuring two backlit mirrors and sleek drawers for my makeup and accessories. Practicality, but make it chic,” she comments.
Daughters’ Bedroom
For the girls’ bedroom, existing bulky storage cabinets were removed to make way for a study alcove and bookshelves. Light pink walls, a pink tasseled chandelier and a pair of rattan and wood bedframes give the room youthful and feminine vibes without being overly cute or girly.
The renovation took a total of six months comprising two months of off-site preparation and planning followed by four months of on-site work. Nidhi and her family moved into their new home in August 2024 when the renovations were 90 percent completed, leaving only minor finishing touches. For Nidhi, the home is an extension of their lifestyle, one that revolves around entertaining, gardening and spending time with family and friends. Every design choice was made to enhance these experiences. “This home reflects my design philosophy where heritage, nature and everyday living intertwine. It is a space that feels lived-in, layered with textures and adaptable to changing needs, just as how I approach my client projects,” she sums up.
Article Source : https://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/interior-design/landed/semi-detached-limau-garden
