A year after moving back to Singapore, local actress Yvonne Lim has finally revealed her renovated home.
The 49-year-old and her husband, Taiwanese former boy band B.A.D member Alex Tien, lived in Taipei with their two children Alexa, nine, and 12-year-old Alex Junior (AJ) for nearly a decade before returning in January 2025.
In a recent episode of #JustSwipeLah, Yvonne said the reveal took a while because she wanted all the little details to be completed, such as the rose gold faucet in her master bathroom.
“It’s not something you can easily find on the market,” she told host Jernelle Oh, before showing the sunken bath, which was part of the home’s original design. “I wanted to cover over it but I thought about it again and changed my mind because my kids really enjoy taking baths.”
Yvonne’s home has a square-shared design, and Alex, 46, said this was an intentional choice.
“We wanted the house to be nice and square, not some weirdly shaped place,” he said. For the renovations though, Yvonne took charge because the design of their Taipei home was not what she envisioned.
“At the time, because I was pregnant, I just wanted to take it easy and focus on nurturing the baby. I told Alex I wanted it this way, but in the end, it turned out completely different. I was dumbfounded. He basically turned it into his own bachelor pad you know?” she laughed as the camera panned to her sheepish husband.
For their Singapore home, she told Alex not to get involved: “I want it all in white!”
Worried her kids might draw on the white walls, Yvonne opted for Avowalls which allows scribbles to be wiped off. Jernelle joked: “That impressive? Can you give me some pens? I want to try.”
The innovative parts of the home don’t stop there – over at the dining area, previously a balcony, the large table has a built-in feature called The Cooking Slab, perfect for hosting friends over teppanyaki.
In the kitchen, a vacuum sealer and food warmer are installed under the countertop. Her coffee machine, mini oven and fridge are built into the storage cabinets, saving space.
Fans of Yvonne would know she loves baking goodies for her friends, and of course a mini oven wouldn’t suffice.
“I’ve got an even better oven,” Yvonne said cheekily before bringing Jernelle into her wet kitchen, separated by a sliding door. The grey cabinets blend nicely with the white marble walls, and appliances such as the rice cooker and air fryer are neatly tucked away in them.
Smart piano with a camera
The family only brought one piece of furniture over from Taipei: A smart piano. Alex shared how the purchase came about: “Yvonne thought our daughter should learn the piano but at the time, I couldn’t play either. So I didn’t know how to guide or supervise her.”
Soon after, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and the piano teacher couldn’t go over. That’s when Alex discovered the smart piano, which comes with a large screen and a camera that can record what Alexa plays.
“The teacher can watch it from here and give her guidance,” he explained.
And if Alexa ever gives up on learning the instrument, Alex quipped that the smart piano can play on its own.
The master bedroom
A walk-in wardrobe lines the hallway to the master bedroom, and despite the large storage capacity, Yvonne said it isn’t enough for her and Alex.
“This whole area is mine. My husband’s stuff got moved to the guest room,” she said. In the bedroom itself, Yvonne has a “personal cabinet” where she keeps her meaningful items, such as her award trophies, as well as a projector.
“When I used to live alone, sometimes I felt lonely or even scared. So I’d just turn on the TV, having the noise from it to keep me company,” she said, adding that she opted for a projector this time because she can’t install a TV in front of the glass window.
Overall, is she content with the renovation outcome?
Despite some “minor flaws”, she’s “quite satisfied”.
She concluded: “During any renovation, there are always some minor imperfections and there might be some things that aren’t done perfectly, but I think the most important thing is to have a responsible interior designer.”
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syarifahsn@asiaone.com
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