Darren Lim & Evelyn Tan Reclaim Master Bedroom From Their 4 Kids, Who Now Share One Room, After $200K Reno

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For most parents, the master bedroom is a sanctuary. But for celebrity couple Darren Lim, 53, and Evelyn Tan, 50, it was their four children — Kristen, 20, Jairus, 18, Way, 16, and Elliot, 12 — who had long enjoyed the biggest room in the house.

When the family of six moved back to their three-bedroom Upper Changi condo in 2016 after four years of boat life, the couple decided the spacious master was best suited for the kids.

“The room is bigger, and they were used to being together in one space. They actually enjoy being with each other,” Evelyn tells 8days.sg when we popped by for a shoot. The kids slept on two bunk beds, while Darren and Evelyn settled into a smaller ensuite bedroom.

Well, their interior designer (ID) wasn’t having it.

During the couple’s recent $200K overhaul of their 1,700 sq ft pad, which they’ve owned since tying the knot in 2004, Darren’s childhood friend-slash-ID refused to let them downgrade again.

With Darren’s mum moving in, the plan was to give her the ensuite and they take the smallest bedroom themselves.

“But he was like, ‘Come on, bro, you work so hard, how can you stay in the last room where you don't even have an ensuite toilet? Just let your kids sleep there, we’ll make the room bigger for them,” Darren recalls with a laugh.

Turns out, the kids were totally fine with the swap. “They were very happy for us to have the master back,” says Evelyn.

And while they initially tried to carve out a room just for Kristen, it was just not possible.

Minimalist lifestyle with just a wardrobe each

The theme is minimalist, all soothing earth tones and creamy shades, with just enough wood accents to keep things warm and homey.

To ensure the kids still had enough space, their bedroom was extended by eating into part of the kitchen. The result: a long, practical space that accommodates all of them comfortably without looking like a dormitory.

Kristen’s got her own corner with a platform storage bed, the youngest two, Way and Elliot, share the bunk bed, and Jairus has a Murphy bed that folds away when not in use.

Despite four growing kids sharing one room, the space is surprisingly uncluttered. Each child has only a 75cm-wide closet and that’s more than enough. Seeing this, we felt really ashamed of our own bursting wardrobes.

“Living on a 500 sq ft boat really taught them to be minimal. We all used to have just five sets of clothes so we don't clutter the boat. It's only when we came back on land that we started accumulating things,” Darren explains.

Evelyn adds with a laugh: “Our second kid Jairus is like Steve Jobs, he likes to wear the same clothes. That’s his uniform.”

Common areas double as a workspace

Bedrooms are strictly for snoozing — no laptops allowed. This rule applies even to Evelyn, who does part-time relief teaching at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore.

“If you need to work, come to the dining table or living room. Keep everything in the open. There are too many temptations, whether it’s gaming or explicit sites. Since they were young, they know these are papa and mama’s rules,” Darren says matter-of-factly.

“Even us adults, we also don't use our electronic devices in the rooms.”

To make this work, their ID designed two hidden workstations that can be neatly tucked away when not in use. These give the kids a dedicated space to study or game without cluttering the shared space.

Dinner at the pool table

Forget boring dining tables. The family eats at a pool table — yes, an actual pool table — that doubles up as a dining table with a cover. It was a wedding gift to Darren and Evelyn, and has since become the most-used piece of furniture in the house.

“It’s big, that’s why we got this conveyor belt sushi [gadget],” Evelyn says, pointing to a lazy susan of sorts on the table. “But it’s manual,” she chuckles.

Handyman Darren even DIY-ed the seating. “Regular dining chairs were too low and bar stools were too high, so I had to shave down the legs. I had to do it for 48 legs,” he laughs.

Darren’s ‘private hardware shop’

With eight people (including their helper) under one roof, storage is a big deal.

So a third of the living room was carved out for a storeroom, aka Darren’s “man cave.” Hidden neatly behind the TV wall, it’s stacked with racks of biking and travel gear, and even a tool wall. Think of it as Darren’s “private hardware shop” where he can admire his toys and tinker away.

Well, until Evelyn added more cabinets. “This was my space, I felt invaded. The space is so tight now after she added those shelves… she turned it into a supermarket,” he mock-complains.

The kitchen

The kitchen, once open concept, has now been walled up to fit more cabinets. Not the most ideal — the couple misses the openness — but as Eveylyn admits: “Storage was more important.”

Master bedroom

The master bedroom, now back with Darren and Evelyn, is kept simple with just a wardrobe, dresser and their own adjustable beds. Yes, they sleep separately so they can tweak their mattress incline for maximum sleep quality.

Master bathroom

Photos: Dillon Tan, Darren Lim

Watch #JustSwipeLah for a tour of Darren and Evelyn's home.