A Fashionable Life: Inside Photographer Jayden Tan’s Cheeky And Colourful Bachelor Pad
Photographer and art director Jayden Tan transformed a humble Chinatown flat into a bold, boutique hotel-inspired home full of wit, wonder and unexpected charm.
By YI LIAN NG-GROVES - published
When 37-year-old Jayden Tan became eligible to purchase a home in 2023, he wasted no time. “I started looking for a permanent space of my own the moment I hit the Singapore age requirement for singles,” he says. What he found was a resale Housing Development Board (HDB) flat in Chinatown—829sq ft of possibilities.
The apartment, tucked in one of Singapore’s oldest neighbourhoods, had belonged to a man who had lived there for nearly five decades. “The sellers were the sons of the original owner who had passed away,” Tan says. “My neighbour later told me he was a photographer too. How serendipitous!” But what sold Tan wasn’t that curious connection—it was the light, the layout and the logistics. “It ticked every box on my list: near the train station, centrally located, within budget and great sun direction. The layout was also a bonus: squarish, efficient, and perfect for a full-gut renovation.”
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The bedroom, which shifts from the industrial vibe, has a cosy, restful feel.
What now stands in place of a traditional four-room flat is a fully re-imagined one-bedroom bachelor pad. It’s bright, playful and layered with references—each space a visual nod to the creative life Tan has spent over a decade building. “I love how I’ve re-imagined this small four-room flat into a giant one-bedder bachelor pad that evokes the feeling of waking up in a quirky Airbnb every single day.”
Jayden Tan, wears a blazer and pants from the now defunct brand, The Authority, and Dior sneakers.
The standout? His bathroom—and more specifically, the eclectic mix of inspiration that brought it to life. “The bathroom and shower areas are easily my favourite parts of the home,” he shares. “They’re inspired by a mix of boutique hotels I’ve stayed in over the years.”
The bathtub is inspired by the minimalist suites at Lloyd’s Inn, while a glass wall adds both texture and natural light to the space.
Take the tub, for instance. “I love a good soak, so when I discovered there’s actually a wide range of bathtubs for flats on the market, I knew I had to include one. The design takes inspiration from the elegant minimalist suites at Lloyd’s Inn, with a glass block wall twist that adds both texture and natural light to the space.”
The shower pod is a centrepiece of the flat.
But the pièce de résistance? What Tan calls his “shower pod”—a striking cylindrical structure with very specific-design DNA. “It’s a hybrid child of two cylindrical inspirations: one, a steel-walled toilet set in the middle of an experiential hotel in Taipei called Hotel YOLO by contemporary fine artist Chou Shih Hsiung; the other, a clear glass-encased shower stall dramatically placed at the centre of the (now defunct) Klapsons Hotel suites.”
The bright yellow toilet is inspired by one of the Pantone rooms at the now defunct local hotel, Wanderlust.
Just a few steps away is a bright yellow WC that offers both function and a wink. “It’s inspired by one of the iconic Pantone rooms at Wanderlust, a boutique hotel that’s now, sadly, also defunct. Each Pantone-coloured room in that hotel was themed after a song title, and the yellow one was ‘Yellow Submarine’ (which happens to be my favourite Beatles song). I love how my own yellow toilet feels like a hidden surprise in the home. It’s playful, unexpected, and oddly cheerful. The bold colour doesn’t just lift the mood, it also visually enlarges the otherwise compact space.”
Tan’s creative instincts don’t stop at interiors. His photography has long embraced whimsy, satire and experimental storytelling. A spontaneous passion project—featuring custom shoes made from McDonald’s x BTS Meal packaging—“unexpectedly went viral-viral,” he recalls. “Something we never planned, but a perfect example of the magic that can happen when inspiration strikes and you run with it.”
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Tan collected the Luke Chueh x FLABSLAB “BOBA” sculptures because he couldn’t resist the pun.
More recently, he’s been exploring a new “mixed-media approach that fuses photography with AI”. He enthuses, “It’s an exciting frontier where craft and code collide. I’m drawn to the tension between the real and the artificial, and how that blur can unlock new forms of storytelling.”
Outside of his commercial work with global brands like Netflix and Prime Video, he’s also begun to lean into fine art. “I’ve also started to venture into the realm of fine art, using these hybrid techniques to express more conceptual, introspective ideas. It’s been a way to push past traditional boundaries and create visuals that feel both intimate and otherworldly.”
The industrial steel kitchen is a polished contrast to the quirky boutique-hotel vibe.
That same blurring of boundaries is what makes his home feel so distinctive. One of the most visually defining elements—the kitchen-to-living room pillar—wasn’t part of the original plan. “There’s a pillar in between the kitchen and living area that was thought to be a structural beam that could not be knocked down. But after the renovation (and through intensive research), I realised it actually can be removed.
Tan, in his home office, wears a shirt by Ralph Lauren, Zara jeans and Nike Air Force 1 sneakers.
“While the renovation layout could have been even more open and spacious had it gotten knocked down, I have come to love the pillar that anchors the island kitchen, and acts as a home for plugs and switches.”
Some decisions, however, didn’t quite pan out. “There were some creative decisions (not made by me) that I should have vetoed. One in particular: the aged mirrors on the pantry cabinet. They were meant to add character, but they’re neither functional nor aesthetic. Till today, I still don’t understand them.”
On his Ikea Dyvlinge chair is a “Monstera Stomper” 3D-printed shoe by Aliveform and lilac oxfords by Martine Rose x Clarks.
His favourite pieces? “The FLOS 265 Chromatica lamp was the first thing I bought even before I got the keys. The colour blocking on the lamp went on to inform the style of how I designed and styled the rest of the home. The playful use of solid colours complemented very well with the industrial, slightly Brutalist style of the renovation.”
His wardrobe area.
Tan’s personal style reflects a similar balance of restraint and rebellion. “My wardrobe is mostly black. I’m a creative cliché, I know, but I love the occasional bold colour and a silhouette with personality. I have a soft spot for offbeat shoes, they’re the perfect way to add a touch of personality to an otherwise understated outfit.
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“I also love supporting local designers, especially from Singapore and Thailand, where the pieces often come with thoughtful details and a distinct point of view. It’s less about labels and more about character.”
It’s clear that expression—whether through clothes, spaces, or images—matters deeply to him. “My home draws deep inspiration from the quirky Airbnbs and unique boutique hotels I’ve stayed in over the years. I’ve never been a fan of luxury hotels.
For Tan, the speaker by South Korean artist BurnSlap is a “fusion of science, sound, and design that feels like having a little alien lifeform grooving in your home”.
“Many are too polished, too predictable. Boutique hotels and Airbnbs, on the other hand, often brim with character, soul and unexpected charm. They make clever use of smaller spaces, lean into bold concepts, and aren’t afraid to be a little eccentric, whether it’s with a surprise material choice, a bold colour palette or an unconventional layout.”
Chinatown itself offers the same combination of colour and contradiction. “I’m a heartlander at heart, but I also prefer convenience when heading out. Living in Chinatown is quite the best of both worlds, I get my kopitiam fixes while being minutes away from everything. ”
His dining area features a Verner Panton VP Globe lamp and a 241 Faro table lamp by Wästberg as well as a stainless steel AHMA stool from Baremetal Co.
“While it never gets quiet like a true heartland, the energy, festivities and people-watching more than make up for it.” And of course, there are stories—some weird, some wonderful. “There’s an elderly man who lives in a nearby block, and from my window, I can spot him lounging by the stairwell… wearing only adult diapers. I’ve affectionately nicknamed him Tommy Pickles.
“The whole scene feels like something out of a slightly offbeat animated comedy: absurd, oddly endearing, and somehow very on-brand for this neighbourhood.”
Varmblixt lamp from Ikea, chrome storage from Kartell and a Mo_&_A Delica Car Light side table.
Then there’s his unexpected nighttime companion: “I’ve realised my neighbour, who also lives alone, is just as much of a night owl as I am. One of the quirks of HDB living is how closely some windows face each other and in my case, my kitchen looks directly into theirs. Our routines are uncannily similar and it only hit me recently that we both seem to have dinner at what most people would consider supper time. There’s something oddly comforting (and hilarious) about silently bonding over 1am meals through a window.”
It’s those details—small, intimate, a little absurd—that make his home feel exactly like him: unexpected, expressive and full of soul.
Art direction: Daphne Tso
Photography: Angela Guo
Styling: Gracia Phang
Grooming: Rina Sim using Bobbi Brown
Hair: Dave Gan/Chosm Hair