October 30, 2024
It's been updated with a loft!
Now owned by a young married couple, Ain Safia and her husband, this 1990s terrace in Kelana Jaya has been in the family for years. Originally belonging to her father-in-law, the property was rented out for years before the couple bought it over when they got married in 2015.
Given that the 35-year-old property is in need of a makeover, the couple did not renovate it right away due to several circumstances, including the MCO and Ain’s pregnancy shortly after. In 2023, they decided it was the perfect time for a renovation. We had the opportunity to tour their recently completed home and sit down with Ain to chat about her experience renovating her first home.
About Ain’s family and their home
I’m a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I have two wonderful children—a 5-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son.
We've lived in this one-storey terrace house for a couple of years now. The house measures 1200 sqft and has 3 bedrooms + 1 and 2 bathrooms.
The house condition was very poor when we moved in. For example, the kitchen floor tiles were broken, and the kitchen cabinets had already worn out. The layout, which included many walls and compartments, also made the interior appear dim.
Ain’s home, pre-renovation
Initially we only planned to renovate the kitchen, but given the above, we decided to renovate it completely.
We chose to work with AD+G for the interior design of our home. Initially, we didn’t plan on hiring an interior designer, but our contractor suggested working with one to help with the 3D renderings and drawings.
After hiring an interior designer, we realised how reassuring it was to have expert guidance throughout the renovation. Their attention to detail in both planning and execution made the entire process much smoother.
About the design requirements
When it came to the house's design, we had a few things in mind. We wanted a timeless, evergreen aesthetic that won’t feel outdated over time, as we plan to live here in the long term. For the colour scheme, we opted for neutral tones, including black, beige, white, and some green.
The design needed to be easy to maintain. I specifically requested plenty of storage space throughout the house, as I prefer to keep the tabletop clutter-free.
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We wanted the house to have kid-friendly features. For instance, we requested curved elements for the furniture and cabinets to prevent injuries and make the space safer for them.
We also wanted the house to be easily accessible for our kids, so we requested that the light switches be placed lower, allowing them to turn them on and off without our help. Since the entire house required new wiring, relocating the switches wasn’t a big issue.
About the renovation works
With a budget of RM300,000, this home underwent a major transformation, including an extension, a complete plumbing overhaul, fresh paint, new flooring, custom carpentry, retiling, plaster ceilings, new front and back gates, updated electrical wiring, replacing the entire roof and a loft construction.
The entryway
The entryway was originally part of the front yard, but we extended it and upgraded the cement flooring with tiles. Our initial plan was to match the entryway’s height with the living room for a seamless look. However, due to structural limitations, we couldn't remove the entryway’s beam, so we had to make the entire area lower than the living room with a plaster ceiling.
The open-plan living room and dining area
The living room and dining area originally had old terrazzo flooring, but since it was cracked in several places, we replaced it with SPC flooring for a modern look.
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We also updated all of our old furniture with new pieces. One of the best parts of working with an interior designer was the convenience — our designer provided a detailed list of all the furniture we needed, along with a few options for each piece. All we had to do was choose our favourites and make the purchases ourselves, which made the entire process much smoother!
The dry kitchen
Originally, the dry kitchen was the wet kitchen, separated from the dining room by a wall. We removed the wall to create an open layout, and our interior designer suggested adding an island to prevent the space from looking too bare.
My husband and I are huge coffee lovers, and we typically need our morning coffee to kick start the day. We created a cosy coffee bar area near the island where we can sit and enjoy our brews.
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I chose sintered stone for the tabletop and backsplash in the dry kitchen. We also included a washbasin for added convenience, so we don’t have to walk all the way to the wet kitchen just to wash our hands.
We also asked the interior designer to install a sliding door to conceal the wet kitchen, preventing smoke from drifting into the living room while I cook.
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The kitchen
My favourite part of the house is the kitchen, and since I cook daily, this part of renovations are very important to me. We extended the kitchen into the backyard, connecting it to the laundry area (more on that later).
The kitchen is fairly narrow, so I chose a white colour scheme to make it feel more spacious. The skylight also helps to make the room brighter and visually bigger.
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The materials I choose for the wet kitchen cabinets are glossy laminate material that’s resistant to stains. The countertop and backsplash are made of quartz slabs, which are easy to clean since there’s no grout. To keep the space looking cohesive and low-maintenance, we used the same quartz material for both the countertop and backsplash.
Other people usually place their dish racks at the top of the cabinet, but I don’t like the idea of water dripping down my arms when putting dishes there. To avoid this, I opted to place mine at the bottom of the cabinet instead.
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The backyard turned into a laundry area
At the back of the wet kitchen, there’s a walkway that leads to a hidden laundry area. I initially planned to add a built-in cabinet to house the washing machine and open shelves to store all of my laundry essentials, but the interior designer suggested using a black sliding door to create a ‘hidden space’ for a visually uncluttered look. It was a great idea that I never thought of!
The playroom
Next to the laundry area is a spare room that we converted into a playroom. Originally, a wall separated the two spaces, but we decided to add foldable glass windows for easy access between the laundry and the playroom. This also gives me a convenient "shortcut" to move dry clothes from the laundry to the walk-in wardrobe instead of walking all the way around through the kitchen.
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The playroom has its own toilet, connected to the kitchen. Initially it came with small blue square tiles, which made the room look dated, so we replaced them with modern tiles and updated all of the bathroom fittings.
About the structural changes made to the home
Besides the backyard and front yard extension, our interior designer suggested adding a loft, taking advantage of the high ceilings in the middle part of the house. We loved the idea and went ahead with it. Right now, it's being used as temporary storage space, but we plan to convert it into a home office in the future.
About the renovation challenges
The renovation took 6 months to complete. We planned to move into the house before Hari Raya in May this year, but there was a problem with the roof and additional work was needed, which dragged the renovation progress. Despite the delay, we were able to move in by June.
To sum up
Although there are still some parts of the house that are not complete, such as the home office in the loft and a storeroom under the stairs, I'm very pleased with how the renovation turned out. For now, everything is great, and I've gotten everything I wanted.
If I were to advise first-time homeowners looking to renovate their home, I would strongly advise them to work with an interior designer for a hassle-free renovating experience. Hiring an interior designer simplifies the process because you won’t have to worry about all the small details. You just need to tell the designer what you want and he/she will offer options!
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