Inside an ‘Industrial-Luxe’ Bachelorette Pad Renovated for Under RM50K

A condo designed for a homebody.

When it comes to choosing paint colours, most people tend to gravitate towards a light, airy colour palette to make their homes feel bright and spacious. But for the owner of this one-bedroom condo in Kuala Lumpur, it was quite the opposite. She was drawn to darker tones and wanted a home with a moodier vibe.

To bring her vision to life, Summer enlisted the help of The Bricks Studio, and the result is a stylish industrial-inspired home full of personality. Despite the predominantly dark colour palette, the space never feels gloomy or overwhelming. Instead, it strikes the perfect balance between edgy, cosy and elegant. We caught up with Summer to learn more about her renovation journey that cost RM48,000 and took 4 months to complete.

About Summer and her home

I'm 33 years old and originally from Raub, Pahang. After finishing secondary school, I moved to Kuala Lumpur to further my studies and later started my career as a graphic designer.

Growing up, I loved being outdoors and spending time outside the house. But as I got older, I found myself appreciating the comfort of home more and more. These days, I'm very much a homebody and enjoy spending my free time at home.

I have quite a few hobbies that keep me busy. I enjoy playing musical instruments and I used to spend a lot of time drawing as well. More recently, I've picked up crocheting, which has become one of my favourite ways to unwind after work.

I first learned how to crochet through Xiaohongshu (XHS) and most evenings, I'll spend anywhere between two to four hours crocheting. There's something very satisfying about creating something with my own hands after a long day at work.

Before moving to a condo, I was living with my brother in Kepong. While I enjoyed living with family, I've always dreamed of having a space of my own. That's what motivated me to purchase this condominium unit in Kuala Lumpur.

There were two main reasons why I decided to buy this property. First, the location. My older sister lives nearby, and we’ve always been really close growing up, so being able to stay near her just felt like the most natural choice.

The second reason is that the development is pet-friendly. I have an eight-year-old Pomeranian who means everything to me. She's adorable, though she does have a bit of a biting habit sometimes! Finding a place where I could keep her was really important, so this condo checked all the boxes.

The unit was completed in 2024 and is 562 sq ft, with one bedroom and one bathroom. I collected the keys in September 2025 and spent some time sorting out defects before hiring an interior designer.

About working with The Bricks Studio

Before engaging The Brick Studio, I actually reached out to a few other interior designers, but things didn’t really go anywhere as they eventually went quiet and stopped replying.

I was still figuring things out at that point when my sister’s friend recommended The Brick Studio to me, after they had completed a renovation for her home. What really stood out to me was how responsive they were right from the start, and I felt a lot more reassured when they agreed to take on my condo renovation.

About the design brief

When it came to the design direction, I initially leaned towards industrial design because I thought it looked really cool, especially with my love for dark tones. It actually fits quite well with my personality where I’ve always liked darker aesthetics and I tend to gravitate towards black elements when it comes to choosing materials like lighting points, built-ins, and furniture.

Another very specific requirement I requested was related to natural light. Unlike many people who prefer bright, sun-filled homes, I actually wanted the opposite, which is something more calm, dim, and cosy.

I don’t usually wake up early with the sunrise, so I wanted my bedroom to be dark enough that it wouldn’t wake me up in the morning. The designer took this into consideration by using dark wall tones, installing blinds, and selecting dark-coloured built-ins to help control the light.

I’m also a big collector of blind boxes. I have a few collections that I haven’t even unboxed yet, like Pop Mart and Piggy Lulu pieces. Because of that, I requested a dedicated display area where I could store and showcase everything in one place.

I shared some inspiration that I found on Xiaohongshu (XHS) with the designer, and they developed the initial 3D design from there.

When they first showed me the initial 3D drawings, I felt the direction was a little too industrial for my taste, especially the use of light bulbs, which felt more suited for a shop than a home. I personally prefer soft, warm lighting to create a more cosy atmosphere.

That feedback became a turning point in the design process, and from there, the concept gradually shifted from an industrial look to a more modern style that better suited how I wanted to live in the space.

About the renovation

The home features an open-plan layout, where the kitchen and living area are combined into one continuous space. Since this is a small unit, the renovation work was actually quite minimal because most of the essentials were already provided by the developer, like the kitchen cabinets and stove, air-conditioning, and even the bathroom fittings and cabinets.

Right before entering the main space, there is a small entryway that the designer maximised with a built-in cabinet. I specifically wanted this so I could store my shoes neatly organised and maintain a clean, clutter-free entrance into the home.

The kitchen

The first thing you see when you enter the house is the kitchenette. Originally, there was a gap above the developer-provided cabinets, so The Bricks Studio maximised this space by adding overhead cabinets. This not only helps to prevent dust from collecting but also helps to increase storage space.

I’m not someone who cooks often, as I usually prefer ordering takeout, so having a big cooking area wasn’t a priority for me. That said, I do appreciate that the developer provided an electric stove, which allows me to do some light cooking whenever I need to.

The living room

The living room is probably my favourite place to spend time in. It originally came with standard 4x4 tiled flooring, but I wasn’t a fan of how it didn’t match the bedroom, so I requested The Bricks Studio to laminate flooring to create a more cohesive flow throughout the home.

This is where I spend most of my time, whether it’s playing the piano or just unwinding after a long day. I also enjoy gaming, so instead of a TV setup, I placed my PC desk here due to space constraints. Most of the time, I’ll watch shows on my PC or play games on my Xbox.

Because I enjoy reading as well, the designer proposed a tatami platform by the window where I can relax and slow down. It’s become one of my favourite corners of the house where I can sit there and read, play my ukulele, or even crochet while enjoying the city view.

This is also where I usually have my meals, since the unit is too small to fit a proper dining table. The platform was designed with hidden storage underneath too, which really helps make the most of the space.

Right next to it is a built-in cabinet for my comics and collectibles, so everything has its own little display area and stays neatly organised.

Elsewhere, the walls were repainted with a textured finish to add a bit more depth to the space. A false ceiling was also installed to give me extra lighting points. I went with track lighting for a subtle industrial feel, but still kept the overall vibe warm and cosy.

The bedroom

In the bedroom, the designer added a curved detail to the wardrobe, which softens the overall look of the space. It’s also quite practical, as it helps prevent accidental bumps and injuries, especially since the wardrobe is placed right next to the door.

They also added a glass display section with warm lighting, which gives me extra space to show off more of my collections. The wardrobe is made of melamine, while the curved shelving details are in plywood. This combo was chosen quite intentionally where melamine helps keep costs more affordable, while plywood allows for those curved shapes that melamine can’t really achieve. The same idea was carried through to the built-in bed and vanity to keep the whole room feeling consistent.

Behind the bedframe, the designer also added warm backlighting to lift the overall ambience and bring out the wood tones that define the space. Even the switch covers were changed to match the wood finishes, so everything ties together nicely.

The mattress was something I picked out myself, since I’m quite particular about comfort and support.

To finish things off, blackout curtains were installed in the bedroom, mainly because I prefer sleeping in a really dark room so early morning sunlight doesn’t wake me up.

The bathroom

The bathroom already came with all the essential sanitary fixtures, so the renovation work here was kept pretty minimal, the only thing we added was lighting. For convenience, I also placed my washing machine here to make laundry more efficient in this small unit, along with a storage rack for my laundry essentials.

To sum up

Overall, I’m really happy with the renovation done by The Brick Studio. The only hiccup was a slight delay, with the project taking about a month longer than the original three-month timeline, likely due to the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya period, since it kicked off in February.

What I appreciated most was how smooth and hassle-free the whole process was. The team handled everything from storage planning to even sorting out the work permit with management, so it really felt like they managed the project from start to finish, which made things so much easier for me as a homeowner.

In the future, I’m thinking of adding more wall-mounted cabinets to display my collections, maybe with a slightly more industrial touch to tie in with the overall design of the home.

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