A Design Enthusiast Designed Her Own Home Inspired by Studio McGee

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Neutral, yet elevated.

At first glance, this residence could easily be mistaken for a home that came straight out of the pages of an interior design magazine. However, the most impressive part of the home is probably the fact that it was entirely envisioned by its owner, Naizatul Nazreen, a legal counsel in her late thirties.

Naizatul's keen eye for details led to the creation of a modern and welcoming abode, characterised by a delightful blend of earthy colours and natural textures. We had the privilege to speak with Naizatul to gain deeper insights into her journey of curating an aesthetically pleasing home that she and her family have been residing in for the past 2 years.

Qanvast: Hi Naizatul, tell us about your family and the place you are currently staying.

Naizatul Nazreen (NN): My husband, Asrul, aged 38, and I have been happily married for 9 years, and we are blessed with a son aged 4. We are currently living in a 1,960 sqft double-storey terrace, located in Gamuda Gardens. The house features 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Previously, we stayed with my parents in Klang, Selangor. After spending a few years there, we made the decision to become homeowners ourselves. While looking for our first home, we had a few criteria in mind. We wanted to live in a townhouse built by a reputable developer, in a suburban setting, and in a location that is neither too close nor too far from the city centre. This two-storey terrace in Rawang checks all of the boxes which prompted us to purchase it in 2020.

Q: What inspired you to create an Instagram account (@ruma.thirtythree) dedicated to home interiors and decor?

NN: When I was searching high and low for interior and decor ideas, Instagram was one of my main sources of reference. Homeowners in the @ighometourmalaysia community have been very helpful in sharing contacts and other details such as paint colour (more on this below!), where to obtain the best building materials, furniture, and decor. In return, I created an Instagram account to document my home journey in order to help other homeowners out there gather ideas and tips as well.

Q: Did you hire an interior designer to renovate your home?

NN: We didn't engage an interior designer to renovate the house. We did, however, hire a contractor to do all of the major construction work, such as the built-in cabinets, wardrobes, plaster ceiling, and electrical wiring.

Given that we didn't enlist the services of an interior designer, we had to do everything ourselves. This included budget allocation, surveying for the best contractors and materials, choosing the right colour furniture, tiles, fabrics, and various other elements to ensure a cohesive design scheme.

I recall acquiring over 10 quotations from various contractors for the installation of our kitchen cabinets because most firms only do cabinet installation and do not include backsplash installation in their job scope. I eventually came across a contractor who could do both the kitchen cabinets and backsplash, even offering assistance in sourcing the tiles. However, I made the decision to personally select and purchase my own tiles, as I wanted full control over the type and design of tiles for my kitchen.

Q: In brief, how would you describe your home’s style?

NN: My home’s design leans towards a modern and contemporary style. I often browse and find inspiration from either HGTV, Pinterest, or Instagram, and one particular source that resonated with me was Studio McGee, with their emphasis on the modern farmhouse aesthetic and a profusion of neutral tones.

When it came to selecting a colour scheme, I opted for a palette dominated by neutral shades and subdued hues like white, brown, black, and grey, complemented by occasional pops of green and orange. I find these colours particularly appealing, as they infuse a soothing ambiance into the space while creating a visually pleasing and uncluttered look.

Q: What renovation works were done to your home to achieve the desired look?

NN: Our home is a newly built property, so we didn't require extensive renovations, unlike renovating older houses. The main areas we focused on were the open-plan living room, the kitchen (both wet and dry areas), and the bedrooms. Other spaces, including the entryway and playroom, were furnished with loose furniture.

Living area

Prior to our move-in, I had a few renovation wishes in mind. The first was to incorporate a board and batten wainscoting in our living room, akin to what I had admired in several of Studio McGee's renovation projects. But at that time (2 years ago), it was quite challenging to find a skilled carpenter capable of bringing this vision to life. After conducting a thorough search, I eventually found a carpenter who possessed the expertise to realise this look. Notably, he executed the project with great precision, ensuring each panel's size and shape were consistent, well-aligned, and that they didn't obstruct any power outlets. I’m very pleased with how this feature wall turned out.

I outfitted the living room with an area rug, an L-shaped sofa, and a one-seater in grey, as well as a coffee and console table that I purchased from MajuHome. Since we have a small child, I picked furniture with no sharp corners or edges to avoid injury, especially since our boy loves to jump and always bumps himself everywhere!

Dining area

Next to the living room, you'll find the dining area, where I have adorned the room with a 6-seater dining table. Staying consistent with the neutral design scheme, I acquired the table and dining chairs in soft, earthy tones. This choice harmonises beautifully with our light-toned SPC wooden flooring and pristine white walls.

Dry kitchen

My second wish was to have an all-white shaker-style wooden cabinet in our dry kitchen. However, as the renovation progressed, I found myself drawn to the idea of including a grey kitchen cabinet as well. Faced with the dilemma of choosing between these two colours, I ultimately decided to have both: white for the upper cabinets and grey for the lower cabinets.

When I decided to go with a grey kitchen cabinet, I had no idea there were so many shades of grey to choose from! I remember reaching out to the Instagram homeowner community to inquire about the specific shade of grey or colour code used in their beautiful kitchens. After thorough survey and research, I ultimately settled on "Old Monterey" from Dulux as the ideal hue for our kitchen cabinet. This shade struck a perfect balance—not too dark nor too light—and it beautifully complements the black door handles. The cabinets also harmonise seamlessly with the quartz kitchen counter and the hexagon-shaped white tile backsplash that I sourced from Jubin Cantik.

I requested that the contractor install floor-to-ceiling grey cabinets on the opposite side of the kitchen counter to house our kitchen appliances, such as the fridge, oven, and microwave.

One of the major oversights during the renovation of the dry kitchen was the installation of a ceiling fan without fully considering its practicality. As a result, I've encountered an issue where the fan obstructs the opening of the upper kitchen cabinet when it's running.

Wet kitchen

The wet kitchen is initially an open space with no windows or doors and a laminated skylight roof. I commissioned the contractor to construct a glass wall, door, and window to create a covered room because I wanted to turn this area into a wet kitchen. During the day, the skylight and glass windows and doors allow lots of natural light to enter the room, saving electricity.

In our wet kitchen, I requested that the contractor install upper and lower cabinets as well as open shelves. While the rest of my home is decorated in earth tones, I chose light green and turquoise for our wet kitchen cabinets to add some colour to the space. I'm pleased with this decision because, with a combination of black, it works well with our white subway backsplash and black and white tile floors.

The master bedrooms

One of my favourite parts of the house is the master bedroom, because this is the place where I usually wind down after a long, tiring day. My husband and I painted the bedroom ourselves in beige and outfitted it with a bed frame in a neutral tone to match the beige walls.

In our master bedroom, you'll find two separate wardrobe spaces. The first one is positioned right beside the bed, featuring a full-height built-in wardrobe adorned with elegant brass and gold handles. What I like the most about this wardrobe is the convenient pull-out scarf rack, which makes it a breeze to select and coordinate my daily outfits. Otherwise, my scarves would be scattered all over the place, and I'd often find myself reaching for whatever I could grab in a hurry.

On the opposite side, you'll find my open-concept wardrobe, situated adjacent to the bathroom. This is where I keep my everyday clothing. It's also the space where my dressing table and vanity are located, serving as my makeup and preparation area for the day.

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of your home renovation?

NN: Our home renovation took place amidst the challenges of the pandemic in late 2020 and early 2021. This period was particularly demanding because of material shortages caused by the closure of Malaysian borders and shops, as well as labour disruptions due to COVID-19 cases among workers. Additionally, unpredictable movement control orders further hindered the progress, ultimately causing a delay of several months in the renovation project. It took 7 months for the renovation to be successfully completed before we could finally move in.

Sticking to a designated budget of RM150,000 for the renovation was also a challenge for us. As we opted not to engage an interior designer, we had to conduct extensive research and surveys on our own to ensure that we didn’t go over budget.

Q: Are you pleased with the results of the renovation? Is there anything you'd like to change or improve in the future?

NN: To be honest, I'm not quite finished with my renovation. Due to the difficulties we encountered (mentioned above), I chose to prioritise the installation of kitchen cabinets (wet and dry kitchen), wardrobes in the bedrooms, and glass walls, doors, and windows in the wet kitchen. There are still parts of my home that are in their ‘as-is’ condition, and I'd like to renovate our porch, toilet, son's room, and laundry room in the future.

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