A Modern Home With Industrial Nod Wins Qanvast Design Award

With thousands of interior designers available across Malaysia, finding the best interior designer to assist you with your home renovation can be overwhelming. That’s why we have created the Qanvast Design Award to recognise outstanding renovation projects by reputable interior design firms.

Cube Creation Sdn Bhd and their winning project, a double-storey Semi-D in Shah Alam, are among this year's award recipients. We spoke with Benny Tai, the project manager who oversaw the renovation of this charming 5-bedroom home from start to finish.

Qanvast: Hi, could you tell us about your clients and how they came across Cube Creation Sdn Bhd?

Benny Tai (BT): This 2,844 square foot Semi-D corner unit is owned by a married couple in their late 40’s with 3 lovely boys. The couple had never hired an interior designer in the past and they were initially looking for a carpenter to do basic woodwork for their home.

When they paid a visit to a friend's house in their neighbourhood that was being renovated by our company, they were immediately impressed with our attention to detail, and after meeting us in person, the couple decided to hire us to design their home.

Q: What is the design concept chosen for this project?

BT: This home’s design theme is centred on a ‘modern yet contemporary’ style.

During the mood board presentation and material selection, the client fell in love with the clear water concrete (fair-faced concrete) material, as well as other natural materials such as wood and marble so we added a touch of industrial to the design concept.

Q: What are the various renovations you've done to create a modern home?

BT: The main attraction of this home is the double volume void feature wall that comes with a concrete wall panel. It completely changed the overall appearance of the living room, adding a touch of industrial to the modern interior.

The concrete material used here is unique as it is rigid yet with an element of ‘softness’ at once conveying both indifference and warmth to the space.

A gorgeous natural brown Dyno marble slab that serves as the TV backdrop lends a touch of class and texture to the space, promoting a cosy and comfortable atmosphere. A glass coffee table adds to the room's luxury feel, while walnut panelled walls provide a natural element and complexion to the space.

We also wanted to take advantage of the property’s strategic location. Because the house is on a corner lot, the homeowners have more yard space and privacy. We installed two layers of sheer curtains in the dining area, where the homeowners can enjoy the view outside without any glare from the sun.

The dry kitchen comes in a C-shaped peninsula design with natural Bianco Carrara white marble as a countertop. The counter also serves as a seating area with bar stools, allowing the homeowner to entertain guests while cooking or preparing meals.

The master bedroom’s design is contemporary, and this is highlighted by a laminated panelling wall with groove lines behind the bed, and a walk-in wardrobe with clear sliding doors.

Instead of traditional lamps on either side of the bed, we installed ceiling-mounted bedside lighting. This creates a clean appearance by eliminating bulky lampstands.

Q: Why did you choose to incorporate neutral tones for this home?

BT: We choose neutral colours for this project because these tones are very cosy, welcoming, and they will always put you at ease.

The full-height concrete feature wall in the living hall I talked about earlier, for example, comes in light muted grey. The colour and texture of the wall give the room a natural and calming appearance. It also helps to complement the rest of the living space, such as the large piece of Emerald Pearl granite and timber bar counter.

However, neutrals are not the only colours we have chosen for this home. We also introduced high-contrast tones such as dark green and dark blue in both of the boys’ rooms to add visual interest and make the room look more lively.

Q: Were there any setbacks during the renovation process? And how did they get resolved?

BT: Due to budget constraints, we had some difficulty selecting materials for the renovation. For example, the cost of installing a fair-faced concrete wall in the double volume void was quite expensive. Instead, we used clear water concrete, a very similar material that imitates the fair-faced concrete texture to give the space an industrial edge.

Due to government restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this project also took us around 8 months to complete. During the MCO period (in 2020), we were unable to perform any site work for a total of 56 days. After the restrictions were lifted, we made every effort to complete the project as soon as possible.

Q: What are your thoughts on the final result of this project?

BT: We feel deeply grateful that our clients are pleased with the outcome of this project. The clients stated that seeing this beautifully renovated home always makes them happy.

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