An Old Home in Malacca Transformed into a Balinese-Inspired Homestay

Instead of moving in, they decided to turn the house into a homestay.

Renovating your first home can be pretty overwhelming, especially when it’s a three-decade-old house with its fair share of ageing issues. But for Syairah and her family, taking on the project without an interior designer turned out to be a meaningful learning journey for both her and her husband. “It pushed us out of our comfort zone and helped us see things differently,” she shared.

What made it even more interesting was that the home wasn’t designed for their own stay, but as a homestay. In our interview, Syairah walked us through how they managed the renovation, along with the challenges they faced along the way. The entire process took about three and a half months and cost approximately RM280,000, covering everything from furniture to electrical appliances.

About Syairah and her family

I’m 34 and originally from Selangor, while my husband, Azhar (37), is from Kelantan. We met back in 2016 while working in Putrajaya and have been married for 8 years now. Together, we’re blessed with two kids, aged 6 and 5.

Our family is currently living in Bukit Baru, Malacca, after both of us were transferred there for work in 2019.

About the house

When we decided to settle down in Malacca, we started looking for a house and stumbled upon a corner lot in Ayer Keroh. It’s a 36-year-old single-storey home sitting on a total land area of 3,500 sqft.

Being an older unit, the house did come with a few issues like termite problems. Luckily, the main structure was still intact, so we knew we didn’t have to tear down the entire house and start from scratch.

What really drew us to the house was the spacious yard. With the land size nearly matching the existing house (1,632 sqft), we saw it as a perfect opportunity to create a home extension.

Instead of settling down in this house, we realised that it had great potential as a homestay. We loved the idea of creating a space where families could stay and hang out, while also earning a side income from it.

On top of that, it’s conveniently located with grocery stores, petrol stations, and banks nearby. Another bonus is its location: it’s close to the Ayer Keroh exit and just a short drive from tourist spots like Malacca Zoo and Butterfly Park. Plus, it’s only 7 kilometres away from Jonker Street, so it’s not too far from the town centre either.

About the home’s design

From the very beginning, we knew we wanted a Muji and minimalist design for our homestay because this design is simple, practical and easy to maintain.

We wanted the house to feel clean and fresh because we didn’t want guests complaining about dust everywhere. With a minimalist design, there’s less decor, which means less dust, and it also helps create a comfortable, relaxing space for anyone staying there.

To bring the Muji concept to life, we used a lot of earthy tones using Jotun paint. For the living and dining areas, we went with a creamy beige (code: Vanilla Latte), while the bedrooms lean more toward a soft off-white with a hint of beige (code: Skylight).

Most of the materials we chose, like rattan and wood, also match these warm, neutral tones. We feel that with this colour palette, everything comes together nicely and really reflects the calm, Muji and minimalist vibe we were aiming for.

About working with the contractor

We didn’t hire an interior designer, but we did survey a few contractors before deciding on working with Sinar Rezeki Legacy. The firm came highly recommended by a friend who had renovated her house, and her feedback was really positive, so we felt confident choosing them.

About the renovation

For the renovation, we tried to keep changes to the existing structure to a minimum. However, we replaced the old plumbing and electrical systems because we knew they would cause problems in the future if we didn’t fix them.

We updated things like the doors, windows, and sliding door and hacked a few walls to make the space feel bigger. We also did a home extension, turning the house from a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom layout into a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home and created a pool area in the yard (more on that later!)

Some of the original flooring was a mix of old terrazzo and cement, with a few levels between different areas. To save costs, we installed SPC flooring on top of the existing floors instead of hacking up the old tiles, which would have been more expensive. We also added a plaster ceiling throughout the house.

The loose furniture is from IKEA, and we installed brand-new appliances in every room to complete the home transformation.

The porch area

Originally, the house had a small porch that could only fit one car. We widened the space and installed a larger gate so it could fit two cars comfortably. The old cement floor was replaced with imprinted concrete, and we added a new metal roof to replace the original zinc rooftop that covered the entire porch.

The living area

When you enter the house, you’ll notice that the living area has a split-level design which divides the dining and living areas. To save on costs, we kept the split level, but for safety purposes (especially for guests with small kids), we installed a built-in sofa that doubles as a divider between the two levels. It helps prevent any accidental falls while also adding extra seating.

Originally, there was a sliding door at the entrance, but we replaced it with a wooden door and glass window to give the entryway a fresher, more welcoming look to the space.

The dining and kitchen area

Originally, there was a wall between the dining area and the kitchen, which made the space feel cramped and poorly lit. We also noticed that there was a split-level floor between the dining area and the old kitchen near the bathroom, which disrupted the flow.

To open up the layout and create a smoother transition, we removed the wall and levelled the entire area to the same height, creating a brighter, more open and seamless space.

In the kitchen, we added an island with a countertop that helps divide the dining area and the kitchen. For the countertop, we chose quartz stone for a sleek and durable finish.

We engaged Pusat Perabut Heng Seng Huat to do our kitchen cabinets, which are made from plywood mica material. For the backsplash, we went with small 1×1 glossy ceramic tiles; they add just the right amount of texture and shine and are easy to maintain too.

The family area

Right next to the dining area is the family area with a double-height ceiling and a sliding door that opens up to the yard (which is now the pool area). Even with the double volume, the space actually felt a bit low when viewed from the dining area because of the arch beam. So we decided to remove it, and that instantly made the area feel brighter, taller and much more open.

We also swapped out the old Naco windows for a large fixed window, which really helped bring in a lot more natural light and brighten up the whole space.

Another major update was turning the double-height ceiling wall into a feature wall. It’s made of Suzuka stones, which come in single pieces that had to be installed one by one in a very time-consuming process. To complete the look, we added rattan pendant lights that really elevate the space.

Utility area turned into a laundry room

Originally, the area next to the kitchen was a utility space with a zinc roof and some breeze blocks in the walls to let in a bit of natural light and air. It also had two doors leading outside, which didn’t really serve much purpose. We decided to turn it into a laundry room, added a skylight to bring in plenty of natural light, replaced the old zinc roof, and kept just one door.

We also removed the old sink to make room for the washing machine and added our water dispenser and fridge, turning the space into a more practical and functional space for our guests.

The yard turned pool area

To make the most of the yard, we decided to turn part of it into a pool area. We wanted a space where our guests could hang out and spend time together.

The pool is small and very kid-friendly, not too deep for four- or five-year-olds, and for adults, the water reaches around waist height.

We also added a barbecue pit nearby, so guests can grill while keeping an eye on their kids in the pool.

Most of our guests love spending time at this pool area watching the kids swim, hanging out with friends or family, or just relaxing on the sun loungers. It’s especially enjoyable in the evenings when the atmosphere is calm and cosy.

The bedrooms

We actually turned another part of the yard into the master bedroom, complete with an en suite bathroom. We took inspiration from Balinese villas for the design, where the bedrooms often overlook the pool.

Inside, we laid down SPC flooring and created an en suite bathroom. For the overall look, we kept it pretty consistent with the other three bedrooms, using the same paint colours that I mentioned earlier, plaster ceilings and loose furniture that we bought mostly from IKEA.

Besides the master bedroom, we also opened up one of the guest bedrooms by knocking down a wall, giving it direct access to the pool through a sliding door. The sound of flowing water is so relaxing, and having a view of the pool makes the room feel extra calming and inviting for our guests.

The bathrooms

The bathrooms got a complete makeover as well. We replaced the old sanitary fittings and grill windows and re-tiled both the walls and floors. For the floors, we went with anti-slip tiles in a terrazzo pattern, while the walls were done in simple, plain beige tiles, using the same style for all the bathrooms to keep the look consistent. We also added bathroom cabinets to add storage and make the space more practical.

About renovation challenges

One of the biggest renovation challenges we faced was dealing with unexpected costs that went beyond our initial budget.

After we bought the house, we called in pest control to deal with the termite problem we found during the purchasing process. We honestly thought that would be the end of it, and at the very least, we assumed it would be under control for the next few years.

But after the renovation, termites showed up again, and this time in the new master bedroom! That really caught us off guard. We had to call pest control back to treat the area, which meant some extra, unexpected expenses.

The pest control team later told us that whenever you create new spaces during a renovation, termite treatment is still necessary because termites can remain underground and eventually resurface to find a new home.

Tackling the whole renovation ourselves definitely came with its challenges. It ended up taking about three and a half months, mostly because of unexpected issues that caused delays. Additionally, during the month of Ramadan, some of the workers finished earlier because of fasting, which slowed things down even more. It was pretty stressful for us, especially since we were trying so hard to stick to our timeline.

We also didn’t expect just how much research would be involved in a project like this, especially since interior design and construction aren’t really our areas of expertise. We had to figure out which materials were durable and suitable for our home and make all the design and material choices ourselves.

Since both of us were working full-time, most of this research had to be done at night or whenever we had free time, which was honestly pretty exhausting. Looking back, hiring an interior designer would’ve made the whole process much smoother and far less stressful. If budget allows, we’d highly recommend others to hire an interior designer to renovate their home.

To sum up

Despite all the challenges, I really enjoyed the renovation journey because we learnt so much along the way. Of course, there are a few things we’d like to improve, but the experience we gained throughout the process was an amazing learning opportunity for us as first-time homeowners.

Overall, we’re still very happy with how everything turned out. The contractor did a great job understanding our ideas and bringing our vision to life. Seeing guests enjoy the space we created has made the whole experience even more meaningful.

Looking ahead, if we can’t find another home we love, especially a corner lot, we might eventually move into this house ourselves after we’re done running it as a homestay. Otherwise, if we come across an affordable single-storey corner lot, we’d consider buying that and continue operating this one as a homestay.

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