Before & After: Reviving A 20-Year-Old Terrace (with RM80K)

Something old, something new.

With tons of replacement work on top of years of wear and tear, aged, existing homes can be a costly challenge to renovate. While that would have fazed many from embarking on a home revamp, homeowner Farah Mohd Siraj thought otherwise.

Having purchased a 20-year-old resale terrace, her new home was in need of a serious change-up. By keeping her costs into consideration and to a renovation budget of RM80,000, Farah managed to transform her crumbling home into a cosy, opulent country cottage which looks more than it’s actually worth! That’s what we call potential - here, we check out some of the amazing before and after shots behind this savvy homeowner’s epic makeover.

Exterior Façade

Before: With yellowed walls, outdated tiles and a garish, red/pink color scheme that looks straight out of the 1980s, the home’s original façade wasn’t exactly the most welcoming sight. Furthermore, the black iron grilles add an unsightly contrast – and remind one of jail cells.

After: Is this even in Malaysia? Replacing the original gable-style roof altogether with an open-gable version, the porch is finished in a modern, dove grey and white hue; a stylish choice that’s popular with many country homes in the West. The white, slatted front gates are decidedly on-trend too, providing privacy from prying eyes, while porch lamps double as a practical accessory that helps when the family’s driving at night.

Front Porch

Before: We wouldn’t call the front porch ugly, but it definitely screamed old-school. Even though this was taken partway through the renovation, the plain, red cement walls still stood out as a major eyesore. Also, a half open porch meant that the home was always partially exposed to the elements as well.

After: Out were the yellowish floors and red paint (a colour combination that never works, honestly); in were the slate bricks, overlaid on the connecting terrace walls on the sides. Small, grilled windows from before were taken out for a huge bay window looking out and into the living space. Meanwhile, the main door which is shifted to the side is a classic, imposing piece in white.

Living Room

Before: Well, someone must have loved that shade of red a lot, because it even creeps into the indoor spaces. Not helping is the dingy, zinc-roof and exposed wooden beams and small louvred windows that don’t let much light in – causing the initial living area to look closed in and smaller that it really is.

After: One surefire way of brightening and widening up any space? White. Despite the detail-heavy arches, cornices and moldings which exude that countryside, Euro-chic style, keeping a healthy balance of the colour ensures that the home doesn’t look too overcrowded.

Finally, dark parquet floorings add warmth alongside chocolate hued furnishings, which exude a homely, traditional look against the living room’s neutral backdrop. And anchoring it all is a plush Chesterfield sofa that greets visitors by the main door, bringing an old-world charm to the house’s décor.

Walkway/Dining Area

Before: The bad before the good; the ugly before the beautiful. Featuring the omni-present reddish hue and unfinished rooftop, the walkway towards the kitchen was a literal war-zone.

After: An addition of an arch helps to demarcate the different spaces and acts as a partition. And as we reach the end of the walkway where the dining room and kitchen combine, red comes up again as a standout feature – for the right reasons. Complete with a white dining set and framed tapestries, the rich shade of red works well with the rest of the home’s opulent settings, reminiscent of Nordic cottages and barns.

Kitchen

Before: Stripping its original cabinetry and kitchen fittings further highlights the age of this home, as dank yellowed corners come to light. The small window by the side isn’t enough to illuminate the space – making the kitchen look lower than let on.

After: Sticking to the home’s traditional Western style elements, checkboard floors mark out the entire kitchen-cum dining area. It also sets the tone to the cooking space’s monochromatic built-ins, which are smoothly tied up with the same rich-red tones in the form of wall décor.

The property is located at Johor, Skudai (a 2-bed and bathroom, single storey unit).

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