French Modern Bungalow in Selangor Gets Unique Blend of Interiors

A mix of organic, coastal and Mediterranean vibes.

From the outside, this house looks like a chic modern French home. But step inside, and you’ll find a mix of 3 completely distinct styles: organic natural in the living and dining areas, coastal in the family area, guest bedroom, surau, and kitchen, and Mediterranean on the upper level. Despite this bold mix of styles, everything flows together beautifully, making the home feel effortlessly cohesive.

What’s even more impressive is that the entire concept—both the interior and exterior—was envisioned by the homeowner, Shida. Drawing inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram, she brought her vision to life, creating a home that’s both stylish and uniquely hers. We got the chance to tour her home, where she and her family of 5 live, and to see firsthand how her creative touch ties everything together!

About Shida and her family

I work as a marketing and sales manager in the beauty industry, and my husband works in HR at the same company. We’ve known each other since our student days and have been married for 9 years now. Life’s been pretty busy but amazing, we’ve got 3 energetic boys, all between the ages of 3 and 7, keeping us on our toes!

When we got married, we bought a 5,220 sqft piece of land in Semenyih, which is where we live now. At the time, I had no plans to build a house since we were staying in a terrace home. A few years later, we thought about renovating the terrace, but after meeting with a few interior designers, we found out it would cost around RM200,000 to RM300,000.

So we figured, instead of spending that much on a renovation, why not just build our own house from scratch on the land we already owned? That way, I could decide everything; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the layout, and even the exterior design exactly how I wanted it.

Plus, we knew that as we got older and our family grew, living in a terrace house with limited space would get harder, especially with our kids and maybe even grandkids in the future. So we designed this house with the long run in mind, making sure it’s a home that can grow with us over the years.

About the property

Built from the ground up, this 4,000 sqft double-storey bungalow has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. I named it Ruang Teduh, which means a serene space in Malay. After spending all day in the city, I wanted our home to be a peaceful retreat, a place where my family can unwind and recharge away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

About her design choice

For the exterior, I went with a French-inspired design because I wanted our home to stand out in the neighbourhood. Inside, I chose a mix of organic natural, coastal, and Mediterranean styles, all of which reflect my laid-back personality and love for serene spaces.

I went with neutral tones throughout the house because they’re timeless and won’t go out of style. Plus, it’s more cost-effective in the long run, I won’t have to keep repainting or updating the colours just to keep up with trends.

Although the architect and designer provided the initial drawings, I took the lead in bringing the entire vision to life. From selecting materials to curating the interior, I personally oversaw every detail, ensuring the home turned out exactly as I envisioned. I had some experience from renovating my company’s beauty salon and even travelling to China to source furniture and materials. Those experiences definitely helped me make more informed decisions for my own home renovation.

As for the contractor, we went with a firm who had previously worked on my sister’s house, so we already knew they were reliable.

I saved a lot of money by sourcing my own furniture, décor, and building materials like SPC flooring from Foshan, China. The only downside is the waiting time, it takes about 2 months for everything to arrive in Malaysia. But the savings make it worth it! Buying furniture directly from China can be 30-40% cheaper than getting it locally. It might not seem like a huge difference at first, but when you're furnishing an entire house, the savings really add up!

Overall, it took about a year to build the house from the ground up and another year to renovate, furnish, and decorate everything. The total renovation cost came to around RM800,000.

The dining and living room

When you enter the house, the dining area is the first thing you’ll see, designed with an organic natural theme. I brought this look to life using earthy tones like black, beige, brown, and white across the walls, furniture, artwork, and even the curtains.

The same goes for the living room, since it’s right next to the dining area, I kept the organic natural theme flowing between both spaces. To enhance the organic vibe, I added textured artwork and two ready-made cabinets to display my collection of ornaments.

For the sofa, I went with a light-coloured one to keep the space feeling open and airy. It also blends easily with other colours. I use black accents to prevent the neutral theme from looking too dull while adding some contrast to keep things looking visually interesting.

Side yard turned into a patio

Between the dining area and family area, there’s a sliding door that leads to the side yard, where I created a cosy indoor-outdoor patio. It’s also where my family and I enjoy tea time together. To make the space welcoming, I added a small pond and some potted plants, bringing in a touch of greenery and a serene vibe to the space.

The family area and dry kitchen

Next up is the family area and adjacent dry kitchen, designed with a coastal theme. The white-toned brick walls bring in a breezy, beach-like feel, while white and blue elements add a sense of tranquillity to the space.

This is where my kids and I hang out, watch TV, and relax after meals. To complete the coastal look, I combined blue and white tones with wood and rattan materials for the walls and furniture, giving the space a bit of a Balinese vibe.

Right next to the TV is the dry kitchen, where I added an island—this is where our family enjoys casual meals together and gathers for chit-chat sessions. The countertop is made of plywood and quartz stone, and if you look closely, the quartz texture gives off a subtle coastal vibe with its mix of small stone particles.

Behind the island, I installed a built-in cabinet with open shelves which I decorated with plenty of coastal-inspired décor like seashells, coral reefs, and ocean elements. For the backsplash, I used a thin wall panel that’s super easy to install and adds a nice textured finish to the space.

The surau

Right next to the family area, I designed a surau so that our family and guests—especially the elderly—can perform our daily prayers without needing to climb the stairs. It's connected to a guest room through a tall sliding mirror door.

The kitchen

To separate the kitchen from the rest of the house, I installed an arched glass door. This helps keep cooking smoke and oil splatter contained, making it much easier to clean. Instead of having to mop the entire ground floor, I only need to mop the kitchen area after cooking.

When designing the kitchen, storage was my top priority. I installed plenty of cabinets to keep plates, dinnerware, servingware, and appliances neatly tucked away, avoiding clutter. Every kitchen item, from cookware to dinnerware, has its own designated spot, so I always know where to find what I need. This not only keeps the kitchen organised and tidy but also frees up counter space, making the entire area feel more spacious and functional.

Since I cook daily, I needed the wet kitchen to be durable and easy to clean. For the countertops, I went with porcelain because its smooth surface makes wiping up spills and splatters a breeze. To complement the cabinets, I chose an organic-toned backsplash for a cohesive look. The only downside is that white grout tends to stain easily. To solve this, I installed a translucent oil protector over the backsplash, which makes cleaning up after cooking much easier.

The upper floor - private family area

Moving to the upper level, you’ll immediately notice the Mediterranean vibe. The first space you’ll walk into is a private family area, where I went with soft, neutral tones like beige, cream, and white, which lend a calm and peaceful vibe. The space also features a built-in TV cabinet, which I designed myself based on inspiration from Pinterest. This is where we watch TV as a family, and it’s also the go-to spot for my kids to play video games.

Next to the family area, there was an empty wall that felt too bulky for a cabinet, so I decided to turn it into a feature wall with steps and decorated it with plenty of vases that I sourced from China, making it the focal point of the space. The vases also add to the Mediterranean vibe, tying everything together.

If you’ve noticed, the top floor has a high ceiling, and to give it more character, I installed faux beams to make the home feel like a period home. The beams are actually made of foam and painted to look like real wood. They’re lightweight, easy to install, and much more cost-effective compared to using real wooden beams, but they still give a rustic, timeless charm to this home.

The master bedroom and en suite bathroom

Our master bedroom is designed to be a calm and relaxing space for my husband and me to unwind after a long day. I added a massage chair and a cosy workspace by the window so I can enjoy the view while working.

One of my favourite features of the room is the TV cabinet, which I designed to look like a fireplace. I actually made it using leftover materials from our renovation, plaster ceiling pieces, extra tiles from other rooms, and leftover vinyl bricks from the exterior of the house. It was a great way to save money while adding a unique touch to the room.

Next to our bedroom is our en suite bathroom, which I designed to look like a luxurious 5-star hotel bathroom. I've always dreamed of having a spacious and elegant master bathroom, so I requested the designer to design a big master bathroom.

One of the standout features is the custom-made mirror with curved details, a design choice I made because curved mirrors like these aren’t commonly found in stores. I also added a his-and-hers sink, which makes getting ready so much easier. For the walls, I went with paperstone material, which not only looks good but also adds a bit of that coastal, relaxed vibe that fits the rest of the house.

The laundry room

When designing the house, I made sure it suited our daily routine. That’s why the laundry room is right next to our master bathroom, it’s just more convenient. After showering, we can toss our clothes straight into the laundry instead of carrying them downstairs, which never really made sense to me. Since my family and I all shower upstairs, having the laundry area here just feels more practical.

I also added large windows to bring in sunlight and make drying clothes easier. For durability, I went with metal-framed windows and chose a quartz stone countertop, which is both stylish and easy to clean. The sink is perfect for washing delicates, and there are plenty of open shelves and cabinets to keep all my laundry essentials and bed linens organised.

The walk-in wardrobe and dressing room

I placed the wardrobe right next to the laundry room so I can put away clothes immediately after they’re washed and dried. This is also where I get ready for the day. To keep things neat, I installed a built-in ironing board in the cabinet. It stays hidden when not in use but is easy to pull out whenever I need to iron my clothes.

The kids bedroom

My boys are full of energy and imagination, so I designed a built-in play area to let them burn off some steam before bedtime. They also have their own PlayStation area, where they can play games quietly in their room.

Their double-decker bed comes with storage under the steps, perfect for keeping their toys. I also set up a dedicated corner for their toys, so the mess stays contained in their room.

To sum up

At the end of the day, I’m really happy with how the renovation turned out because I was involved in every step, from start to finish. Every idea came from me, and seeing it all come together was incredibly satisfying.

Beauty is subjective, but for me, this house is everything I wanted, especially in terms of organisation and layout. We used to be the kind of family that was always out, whether at the mall or travelling. But ever since moving in, we find ourselves staying home much more often.

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