How a Homeowner Personalised Her KL Condo into a Wabi Sabi Haven

She even DIY-ed her living room’s feature wall!

While there’s no shortage of advice from household influencers these days, it’s important to prioritise your own needs. That’s something homeowner Amirah learnt during her first home renovation journey. She documented the whole process on her TikTok account (@sis_milofa) to inspire others, but her biggest tip? Be clear about what you want. “It’s fine to take inspiration, but you can’t just copy and paste ideas from others and expect it to be practical in your own home.”

We had the chance to tour her newly renovated home, where everything was designed around her family’s style preference and daily routine, which really made the space feel truly personal.

About Amirah and her family

Amirah (A): I'm 35 and originally from Jitra, Kedah. I met my husband while we were studying in South Korea, and we got married in 2016. Now, we have a cheeky 4-year-old daughter who keeps us on our toes!

About the property

Before this, we rented a condo in Kuala Lumpur for 5 years. We loved the neighbourhood so much that we decided to put down roots and buy a home nearby. The condominium is a newly completed unit, about 1,044 sqft with 3+1 bedrooms. The smallest room, originally meant to be a maid’s room, has been turned into our home office.

About her design choice

We didn’t have a clear design direction when we first got the place. It was only after collecting the keys that we started browsing around for ideas, mostly on Pinterest. That’s when we discovered how drawn we were to the wabi-sabi aesthetic. We loved its simplicity, natural textures and imperfect, rustic charm, so we decided to go with that vibe for our home.

I’ve always been a fan of walnut tones, so that became our main colour palette. From there, we played around with complementary shades like beige and cream to create a warm, cohesive look. We did a lot of mixing and matching, like choosing wall colours that go well with our cabinet finishes, just to make sure everything flows nicely throughout the space.

About working with a contractor

We didn’t hire an interior designer for the renovation, instead, we found a contractor on Instagram and decided to work with him. He handled pretty much everything, from electrical wiring and installing appliances to painting and building all the built-ins for the house.

Even though neither of us has a background in interior design (we're both engineering grads!), we really poured our hearts into this renovation. We came up with the overall design concept and the drawings ourselves and explained to the contractor exactly how we wanted to bring it to life. We even took all the measurements for the built-ins and personally picked out every material in the house.

About the renovation works

The main renovation work was focused on the living room, dining area, and kitchen. We kept built-ins to a minimum throughout the house, except in these spaces, because we wanted to keep things simple and stick with a minimalist look.

We swapped out the original tile flooring for SPC floors to give the space a warmer, more inviting vibe and to tie in with the whole wabi-sabi feel we were going for.

We installed smart switches from Aqara that control everything, such as the lights, fans, A/C, and even the TV, all voice-enabled through Apple HomePod. The interface is super sleek, and the display is fully customisable too.

When it came to lighting, we checked out a few shops in Puchong and bought the ones that we think would match well with our theme.

Textured paint is becoming a big trend, so we decided to go with Vasari since they’re well-known for it. When we visited their showroom, they actually encouraged us to DIY it ourselves. They said it’s super easy, even for beginners. So we gave it a shot, and surprisingly, it only took us only a day to paint the entire house, including the ceiling. The finish gives off a nice wabi-sabi and minimalistic vibe.

One of the main highlights in the living room is the limestone-effect back panel, which I actually DIY-ed myself. It’s made from Mason board and painted with textured paint to match the wabi-sabi vibe we were going for. It was definitely time-consuming, but totally worth it. I love how it turned out, where it adds a nice personal touch to the space.

One of the key things we focused on during the renovation was keeping everything, including the appliances, wires, and small items, out of sight. So we asked our contractor to install a floating TV console with hidden wiring and plug points to keep the space looking clean and clutter-free.

Back when we were renting, the place was semi-furnished, so when we moved into our own home, we bought everything brand new, including the appliances and furniture. Most of the pieces, like the bench, were custom-made by a carpentry shop. For example, the dining table, chairs, and bench were from Crosscut Studio. We requested custom designs to suit our style, and everything was made from solid wood just the way we wanted.

Just like in the living room, we also DIY-ed the arched niche wall in the dining area to add a bit of visual interest. We used textured paint and the little imperfections in the finish are what make it feel unique and full of character.

We weren’t a fan of the original layout of the condominium because the kitchen was the first thing you’d see when you walked in. I wanted a bit more privacy, so we built a wall and placed the fridge there, then added a plaster wall to separate the kitchen from the entryway.

Next to the fridge, we installed a pocket door that leads to a little appliance nook. This is where I keep the microwave, air fryer, blender, and all the other kitchen appliances. It really helps keep the kitchen looking clean and uncluttered since everything’s tucked away out of sight.

Right next to the dining table is our little breakfast counter. When I was designing it, I thought about my daughter who in our previous home loved hanging out at the breakfast table, whether for meals, snacks, or just chatting.

Even though the space here is a bit tight, we still wanted to include one. So we found a way to make it work! We squeezed in a stool and designed the counter to be half seating, half storage. That way, it’s still functional without taking up too much room.

Aside from that, we really put a lot of thought into every detail before starting the renovation. One of the features we’re pretty proud of is the hidden dish rack in the kitchen. It helps keep things looking neat and tidy, especially since the kitchen is such a high-traffic area and you can’t even see it from the living room, which keeps the whole space looking clean and uncluttered.

We also added a hidden trash bin inside one of the cabinets, and it’s honestly one of our favourite little features in the house. It has an electric push-to-open mechanism, so even if your hands are full, you just kick it lightly and it pops open, which makes it super convenient for everyone in the family.

It’s actually from IKEA, but it’s not available in Malaysia, so we asked a friend living overseas to help us get it. Installation was pretty easy, though we did need to make sure there was a power plug behind the cabinet to get it working.

The wooden counter is from Kompac Plus, and I absolutely love it. We actually bought the counter first, then matched the cabinets to it, and finally picked a paint wall colour that tied everything together. We took it step by step, making sure each element worked well with the next, just to keep the whole house looking cohesive and a little matchy-matchy in the best way!

The terrazzo counter on the island matches the kitchen backsplash, and both are made from a stone slab. I went with that option because I’m not a fan of grout lines, they’re just too much of a hassle to clean and maintain. The material ended up tying in perfectly with our cabinets and fridge. Everything just blends nicely, which helps the space feel more put-together and cohesive.

We even customised the cabinet height based on what felt comfortable for me, like where I’d want my dishes to be and everything within easy reach.

About the renovation challenges

The biggest challenge we faced was working with the contractor who gave us slow updates. Whenever we wanted to make changes, it took them quite a while to get back to us or make the adjustments. It definitely caused a bit of stress along the way!

Aside from that, finding the right contractor wasn’t easy either. A lot of them tend to stick to the same ideas and would suggest designs that felt pretty standard. When we asked for input, the suggestions didn’t really match what we had in mind.

Like for the dish rack, they kept recommending the usual placement above the sink because that’s what most people do. But I wanted something different, something that didn’t feel like every other house. So it was definitely a challenge to find a contractor who was open to doing something out of the box.

To sum up

Our family was really impressed with how the renovation turned out. They were super happy and couldn’t wait to come over and see the place in person!

One thing I learnt from this renovation journey is the importance of doing your research before getting the keys to your new home. In our case, we only started planning after we got the keys, which made everything feel super rushed. Ideally, you should start at least 3 months in advance, gathering inspiration, shortlisting interior designers, and so on so you can move into your dream home as soon as possible.

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