The backyard? Completely unrecognisable after the makeover.
For Sarah, starting her social media account, @sarahhomedecor, was a spontaneous decision driven by her love for home décor and her passion for sharing organising tips, cleaning hacks, and everyday home inspiration. She also occasionally posts mini vlogs that offer a glimpse into her life as a homebody. By simply sharing what she loves, Sarah never expected to attract such a following, but today, her account has amassed over 30,000 followers (to date) and continues to grow.
What’s especially impressive is that she managed to renovate her entire home, including furniture, for just RM80,000. We had the chance to chat with her, where she shared practical insights on how she kept her renovation costs low without compromising on style or functionality.
About Sarah and her home
Sarah (S): I’m a 35-year-old lecturer at UiTM, while my husband, Azry (35), works in the army. We first met back in primary school in Seremban and have been married for about six years.
Since getting married, we’ve never truly been house-based and have spent much of our marriage in a long-distance relationship. Due to the nature of my husband’s job, he is frequently transferred, while my work is currently based in Pahang. We usually only get to meet on weekends at our home in Seremban.
The home we live in is a double-storey terrace spanning 1,932 square feet, featuring four bedrooms and three bathrooms. It’s a brand-new property that we purchased directly from the developer. When we bought it, the house was completely empty, with no built-ins or fittings.
Initially, we hadn’t planned to buy a house, but during COVID in 2020, with plenty of free time on our hands, we decided to start house hunting. That’s when we found this property in Seremban and thought it would be a good investment, so we went ahead and registered for it. At the time, it was still under development and was to be completed by mid-2023.
We chose this location because Seremban offers everything we need, with great facilities nearby while still being close enough to Kuala Lumpur, a city I love to visit. The neighbourhood also boasts excellent accessibility to highways, shopping centres, schools, and eateries. On top of that, it’s just a 20-minute drive from my parents’ house.
Another reason I decided on this home is that I plan to eventually relocate my work base to Seremban.
About her design choice
I didn’t have a specific design scheme in mind, but I wanted my home to feel calm, clean, bright, and airy. I’d say it’s a mix of modern, minimalist, Scandinavian, and luxury styles, with most of my inspiration coming from scrolling through Pinterest.
Comfort, a well-thought-out layout, and budget-friendliness were my top priorities during the renovation. I wanted the home to look beautiful while remaining practical for everyday life. My focus was on creating a space that feels cosy, allows easy movement, and is truly comfortable to live in.
About working with the contractor
For the house renovation, we didn’t hire an interior designer. Instead, we worked with two contractors, one for wet works and another for built-ins, as well as a painter (more on them below). The contractor was recommended by our developer when I purchased the house. He’s an independent professional, not part of a large firm, but incredibly experienced. His professionalism and problem-solving skills made the entire renovation process smooth and hassle-free.
About the renovation works
To keep the renovation budget low, we didn’t make any major structural changes to the house. Instead, we focused on enhancing the interior; slightly adjusting the layout, and furnishing and decorating the space to make it warm and cosy.
Most of our furniture was purchased from local stores in Seremban, which are more affordable than well-known furniture chains. A few pieces came from Ruma and IKEA. For example, our coffee cabinet is from IKEA, while the dining table and bed frame are from Ruma. As for décor, I picked some items from Spotlight and H&M Home.
Our home has an open-concept layout that brings the living room, dining area, and kitchen into one seamless space. I had the contractor install a plaster ceiling with lighting and swapped out the original tiles from the developer for SPC flooring. I love this type of flooring because it adds a cosy vibe to the house, and on top of that, it’s waterproof and scratch-resistant. Honestly, it’s probably the best investment I’ve made in the house so far.
The living room
For the living room, I went with a mix of modern, minimalist, and Scandinavian styles. There are two main focal points in the space. The first is a crystal chandelier which instantly adds a touch of luxury. The second focal point is the feature wall made from laminate material. I had the contractor install a wall panel behind the wall-mounted TV along with a floating console to hide all the wires and electronics. The feature wall with gold accents lend a modern feel to the space.
I chose plenty of light colours, especially white in this space because I wanted it to feel calm and airy. Coming home should feel relaxing, and this colour scheme helps achieve that.
I also did a little DIY in the living room, particularly with the coffee table, since I couldn’t find one that fit the space. It’s made from two IKEA pieces that I glued together to create a small, custom table.
The dining area
The dining area features a built-in bench installed by the contractor. I got the idea from a showroom we visited while house hunting and thought it would look great in our home. I also added a large mirror, which helps make the whole area feel more spacious and open.
There are also some gold accents in this area, which help create a cohesive look throughout the open-plan layout. For the dining chairs, I mixed and matched different styles but kept the materials similar. This way, the space feels coordinated and stylish but functional at the same time.
The kitchen
My favourite part of the house is definitely the kitchen. I love cooking for myself and for guests during family gatherings or special occasions so the kitchen renovation was really important to me.
While many homes nowadays have separate wet and dry kitchens, I didn’t feel the need for that. I find a dry kitchen isn’t very functional, so I decided to stick with just one kitchen. Plus, I wanted to avoid major renovations that could stretch our budget. I focused on small changes that didn’t cost much but made a difference.
I had the contractor install a cooking hood to prevent smoke and fumes from spreading, build a concrete countertop and install a pink backsplash. I chose pink to make the kitchen feel unique, it’s feminine but not overpowering. Even though I’m not usually a big fan of pink, it felt just right for this space, giving off the vibe that this is my territory.
I had the subway tiles on the backsplash installed vertically to create the illusion of a taller space. I also asked the contractor to add some open shelves and closed cabinets made from glossy laminate material, giving the area a modern, minimalist, and slightly luxurious vibe, especially with the gold hardware.
In front of the kitchen counter, I created a little coffee corner since I love enjoying my daily cup of coffee. It’s a simple setup with my coffee machine and air fryer, using a cabinet that I purchased from IKEA.
I also replaced the kitchen door with a glass door with a white frame, which lets in plenty of natural light and makes the space look bright and airy.
The backyard turned into laundry area
This is another favourite part of my house, right after the kitchen. Originally, it was just an empty covered space that I used as a laundry area (pictured below). I wanted to give it a luxurious feel and make it stand out from other homes in the neighbourhood, so I had the contractor convert it into an indoor area.
One of the things I really wanted in the house was a dedicated washer and dryer area. I had the contractor custom-make a space to fit both appliances, with a countertop and open shelves above to store detergents and other laundry essentials. To give the area a more luxurious feel, we installed silver square tiles inspired by Pinterest. Most of the ideas I saw were for bathrooms, but I thought they’d work beautifully here too.
Next to the washer and dryer, I had a floor-to-ceiling cabinet installed to store all my dinnerware, pots, pans, and other household items. The cabinet was custom-made with a mix of pull-out shelves, regular shelves, and drawers to keep everything neat, organised, and easy to access.
I had a small dead space that I turned into a “healing spot” with a couple of chairs and a small coffee table. I asked the contractor to add a skylight above, which lets in plenty of natural light. It’s such a nice little corner for me to lounge while scrolling through social media or enjoy a cup of coffee while waiting for the laundry.
The bedrooms
In the master bedroom and guest bedroom, I hired a painter to apply a textured metallic velvet paint that has the look of wallpaper. I chose this because it creates a warm and inviting ambience. I also added a fluted wall panel in a dark wood tone to give the rooms an elegant touch.
For storage, the contractor installed floor-to-ceiling wardrobes made of melamine materials. The bedframe, side tables, and chest of drawers were sourced from local furniture stores, Ruma, and IKEA. To add a touch of luxury, similar to the living room, I also added a chandelier as a statement lighting in the bedrooms.
To sum up
The renovation took about a year to complete because I didn’t have much time to visit the house, so the contractor often had to wait for my approval before moving forward with certain on-site works. Since I wasn’t in a rush to move in, I just took the renovation step by step.
Even so, I’m really happy with how everything turned out, it’s exactly what I imagined when I pictured my dream home.
Renovating has completely changed the way I live at home. Laundry and cooking no longer feel like a chore, and the best part is I don’t even have to dry clothes outside thanks to my dryer! On top of that, the cosy spaces actually make me want to stay in and relax instead of going out.
I’d definitely encourage others to consider DIY, planning, and overseeing your own renovation. But if you have the budget and want to avoid the stress, why not just hire an interior designer?
Looking to renovate? Simplify your search for a reliable interior professional.
Send us your request for a free quote, and we will connect you with up to four interior design firms to assist you with your home renovation based on your budget and needs.
Aside from that, homeowners who enquire with an interior firm via our platform are automatically part of the Qanvast Trust Programme, including the Qanvast Guarantee that safeguards your renovation deposit up to RM50,000.
