Inside a Cosy Eclectic KL Home Filled with Plants and Thrift Finds

An indoor ‘jungle’ nestled in the heart of the bustling city centre.

For Nadia and her husband, plants are more than just home decorations — they're a source of joy and fulfillment. Caring for her greenery and watching it flourish brings her an immense sense of satisfaction. Their home is a verdant haven, with plants adorning every corner, vines wrapping around poles, and even cascading elegantly across the ceiling. Despite being surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a concrete jungle, Nadia envisions her home as a tranquil retreat, a lush escape from the chaos of city life.

What makes this home even more captivating is that it was built entirely from the ground up. We had the privilege of touring Nadia's newly built home, which cost RM800,000 (including furnishings), and sitting down with her to talk about the challenges she faced during the 1-year renovation journey.

About Nadia and her family

I’m from Kuala Lumpur and work full-time as a marketing executive. My husband and I have been married for 3 years, and we’re blessed with a 2-year-old daughter.

This is a 2,900 sqft single-storey home at Gombak with 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. Before this, we stayed with my parents to care for my ailing mother. After her passing, we decided it was time to move out and find a place of our own. While searching for a home, we realised that newly developed properties are incredibly expensive. My father owned a piece of land near the house where we grew up, so he offered my sister and I to build our homes on it.

About working with an architect and contractors

The house was built entirely from scratch. We enlisted a freelance architect to design the floor plan and work with 5 different contractors to handle various aspects of the construction, including the doors, cabinets, folding doors, ceilings, and curtains. We discovered these contractors through various platforms like Google and Facebook.

I chose not to hire an interior designer for the house because I have a clear vision of what I wanted my house to look like so I didn’t feel the need for professional help — it was just a matter of finding the right furniture to bring my vision to life.

Since we didn’t hire an interior designer to manage the project, I had overseen the entire renovation myself. During that time, we were living at my parents’ house nearby, which made it easier for me to check on the progress after work. Occasionally, my dad would also visit the site to monitor the house construction progress. That said, it wasn’t without its challenges (more on that later).

About her design choice

From the very beginning, I wanted my home to be a single-storey house. Reason being, my late mother relied on a wheelchair, and the presence of stairs in our previous home limited her mobility around the house.

So I wanted to build this house with a long term plan in mind. As we grow older or if one of us gets sick some day, I want a home that allows us to move freely and comfortably without obstacles like the stairs getting in the way when using a wheelchair.

At my parents’ house, the low ceilings often made it uncomfortably warm during the day, so we wanted to avoid that in our new house. So, my dad suggested incorporating tall ceilings into the house, as they improve ventilation and help keep the space cooler.

For the design, I wanted an eclectic style with a mix-and-match approach. I’m drawn to this style because it feels more lived-in and personal. Working in a property development company, I’m accustomed to polished, showroom-style interiors, so I wanted my home to offer a contrasting, cosy vibe. I love incorporating imperfect, "messy" elements, as they create a sense of warmth and make the space feel like a real, lived-in home.

For the colour scheme, I wanted the house to have a simple, neutral palette — calming and easy on the eyes, while complementing the natural greens of the plants. That's why you'll find plenty of green throughout the house. It blends well with the indoor plants and reminds us of the colour of nature.

About the construction works

The renovation inside the house mostly involved installing built-ins and cabinets, while most of the loose furniture was thrifted. I love thrifting because it allows me to find pieces with character and a story, rather than settling for mass-produced furniture.

I’m drawn to old-school, kampung-style pieces with a rustic, lived-in feel—qualities that are often found in thrift shops. I particularly enjoy sourcing rattan or wooden furniture, as these can be quite expensive when purchased new. I typically thrift from places like Kedai Kaki Lelong, Unearth, or even Instagram.

Besides thrifting, some of the furniture, such as the bed, the sofa, the console table, and the high mirror, were purchased from Taobao, SSF, and other local shops.

About her passion for plants

My husband and I both love growing plants, a hobby we developed after the pandemic. During the pandemic, we were locked up in my parents' old house, which seemed quite closed off, with grilles and thick curtains. Being stuck in that environment for months, with limited sunlight and greenery, made us feel a bit crazy. We longed to get away from the concrete.

When we moved out, we started filling our home with plants. I’m more into outdoor gardening, while my husband prefers indoor plants. Personally, I find great satisfaction when my trees are in full bloom—it's especially rewarding because not everyone has a green thumb. In the past, many of the plants I tried to grow didn’t survive, so when I succeed in nurturing trees that thrive and bloom, it feels like a real accomplishment!

In our backyard, I plant fruit trees like papaya, passionfruit, and mango, while inside the house, we have a variety of indoor plants, including monstera, pachira aquatica, philodendron, and epipremnum.

Music area

Besides plants, my husband loves music, so we created a dedicated space near the entrance to display his vinyl player and record collection. We found the vinyl player at Kedai Kaki Lelong for just RM100, made of solid hardwood.

There’s also another hobby corner next to the dining area, where my husband enjoys playing his musical instruments, like the guitar, during his free time.

Living room

My favourite part of the house is the living room because I get to sit in the rattan chair and chill. It is surrounded by plants, and the painting behind the chair was done by my husband, my daughter, and me. We love abstract art, so we simply bought a blank canvas and let our creativity flow. We plan to add more artwork throughout the house in the future, so it's still a work in progress.

Wet kitchen

The design of the kitchen is very important to me because I cook almost every day. In the wet kitchen, I installed a sliding door to separate it from the dry kitchen, preventing cooking smells (since we’re Malay and are big on aromas in dishes!) from spreading throughout the house. It also helps keep my daughter from disturbing me while I’m cooking.

Our laundry area is located in the wet kitchen, right next to the back door, making it convenient for me to hang clothes straight after washing them. Once they’re dried, I can easily bring them into the bedroom. This setup minimises the amount of walking I need to do for my chores, with everything seamlessly connected.

Dry kitchen

My dry kitchen has a cosy farmhouse vibe with a mix of green and pink tones. It features shaker-style cabinets, an island, and some thrifted bar stools I found on Instagram. I added a tiled backsplash to bring some contrast to the green cabinets and island. There’s also a big window with English-style curtains that let in plenty of sunlight, and to liven it up even more, I’ve added some houseplants that thrive in the natural light.

My dining table, which is next to the dry kitchen, is relatively tall because I often work from home and prefer to stand and move around while working. I bought the table from SSF; it's a 6-seater with a bench.

I installed a folding door next to the dining area that opens to the patio, letting in lots of sunlight and bringing a touch of nature indoors. The folding door also helps create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow, making the space feel open and inviting.

Patio

Next to the dining area is our patio, which is covered with a glass roof. While it can get hot during the day, we don’t usually spend much time here during the day. In the evening, it transforms into a cosy spot where we love spending time as a family. This is where we enjoy tea together, and I’ve added a swing chair for my daughter to relax in — it’s her favourite spot to sit or even drift off to sleep.

The chandelier in our patio is a special find from a shop at Jalan Pudu. It’s the centrepiece of the space, and I love its wooden design and the way the light bulbs are scattered across it. At night, the lights create a sparkling effect that fills the patio with a nice ambiance.

Master bedroom

Our patio is connected directly to our master bedroom, and I initially designed it this way so that I can wake to a view of greenery every morning, like in a resort. It is also very convenient for me to garden at night since the backyard is just a few steps away from our bedroom. I took design inspiration from Balinese villas where the bedrooms often open up to lush gardens or swimming pools.

To bring a natural touch to our master bedroom, we chose a half-rattan bedframe from Taobao, while my vanity, made of solid wood, is a thrift find from Kedai Kaki Lelong.

I’ve also set up my work-from-home station right next to the bed. It’s positioned by a window that allows me to view all my plants in the backyard when I need a vision break from my laptop.

Challenges faced during the home construction

The biggest challenge we faced during the renovation was finding good, reliable contractors. Overseeing the renovation ourselves turned out to be very time-consuming, especially since we worked with multiple contractors, and the various issues we encountered. For instance, the door contractor did a poor job with our entrance doors and took much longer than expected to complete the work. I had to constantly follow up and chase them to ensure the job was completed.

Since I have a full-time job, I didn’t have the flexibility to be on-site on short notice, which was frustrating, especially since contractors rarely worked around my schedule. What made it even more frustrating was when they promised me a timeline but didn't keep their promise.

On top of everything, the entire process was very tiring and led to decision fatigue. Because you need to think about how many plugs you want to install and where to place them, figuring out all the little details is mentally draining. As first-time homeowners, navigating these decisions on our own was overwhelming. I also learnt that tiles come in different grades — A, B, C — and there are also specific tiles for indoor and outdoor use.

We had to learn all of this along the way. As much as we like the end product, these are definitely important factors to consider if you’re planning to renovate your home without the help of an interior designer.

To sum up

The house took 6 months to complete the exterior and another 6 months for the interior. Despite the setbacks, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

My next step for the house is to fill it with more plants. I also want to start focusing on the bedrooms. When I built this house, I planned to have three kids, so each child will eventually have their own room. Right now, one of the rooms is being used as a storeroom, a guest bedroom, and my daughter’s upcoming playroom.

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.

Meet interior designers. Get quotes. Based on your requirements, we will recommend you up to 5 firms with the Qanvast Guarantee. Get Free Quotes