It’s a Wrap! Here Are Our Most Popular Articles of 2021

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022!

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2021 proved to be yet another difficult year for many of us. As a result of the extended stay-at-home period, many homeowners felt compelled to make various home improvements and engage in a variety of hobbies in order to break up the monotony and boredom of staying at home.

So it comes as no surprise that the most-read articles this year focused on improving quality of life while staying home, with topics ranging from home renovation and improvement, to hobbies, to design tricks for making a small space feel larger. Take a look at our complete list of the year's top ten most popular articles below:

1. This Homeowner Says Koi Keeping Helps Relieve Stress

With stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions, and other public-health measures, homeowner - Steven Chong, discovered Koi keeping as an enjoyable hobby that reduces stress and keeps him busy while cooped up in his house all day during the lockdown.

Steven shares his thoughts and experiences about his newfound hobby, as well as how Koi keeping evolved into something he really enjoys.

Read the full article here.

2. Tour This Double-Storey Home with Major Farmhouse Chic Vibes

With plenty of natural light, good air ventilation, and earth-toned elements, it's easy to see why many of our readers were attracted to this farmhouse-inspired home!

In this article, we spoke with its homeowners, Rina and Mohd Subha, about how they used farmhouse chic elements like barn-style doors, farm sinks, and shaker-style cabinets to distinguish their house from other cookie-cutter units in their neighbourhood.

Read the full article here.

3. Hidden Issues You Must Address Before Renovating an Old Home

Tips on renovating an old property also appeared to be a popular topic this year. Renovating an old property is a huge undertaking that entails identifying and repairing common issues related to old houses, such as outdated equipment, mould, and termite problems. Sometimes, these problems can be difficult to detect with the naked eye.

This article walks you through the best steps to take and how to identify these issues before you begin your renovation project in giving an old house a new lease of life, so you don’t end up with additional repair work or extra costs later on!

Read the full article here.

4. This 900 sqft Home for a Family Four Is Small but Cosy

Another topic that evidently attracted a lot of attention this year was space-maximisation in small homes.

Fitting everything you need into a small house or apartment is difficult. Trying to fit everything in and make it functional is a bigger challenge. Interior designer, Athira Wan shares strategies for a successful small-space redesign by renovating a 900 sqft home for a family of four. Provided with a budget of RM45,000, she found smart, creative space-saving solutions to maximise the space and ensure that the house doesn't feel too cramped despite its small footprint.

Read the full article here.

5. 10 Smart Design Tricks to Make Small Rooms Look Bigger

It's understandable that after being confined within our own homes for months, we began to feel claustrophobic staring at their own four walls. As a result, many people looked for the best design solution to make their rooms look larger than they actually are.

This article provides some smart design solutions for tricking the eye into thinking your small room is bigger than it actually is without having to break down any walls until you're likely to forget that the room was ever so small in the first place!

Read the full article here.

6. A Terrace With Enclosed Courtyard Wins Qanvast Design Award

In June, we launched the Qanvast Design Award to recognise outstanding renovation projects completed by reputable Malaysian interior design firms. Klaasmen Sdn Bhd and their winning project, a 2,800 sqft landed home in Glenmarie, Subang, were among the award winners, and their home renovation article was one of the most popular reads this year.

In this article, we spoke with Leslie Tan, the project manager who oversaw the renovation of this stunning terrace with an enclosed courtyard, which has been completely renovated to suit his clients' preferences who enjoys hosting large social gatherings.

Read the full article here.

7. A Fully Restored 40-Year-Old Home Wins Qanvast Design Award

This year's Qanvast Design Award was also won by RK Interior Studio's 2,850 sqft landed home in Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, and their renovation journey article clearly piqued our readers' interest as well!

In this article, we spoke with the firms’ design team, Lee Jie Xi and Valerie Tang, to learn more about the process of transforming a 40-year-old double-story unit into a modern home that’s functional and stylish for a young family of four.

Read the full article here.

8. Inside a Designer’s Home That Mixes Classic & Modern Touches

With a rich mix of oriental-inspired furniture, elaborate art and decor pieces with modern furnishings, it’s no wonder that many readers were keen to find out more about this 3,000 sqft abode.

The most impressive aspect of the home, however, is that the entire look was conceived by the homeowner, Suraya Yeop Jr, who has no prior experience in interior design. Her keen eye for detail led her to establish her own interior design firm, SYJ Interior & Design, which thrived during the pandemic, much to her surprise! In this article, Suraya discusses her career and how she managed to create an aesthetically pleasing home for her family of five.

Read the full article here.

9. Plant-Loving Homeowner Grows 'Jungle' in Her Duplex

The pandemic saw many homeowners beginning gardening or caring for plants as a stress-relieving activity. Plants can help to boost mood (green is one of the most calming colours) and improve overall health by removing harmful toxins from the air and providing us with fresh clean oxygen. It's no surprise, then, that articles about plants and gardening were extremely popular on our website this year.

Explore: How to Choose the Right Room Colour Using Colour Psychology

One of these articles features Jessy Christopher-Tham, a homeowner who took her love of plants to the next level by creating the most beautiful plant-filled indoor 'jungle' we've ever seen! We interviewed Jesse to learn more about her extensive plant collection, as well as how she keeps them alive and healthy.

Read the full article here.

10. This Home Proves There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Rattan

Also seen by a lot of eyeballs this year is this 2,200 square foot home renovation article which demonstrated that you can create a family-friendly home without sacrificing style.

We spoke with the homeowner, Wan Norshuhada, who used Scandinavian and Muji interior design styles and a lot of rattan pieces to create a warm and welcoming home that is authentic to their personal style, their family's lifestyle, and their budget.

Read the full article here.

Kick start the new year with a home renovation project!

Whatever your personality or style, the right interior designer can help to transform your bedroom into an aesthetically pleasing and functional space. Drop us a request for a free quote and we’ll be happy to match you up with up to five interior designers close to your area, tailored to your budget and needs.

All recommendations made by Qanvast will be protected under the Qanvast Guarantee scheme that covers 50% of your contract value, up to RM50,000, in the case that the recommended Contracting Service Provider becomes insolvent.

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