Related: 3 Unique Neutral Christmas Tree Ideas

Minimalist Christmas Home Tour

After using the same holiday decor since 2015, I was desperate for a change.

I’m constantly trying to build an intentional and sustainable home; so I decided to switch from a traditional red-and-green theme to a neutral minimalist Christmas theme.

Although the decor looks more subtle, the house still feels warm, cozy, and inviting.

I chose white, gold, green, and wood tones because these colours are classic, and that means I can re-use my Christmas decor year after year.

Now, let’s take a look at my minimalist Christmas home tour!

Minimalist Christmas Tree

Our minimalist neutral Christmas tree is THE showstopper in our home.

I used the same artificial tree we’ve had since 2018 but changed its placement this year.

I wanted to make a grand statement with the tree; so I shifted it from a corner in the dining room to the top of our built-in nook.

It looks AMAZING – I don’t know why it took me so long to do this! The tree is now the first thing I see when I enter our apartment.

Honestly, I didn’t have a game plan when it came to decorating the Christmas tree.

Instead of going with a theme, I referenced my colour palette and bought ornaments with different textures, shapes, and materials.

I love a traditional tree but I wanted something whimsical and organic this year.

The result is a mish-mash of ornaments that still looks cohesive because of the neutral colour palette!

I also paired the tree with a black woven skirt to add contrast. It’s the first time I’ve used a tree skirt, and it really was the BEST. DECISION. EVER.

Since we don’t have a mantel, I stuck a simple hook rack next to the tree and hung two chunky knit stockings. How cute!

Wicker Christmas Tree Collar

$29.99

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11/03/2025 05:06 am GMT

Farmhouse Christmas Tree Collar

$49.99

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11/03/2025 05:03 am GMT

White Knitted Christmas Stocking with Pom Pom Ball

$22.98 $21.83

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11/03/2025 11:14 am GMT

Unglazed Winter White Porcelain Snowy House Tree Ornaments

$24.95

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11/03/2025 05:03 am GMT

5 PCS Hanging Honeycomb Paper Christmas Tree Ornaments

$13.99

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11/03/2025 05:04 am GMT

30 Pcs Gold Glitter Star Ornaments Christmas

$9.69

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11/03/2025 11:16 am GMT

Vintage Christmas Bells

$17.25

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11/03/2025 11:14 am GMT

15 Pcs Velvet Christmas Tree Ball Ornaments

$25.99

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11/03/2025 05:04 am GMT

Minimalist Christmas Living Room

With the tree being the main focus of the living room, I kept the other areas minimal.

I added new floral, plaid, and textured cushion covers on the couch.

As for the coffee table, I laid a wooden tray that held a basket of gold baubles, a wooden tree ornament, and two taupe pillar candles.

Despite using simple objects, the contrasting heights and textures made this minimal setup visually interesting.

I also made minor adjustments to our daily TV console decor.

I swapped the artificial fern for a mini tree and decorated it with white ceramic baubles on one side.

On the other, I added a maroon honeycomb paper tree for a pop of colour.

The final (and cutest!) touch was the Christmas village placed at the centre of the console.

Mark Feldstein & Associates Village Row House White

$44.95

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11/03/2025 05:06 am GMT

Glass Christmas Tree Ornaments (Shiny Porcelain White)

$19.99

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11/03/2025 05:04 am GMT

Pre-lit Artificial Mini Christmas Tree for Tabletop or Desk

$154.99 $126.99

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11/03/2025 11:16 am GMT

Root Candles Unscented Timberline Pillar Candle

$35.99 $27.99

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11/03/2025 05:07 am GMT

Mini Christmas Tree Honeycomb Decorations

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Ceramic Winter White Trees, Set of 3

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Minimalist Christmas Dining Room

Chris Loves Julia’s tree artwork instantly inspired me the minute I saw it. They are the perfect addition to our dining room!

I wanted to paint the frames black but since I didn’t have enough time, I draped an artificial garland over the top.

Here’s my version of a holiday tablescape.

This is the most challenging yet creative part for me because I have to make things I already own look fresh.

The key to dressing up the dining table for the holiday season is to incorporate a lot of greenery and baubles!

I draped fresh greenery across the table runner and weaved in a couple of gold baubles.

At the very last minute, I threw in some dried babies breath across the table as well.

Lastly, I placed my festive pieces like a wooden mini Scandi Christmas tree (which doubles up as a candle holder), a white ceramic Christmas tree, and a gold tin house on the table.

Hemstitched Linen Napkins Set of 4 (Soft Rustic Green)

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11/03/2025 05:06 am GMT

6FT Artificial Pine Cypress Garland

$19.99

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11/03/2025 05:04 am GMT

Pack of 25-25mm Mini Christmas Tree Baubles (Gold)

$14.99

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11/03/2025 11:15 am GMT

Christmas Ball Tree Ornaments (36 pcs - Small, Medium, Large) Shatterproof

$26.99 $22.99

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11/03/2025 05:04 am GMT

Gold Taper Candle Holders Set of 3

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2 Pcs Wooden Christmas Tree Tabletop

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Minimalist Christmas Kitchen

This spot was my second favorite space to decorate after the tree. I was already thinking of the fun I was going to have styling my kitchen shelves!

For the upper shelf, I came up with a Christmas village theme.

So, I laid some faux tinsel before placing a group of ceramic houses, a wooden house, a bicycle, and a pair of bottle-brush trees. It’s all about the details here!

For the next shelf, I kept it fairly functional. Our plates and mugs remained.

I added some amber bottles and a ceramic pestle and mortar for visual interest.

But, the REAL highlights here are the wooden houses and a beautifully-handcrafted brass watering can.

Finally, I kept the kitchen counter bare with just a Christmas sign, a faux mini tree, and a wooden pedestal holding a sole ceramic house.

Then, I made a few tiny tweaks to our everyday essentials like the soap dispensers and tea towel to match the overall theme.

5"/7"/9" Gold Glitter Oval Artificial Christmas Tree

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11/03/2025 02:01 pm GMT

AuldHome Wood House Silhouettes Decor (Set of 7)

$24.99

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11/03/2025 05:06 am GMT

House Shaped Wooden Farmhouse Home 2 Pack (White)

$14.85

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11/03/2025 05:07 am GMT

Pre-Lit 2' Table Top Artificial Christmas Tree with 35 Lights in Metal Pot, Green

$53.09

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11/03/2025 02:00 pm GMT

Christmas Tree Decoration with Fairy Lights - Set of 3

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Cappuccino Felt Letter Board with Rustic Wood White Frame

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11/03/2025 11:15 am GMT

Minimalist Christmas Bedroom

I wasn’t planning on decorating our bedroom until I received these gorgeous sage green sheets from Sunday Bedding (check out the feature they did of me here!)

The sheets just screamed HOLIDAY, so I immediately replaced our existing sheets in time for the festive season.

I wanted the rest of the decor to compliment the sheets, so I layered an artificial garland across our bedframe.

I also added a couple of fun ornaments like velvet hearts, gold stars, and a mini tree on the garland.

Since the garland isn’t pre-lit, I strung some lights over the garland.

What’s a Christmas bedroom without twinkle lights, right?

Next, I placed a mini tree on one of our nightstands and laid a gold tray on the bed.

The final touches were two pre-lit ceramic houses and two gold bottle brush trees on top of the tray. Bring on the lights!

Bedding Duvet Cover Set 100% Washed Cotton Linen (Forest Green, King)

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11/03/2025 02:00 pm GMT

18 ft. Pre-Lit Kingston Indoor/Outdoor Garland with 70 Sparkling Warm Clear Lights

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Ceramic Lighthouse Home Decoration with LED Light

$14.95

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Ceramic LED Lighted Christmas Village Houses

$6.99

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09/10/2025 06:06 am GMT

Prelit Christmas Tree Glitter Tabletop Tree Bottle Brush Trees 13.8'', Gold

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Christmas Star Night Lamp Battery Operated Cordless, Gold

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11/03/2025 06:01 am GMT

What do you think of this minimalist Christmas home tour? Are you team traditional Christmas or team minimalist Christmas?

The post Our Minimalist Christmas Home Tour appeared first on That Isle Life.

Her sleek grey built-in cabinetry in the living room is decorated with chic accent finds – a shell pot from Ferm Living, brass candlestick holders from Stoff Nagel, and a sculpture from Qrator’s Design.

In another corner, you’ll find a silver statement mirror, a black wishbone chair that has been passed down from a previous generation, and an organic-shaped table lamp placed on top of a pedestal.

In addition, the first thing one sees upon entering her home is a large black and white abstract piece handpainted by Ain herself.

Beyond the refined collectibles, however, lies a sense of serenity.

That’s because Ain’s interior design choices are centered around making her family home a conducive and calm environment for her 11-year-old autistic son.

“Having a child with Autism plays a role in the home choices we’ve made especially when it comes to colors and textures,” Ain explains.

From minimizing wall decor to painting her son’s bedroom a soothing blue-gray, these design details are important because they help her son feel relaxed and comfortable.

Ain, who sells custom art pieces and hardware, is the perfect example of creating a home that’s functional for everyone in the family without compromising on style.

Read her contemporary yet modern house tour below, and follow her interior journey here.

Check Out This Other Modern House Tour:

• This Dark And Moody Home Looks And Feels Like A Five-Star Hotel Suite

A Contemporary Yet Modern House Tour

Name:  Ain Jamlus

Location: Shah Alam, Malaysia

Type of home:  Double-storey terrace

Number of rooms: 4 rooms

Size: Just under 1900 sqft

Years Lived In: 2 years 3 months

Rental / Owned:  Owned

How would you describe your home style?

It’s safe to say that it’s more of a contemporary style, but I do mix and match the furniture and decor pieces accordingly.

I play around with neutral tones like gray, beige, taupe, black, and white. Plus, I love to layer these tones with different textures and materials so that it doesn’t look flat. It’s easy to end up looking boring with just neutral tones.

I try to carry the tone throughout the living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room, and master bedroom because I want every space in the house to have a sense of cohesiveness and a natural state of mind.

What inspired your home decor? 

I think there are way too many boards I made on my Pinterest, which have helped me to create what I have for my home. 

I look for pieces that complement each other. Most of the time, I go for very distinctive designs and shapes that add a ton of visual interest into my neutral space. 

I do have a few favorite designers that I love who have inspired me – Kelly Hoppen, Ali Budd,  Leann Ford, Ines Kelly Mazzotta, Kelly Wrestler, and Steve Cordony just to name a few. 

What do you think makes your home you? 

Now that I’m in my late 30s, I’m into cleaner lines and the less is more design philosophy, which is a total opposite of what I liked 10 years ago. 

This has also reflected on my personality and lifestyle where I’ve become more grounded and mindful of the things I want to include in my life and my home. Especially having to live with a child in the spectrum, I want to make a home that is soothing, calm, and purposeful. 

Did you hire an interior designer for your home?

Yes, I hired an ID for my home. However, it was not a great experience as they were bad at managing the project and lacked attention to detail. 

There are many pros and cons to having an ID. One of the reasons why I hired one is because I needed someone to oversee the whole project as I was busy with my son. Additionally, my husband was mostly away due to work during that time. 

I wanted to work closely with them so that I’m able to portray myself and understand the technical part of it. Unfortunately, the company that I hired was not as professional as to how they sold themselves on their Instagram page.

It was a dreadful process, but I learned a lot from that experience. 

Did you renovate your home?

Yes, we extended our backyard to a small laundry room with extra yard space. The whole process of extension and cabinetry took about 4 months to complete.

What is your favorite element in your home?

All of it! Haha! I love the floor, the colors, and the partition screen that I changed in front of the main door. There isn’t just a thing that I like the most – I believe that everything has to tie in together for it to look the way it does now. 

What is the best investment you made for your home?  

We are lucky that the developer included a good security system for the house.  So, we saved on that!

Aside from that, I think a big chunk of the ID cost went to the built-in cabinets. We invested in them because we chose quality materials that can last a lifetime. This adds value to the home. 

Did you do any DIYs in your house?

I DIYed the abstract black and white painting I have on my dining room wall, which accidentally became a small business.

I knew I wanted something to pop in that space while still keeping the neutral theme in the house. So, I did some research, and voila! The artwork is one of the focal points as I enter the house now. 

Name one regret you have about your home.

Definitely the lighting. Ours now is very straightforward LED downlights. I wish I’d followed my instincts to have more ambient lighting options. 

We still got to achieve that with table lamps but we should have, would have, and could have. *follows with a big sighhhhhhhhh……….

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

Most of the time I shop locally. My furniture is sourced from Fella Urban, Joy Design, Nic Chris Furniture.

Meanwhile, my decor items are a mix from H&M home, Zara home, Spotlight, Dilas Home, Furn KL, Qrators Design, Shopee, and other online sellers.

There are some special pieces that I’ve purchased online from @finnishdesignshop and Stoff Nagel.

What will be your next home project?

I’m hoping to finish up my son’s playroom where we’ve planned an L-shaped bench for the table in the room. I also want to finish up our backyard with composite wood flooring and roofing. I want to turn it into an extra chilling space outdoors.

We also have plans for the upstairs family area which we hope to do a mezzanine floor. But, that’s only going to happen in a few years as we have other commitments that we need to focus on now. 

Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey and raising awareness about autism. For people who may not know anything about autism, can you share some of the things you have done to your home to accommodate your child? 

Well, Autism is such a broad spectrum that not all kids have the same issues. We have learned so much from my son Ariez and picked up on the things that he likes and dislikes. 

There are 2 main spaces for him in the house, which are his bedroom and playroom.  I always keep his room clean, neat, and filled with calm colors. He loves shapes, so I got him a low pile rug that is within the color combo but is still fun with the geometric shapes.

He also requested to have a tent in his room and I found the perfect hanging tent that I’ve put over this bed so that it won’t take up much floor space but is still able to accommodate his needs. It’s made out of sheer material, so it’s not too claustrophobic for him. 

He also has some sensory issues, so textures and lighting also play an important role. I’ve included different soft materials for the beddings and cushions that he likes to touch and feel. As for lighting, I bought sensory lights that he can easily switch on or off whenever he needs time to regulate his thoughts n feelings. 

For someone who sells hardware for homes, what styling advice do you have for other homeowners?  

Don’t overlook the little details!  I m a firm believer that details matter and finding the right knobs or handles can elevate your cabinetry and automatically will make your space livelier. 

Any advice you would like to share with others? 

When building a home, don’t rush things. Take some time to think about the big and small decisions.

Be mindful of what you want to bring into the home whether it’s about the flooring or the littlest things like what kind of vase should I put on the shelf.

These are things that you want to inspire you and your family all year round. Never buy first and think later or pressure yourself into buying the IT thing even though you don’t really like it. 

It’s a journey of creating, so be yourself when curating things for your home. 

What do you think of Ain’s modern house tour? Don’t forget to check out her interior styling tips on her Instagram and shop her hardware here.

The post A Contemporary Yet Modern House Tour That Caters To Everyone In The Family appeared first on That Isle Life.

Fatin, a mother-of-two, understands this concept and has nailed the modern-day minimalist theme for her home.

Just take one look at her condo and you’ll instantly feel calm and relaxed. It is reminiscent of an upscale hotel room – elegant, understated, and clutter-free.

Despite the overall minimalist vibe in her abode, there is one room that is the complete opposite – her kids’ room.

From a sage green accent wall to a mauve canopy, Fatin’s kids’ room is the only one with a splash of color.

Although the room is adorned with colorful toys, books, and wall art, there are traces of Fatin’s minimalism peeking through.

The reupholstered cream bedframe is a classic that will see her children through the years. Plus, the rattan furniture can eventually be passed down as heirloom pieces.

Although minimalism is the core theme in Fatin’s house, her home is anything but dull.

The overall space focuses on clean lines, smooth shapes, and muted color palettes – together, they allow warmth, airiness, and comfort into the space. And, I can’t think of anything more welcoming than that.

Check out Fatin’s minimalist house tour below, and follow the rest of her interior journey here.

More Home Tours:

• This Dark And Moody Home Looks And Feels Like A Five-Star Hotel Suite
• This Timeless Singaporean Apartment Has The Cutest Room For A Furry Friend
• A City Condominium Is Now An Urban Jungle That Feels Like Home

A Cozy Yet Minimalist House Tour

Name: Fatin

Location: Puchong, Selangor

Type of home: Condominium

Number of rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1 utility room & 2 bathrooms

Size: 1001sqf

Years Lived In: 2 years

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style?  

Our home is mostly minimalist with a hint of Japandi, plus a little bit of (almost) maximalism in the kids’ room.

While the rest of the house maintains a neutral color palette like beige, grey, and black, our kids’ room has both neutral and colorful tones! It is like entering another world in their room.

What inspired your home decor?     

We love traveling and staying in different hotels. However, we have traveled less since the pandemic.

So, we incorporated the idea of coziness, cleanliness, and relaxation like we used to experience during our staycations in our own home. Imagine waking up every day in a hotel room. Don’t you like that feeling too?

But, things are different for the kids’ room. It is a mix between @kidofthevillage and @deugniet_en_co because I just couldn’t choose between one!

I tried to buy only neutral-colored toys and kids’ room decor, but children will always be children. They love colors while I love neutrals!

The best solution is to mix both themes by creating a neutral sleeping space and a colorful playing space. My daughter and I think that it is a win-win situation. We love the outcome.

Did you renovate your home?   

We did basic things to this home because we are most probably going to make it an investment property in a few years.

6 things we did to this home are vinyl flooring, invisible balcony grille, kitchen cabinets, minimalist wall paneling at our dining area, master bathroom sink counter, master bedroom sliding door, and built-in master bedroom wardrobe. Pretty straightforward, right? 

We did most of our home renovation with local contractors. They don’t have any website or social media platforms.

However, our vinyl flooring is by @alaqsacarpets and the invisible grille is by klsgrille.com.my.

We limited all these renovations within 2 months after we received the house keys.

What is your favourite element in your home?

I guess one thing that differentiates our home from others would be our minimalist wall paneling. I appreciate how random yet elegant it looks, and the way it gives our dining area a different texture. 

What is the best investment you made for your home?

The best investment would be the vinyl flooring. It instantly gives our home another look that doesn’t require us to do much with the furniture or wall paint color to make our home look cozy.

We also don’t need to have a carpet for our home because the flooring itself provides our feet with decent warmth. Plus, the floor is so much easier to clean! It is like killing two birds with one stone.

I still remember how we used to be bothered about footprints on our rental house tiles. We had to constantly wipe and mop the floor. The job doubles and triples when you have a child (or more). I can say that this type of flooring saves our sanity.

Name one regret you have about your home.

The one thing we should’ve done to our house is to install extra air conditioners in the kids’ room and the utility room. Since our house is facing west, we are blessed with a beautiful sunset, but also the scorching heat of the evening sun.

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor?      

We shopped just about anywhere for larger furniture that didn’t require us to break the bank but still offered the desired quality and design. Whereas for home decor, I personally love H&M Home, IKEA, and Shopee!

What will be your next home project?

There is one project that I haven’t shown on my page which is our laundry/pantry/mini garage area. All 3-1 in a 7×5 ft room. Does it sound exciting to you? 

Any advice you would like to share with others?     

Home takes time and that’s okay. There is no fun in going into a house that has it all.

Creating a home is a journey, and a space can change over time depending on your interest and needs.

Feel free to browse on Instagram or Pinterest for home inspirations. You will finally land on that one look you have always wanted before you know it.

What do you love most about Fatin’s minimalist house tour? Follow her journey on Instagram here.

The post A Cozy Yet Minimalist House Tour With An Unexpected Maximalist Kids Room appeared first on That Isle Life.

Adding the unconventional hue was a big risk for the academician, but it paid off. The feature color not only revitalizes the space, but it unifies all of the different elements and textures found in the home like the mismatched wooden dining chairs, metal wall art, and rattan accents.

Although Amira’s day job revolves around science, she is equally creative. She knows how to inject character and style into her home. After all, she designed the home herself and curated all of the unique finds in her 4-bedroom house.

While she considers her interior style as a traditional farmhouse, Amira proves that you don’t have to stick to the typical decorating rules to make a home truly yours.

The result? An eclectic and personalized home that continues to inspire many on the ‘gram (myself included!)

Follow Amira’s journey and keep your eyes peeled for future updates here.

More Home Tours:

• This Dark And Moody Home Looks And Feels Like A Five-Star Hotel Suite
• This TikTokker’s Modern Grey Apartment Is Full Of Impressive DIYs
• This Railroad-Style Apartment In NYC Is Now A Bright Tropical Home

Name: Amira

Location: Sepang, Selangor

Type of home: Intermediate terrace

Number of rooms: 4

Size: 2150sqf

Years Lived In: 2

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style? 

I would describe it as a traditional farmhouse.

What inspired your home decor? 

I mostly get my inspiration from shows aired on HGTV such as Property Brothers and Fixer-upper. I also get a lot of ideas from Pinterest and most recently from the #ighometourmalaysia community.

What do you think makes your home you? 

I think that adding a bold color to the wall and choosing some elements that have bold colors in them makes my home me. I would choose a few features with bold colors and tie it all together with more natural and subtle tones such as white, natural wood tone, black, and cream.

What is your favorite element in your home?

The kitchen! I contemplated choosing green as my kitchen – I did it and I love it. It just gives me a sense of calmness whenever I sit at the island counter and appreciate how far we’ve gone through to get to where we are now. 

What is the best investment you made for your home? 

I would say the kitchen as well. Not only it has brought so much joy to our family, but the kitchen also allows us to create content, which has so far opened up so many doors and opportunities for us.

Of all colors, why did you choose green to be the featured color in your home?

I chose green as it complements my kitchen cabinets from Ikea.

What are your tips for people who are afraid to use color in their homes? 

I would recommend those who want to start adding color to their home decor to start small. For example, a small feature wall or space first and keep the rest of the tones natural and lighter. Darker colors like grey and brown also work well for a start.

What were the DIY projects in your home?

We did quite a few DIYs in the past years, but for our new home, we tried to minimize DIYs. My husband is the handy one, but since he’s working all the time, DIYs will typically take a long time to get done. However, here are some of the DIYs that we did; the floating shelf for our study area, the Ikea Trofast hack for our son’s study table, and the console table at our first-floor foyer. Other DIYs are mostly just furniture hacks to customize them to our style.

Name one regret you have about your home.

I wish I had designed my island to be bigger and added a few electrical sockets as well as a sink. We can dream, right!

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

I mostly shop for my furniture at SSF home or Ikea previously, but now I settle for rare furniture stores that I found online. I tend to not spend too much as I constantly have a change of heart when it comes to home décor. Sometimes I change my décor within one or two years by selling my furniture as preloved items.

What will be your next home project?

So far, I would like to update my living room to a more subtle and natural tone. I also have a laundry room project in mind. Do wait for more updates.

Any advice you would like to share with others? 

I would say that home decorating is a constant journey. As we go about it, there are always new things that we want to add and update to our home, so what we can do is to enjoy it one step at a time and embrace what we have accomplished.

The post An Academician’s 4-Bedroom Home Is Full Of Bold Color And Unique Finds appeared first on That Isle Life.

We’re making it a point to document the present since we are going to make some changes to the apartment. That way, we can look back and see how far we’ve come!

In case you missed these posts, you can catch up on our living room and our master bedroom. In this post, I’m going to share what our kitchen looked like before and now.

Kitchen – Then

In this part of the world, having two separate kitchens (a wet and a dry kitchen) is extremely common. A dry kitchen is used for food preparation whereas a wet kitchen is used for heavy cooking like deep frying and messy food prep like filleting a fish.

Our apartment layout had an existing dry and wet kitchen setup. I initially thought of hacking some walls to create a large kitchen, but it was out of our budget. So, we kept the layout and designed our kitchen around it.

I have to be honest – I didn’t spend a lot of time working on the design of the kitchen. As a result, I sometimes feel that I may have chosen aesthetics over function. Do I have regrets? Absolutely.

But, I don’t want to beat myself up over it. When we bought this apartment, my husband and I were at the peak of our careers. Our schedules were crazy busy, and cooking just wasn’t a priority. Accepting this kitchen – flaws and all – means embracing that chapter of our lives.

Dry Kitchen

The one thing my husband and I both agreed on was that we didn’t want excessive storage, especially in the dry kitchen.

Storage is important, but we figured floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinetry would make us feel claustrophobic. We settled on a matte white solid surface for our countertops, blue-grey shaker cabinets, and floating wooden shelves for the final look.

Our other must-haves included a double-door refrigerator, a sink, and a peninsula.

We decided to go for a marble peninsula instead of a bar counter because I don’t like sitting on bar stools! I always feel like I’m about to fall whenever I’m on them! How do people find them comfortable?

We deliberately requested no cabinetry underneath the peninsula so that my husband has enough room to stretch his long legs.

The pièce de résistance of our dry kitchen has to be our matte white hexagon backsplash. Our interior designer suggested doing an asymmetrical pattern on one side, and we loved the idea! We thought it was such a clever way to modernize a classic tile.

Finally, we incorporated brass accents like the pendant lighting, cabinet knobs and handles, and faucet. I love how everything came together to create a contemporary yet warm kitchen. The final result was everything I’d envisioned and more!

Wet Kitchen

The original kitchen had floor-to-ceiling grey tiles. I was impartial to them, but I knew removing them would be very costly. Since they were a neutral color, we kept them because I knew they wouldn’t make or break a design.

We used the same cabinetry and floating shelves in our wet kitchen to maintain cohesiveness between the two kitchens. We did, however, add upper cabinetry for additional storage.

Our designer suggested building a custom hood, but we opted out because we’d already gone above our budget. In hindsight, this would’ve elevated the space, but I guess that’s something we’ll have to include in our plans next time!

Of course, we had to include our non-negotiables: an induction hob, a built-in oven, and a double sink for all the necessary cooking and cleaning.

For this kitchen, we decided to mix metals. We chose a chrome faucet and kitchen appliances but stuck with brass for our kitchen cabinet hardware. Mixing metals made this kitchen feel more casual and accessible.

Lastly, we installed a glass backsplash for both walls. I admit it wasn’t my first choice, but our designer recommended them because they were easy to clean and durable. Although that’s true, I really can’t stand how it gives off a green tint, especially in photos!

Kitchen – Now

I love our kitchen. I really do! Here’s a video about all the things I love about my kitchen.

Three years later, our kitchen still feels modern and fresh. We haven’t done many changes to it because why fix it if it ain’t broke, right?

The only thing I want to sort out this year is to organize the kitchen. We’ve decluttered a couple of times, and I’ve moved things around. But, I’m working on putting together a more structured system in place so we can optimize our space.

We don’t have a lot of storage, so I need to be smart about organizing! So far, I’m happy with ONE cabinet, and that’s the under-the-sink storage. Organizing everything is a work in progress, but we’re going to get there eventually.

Kitchen – What’s next?

I’ve been thinking about how to improve our current kitchen to make it more functional. Our wet kitchen leads to our service yard (where our laundry gets done) and a small room with an en suite. We didn’t renovate both areas (again, budget), so they’re looking pretty sad and neglected.

My dream is to have all three areas connected somehow. I don’t have a concrete plan, but I’m thinking of removing the door in the wet kitchen that leads to the service yard.

I would also like to transform the service yard into a proper laundry area. I think the key to tying both areas together is to change the floor tiles so that they match. This might be my opportunity to finally pick a tile that would brighten the wet kitchen!

Besides that, I’m thinking of converting the room into a walk-in pantry cum utility room. The room is currently a hot mess (sorry, no photos!), so the idea of having a purposeful and organized space excites me to bits!

I have A LOT on my wishlist, but I’m NOT going to tackle any of the above this year. Hopefully, we’ll get some things checked off next year.

The only thing I’ll be changing this year is the glass backsplash in the wet kitchen. I’m thinking of trying peel-and-stick wallpaper, which should hopefully do the trick. While I’m at it, I might add a kitchen rail so I can take advantage of much-needed vertical storage.

I can’t wait to see how these minor updates will instantly refresh the kitchen!

The kitchen is far from being completely done, but that’s the beauty of turning a house into a home. Creating a home takes time!

What are some things you’d like to change about your kitchen?

The post Then And Now: What Our Kitchen Looked Like Before And Now appeared first on That Isle Life.

Why DIY?

“We decorate and style based on our needs and budget first, aesthetics second. We wish we could do both simultaneously, but we’re individuals who have to mind our spending!” Awis explained.

From designing and building their own Ikea kitchen to painting the exterior of their house, they’ve transformed their 8-year-old home many times. They even created an Instagram account four years ago to document their home improvement journey.

This creative pair shows us that you don’t need a blank canvas to work your magic. Sometimes all you need is an idea, a willing spirit, and a can of paint!

And if things don’t work out? Laugh it off and share your experience with the world anyway. Awis and Amirul are not afraid to try, make mistakes, and show their progress to others. They are as real as it gets, and I love their home more because of this!

This cozy house of five continues to be a collaborative effort between the couple. Follow their journey as they continue to work on their labor of love, Caspia Home.

More Home Tours:

• This TikTokker’s Modern Grey Apartment Is Full Of Impressive DIYs
• An Incredible Makeover of An Old Terrace House Into An Impressive All-White Home
• You Won’t Believe This Cozy Cafe At Home Is Actually A Rental!

Name: Amirul & Awis | caspiahome

Location: Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Type of home: Intermediate terrace house

Number of rooms: 4 rooms + 3 bathrooms

Size: 22×83 ft

Years Lived In: 8

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style? 

Honestly, we don’t really have a specific home style. While other people can easily identify their home style as transitional, industrial, farmhouse, minimalist, and whatnot, it’s rather difficult for us to do the same. This is simply because we decorate and style our house based on our needs and budget first, aesthetics second.

We wish we could do both simultaneously, but unfortunately, we’re individuals who have to mind our spending (you can call us cheapskate, haha). Nonetheless, we love experimenting with colors in our house. We’re definitely not afraid of colors. The latest paint job we had was painting our guest room plum!  We love it so much as it’s rather bold and cozy. Paint is a great way to elevate your house, especially when you don’t have a big budget for wall paneling.

What inspired your home decor? 

We’re forever thankful for Pinterest and Instagram. We love seeing other people’s houses and admiring their beauty and the owners’ touch to transform them into homes. Besides local home accounts, we follow home accounts from different parts of the world too. We learn a lot from these people—the culture, the style, the taboos, the tips, and so on. There are just so many things to be inspired and learned from!

What do you think makes your home you? 

Although we can’t point out the exact style of our house, one thing for sure is that we pretty much DIY-ed things in our home. I guess that is what makes our home ours.

Did you renovate your home?

Yes, but it was just a small renovation in 2015 that did not involve any structural changes. It happened two years after we moved in. Our original kitchen floors were ripped and replaced with herringbone floors, while the wall tiles were replaced with new tiles with a Japanese motive called Asanoha. We had new floor tiles installed in our backyard too. Also, we removed our staircase railing and put up bricks instead. The minor renovation took less than two weeks to complete.

We didn’t hire an interior designer because we had little knowledge/exposure to ID services when we first bought our home. However, with the emergence of social media, ID services have begun to establish their expertise online. Unlike us, new homeowners are so blessed as they’re so spoilt for choices and ideas!

What is your favorite element in your home?

This is a difficult question, haha. But given the current situation, we would certainly choose our balcony! We recently transformed it to be a functional space for us.

We get to chillax (we just sat on the floor before we did the makeover, haha). We get to work there at night and we even had a virtual reunion with our friends outdoors! We have a working space at home; it’s just that sometimes it is relaxing to be doing things outside, especially now that we’re stuck at home due to Covid-19. Such bliss!

What is the best investment you’ve made for your home? 

We believe that our best investment would be buying power tools! Having power tools help us to improve our house, and we’re able to create home décor pieces.

What were the DIY projects in your home?

We assembled almost all the furniture in our home, including our Ikea kitchen! We did board and batten, shiplap, and all the painting jobs (including the exterior) with our own hands. We also designed our laundry area with raised washer & dryer. Again, we did everything from scratch!

However, we would like to emphasize that while it is possible to DIY, please don’t attempt plumbing and electricity on your own. We’re fortunate that Amirul comes from an M&E background, hence why we DIY-ed these parts ourselves. But if you don’t, please leave it to the experts.

Name one regret you have about your home. 

Ah ha. This is a good question! Well, the only regret that we had was installing grills for the house! Being young-and-naïve homeowners at that time, we didn’t put much thought into it. We should’ve spent that money on the alarm system rather than spending RM5K on the grill, right? Haha. Anyway, alarm systems are getting cheaper now with all these apps, wireless systems, etc. So I guess it’s never too late. We’ll start looking into it soon. 

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

We mostly shop from Ikea simply because it offers affordable home furnishings! However, we sometimes create our home décor pieces too. Just simple DIY pieces that you can find in tutorials online.

What will be your next home project?

We would like to tackle our current home office. It is situated in the upper living area that has a high ceiling. As much as we love high ceilings, we find it challenging to design such an area. We’re still looking at some ideas on how to make it functional and how to decorate it. 

Any advice you would like to share with others? 

Don’t be afraid to do, design, create or buy anything you love for your home. It could be cheap stuff, or it could be high-end pieces! You’re the one who is living in your house. You do you and be you! Never compare with others, and always be content with your home progress, no matter how small or big it is!

What do you love most about Awis and Amirul’s home? Follow their journey on Instagram for more updates!

The post This Family Home Is Filled With Cool DIY Projects That Won’t Break The Bank appeared first on That Isle Life.

From tiling their own kitchen backsplash to wainscoting their bedroom, Diha and her husband nailed every project despite this being their first home.

“Since this is our first house, I really wanted to contribute something and make it memorable. That’s why we did a lot of DIY projects,” Diha explained.

Rather than being limited by their lack of knowledge, Diha, and her husband dove right into planning, designing, and building a functional yet stylish space.

They weren’t deterred by their house’s location either. Although their township is situated in the outskirts of the city without any mainstream eateries and stores, they’ve never felt more at home. In fact, the township’s peaceful environment is a bonus to the home they’ve built.

“I love living here. There are lots of trees along the road when you reach our township. It really does feel like ‘balik kampung!’ The best part about this location is definitely the ‘makcik goreng pisang’ and ‘pakcik cendol’ who are everywhere!” Diha gushed.

It took them five months to get their home to where it is today, and what a journey it has been for the both of them!

But, this social-media-and-digital-marketer-cum-baker is far from done. With “nothing is impossible” as the motto for this couple, expect even more DIY projects in store for them.

Can’t get enough of Diha’s home? Follow her on Tik Tok and Instagram.

More Home Tours:

• This Dark And Moody Home Looks And Feels Like A Five-Star Hotel Suite
• This Fashion Designer’s Apartment Feels Like Paris In New York
• This Modern And Traditional Townhouse In New York Is Loved For Its Diverse Neighborhood

Name:  Diha

Location: Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Selangor

Type of home: Apartment (Rumah Selangorku)

Number of rooms: 3

Size: 750sqft

Years Lived In: 8 months

Rental / Owned:  Owned

How would you describe your home style? 

I always go for a modern minimalist style, and I keep it simple at every corner of my house. I chose grey and white as the color scheme for my house because I think grey looks very modern. Most of the corners in my house are grey. #obsessedwithgrey

What inspired your home decor? 

I really love home transformation videos on TikTok. It is really nice and satisfying seeing the end product. My husband and I believe that “Nothing is impossible, we can do it!” Since this is our first house, I really wanted to contribute something and make it memorable. That’s why we did a lot of DIY projects. My husband sketched and designed our own house. I spent a lot of time scrolling Pinterest to find the best reference for our own house. I also wanted to do #hometransformation videos on TikTok and I did it! 

What do you think makes your home you? 

I feel calm and happy. When I walk into my house, I feel so happy and relieved. My home makes me happy. When I go out, I really can’t wait to get home. I remember the feeling of sitting on the couch watching Netflix with my husband. Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling 🙂

Did you hire an interior designer for your home?

We didn’t hire an interior designer. My husband sketched and designed the house. We did everything by ourselves – deciding on the layout, design, colors, and furniture.  I found the contractors and compared prices. It’s not easy to find the best price within our budget. But I’m so glad we found the right one. I referred to Pinterest a lot to get inspiration & ideas. I saved like a thousand photos on my phone. Haha. 

We renovated the kitchen partition and installed the kitchen cabinets. I always wanted a kitchen glass door with a black frame because I love the closed kitchen concept. It took around a month to complete our kitchen renovation.

Tell us about your favorite room or element in your house.

My bedroom is my favorite room in our house. We did another transformation for our house, which is wainscoting for our master bedroom. The bedroom after the transformation looks very modern and cozy. I love how it turned out!

What is the best investment you’ve made for your home? 

Definitely the kitchen area! We spent half of the renovation budget on the kitchen area – kitchen cabinets, partition, kitchen backsplash, glass door & kitchen appliances. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So, we decided to spend a lot on the kitchen area and find the best quality kitchen cabinets, kitchen appliances, etc.

Do you have any DIYs in your home?

Yes, we did a lot of DIYs in our house. We love doing them. These are some of the DIY projects in our house – bedroom wainscoting, laundry area, shower, kitchen backsplash. We did everything by ourselves from scratch. 

Name one regret you have about your home.

When we bought the house, the developer offered two options: 750sqt & 950sqft with a balcony. Since we had a limited budget, we chose the 750sqt opinion with no balcony. I think it would be nice to have a balcony for our cat, Sushi. I think for the next house I will definitely choose a bigger house with a balcony for us and our cats. However, I’m so grateful that we even own a house. The size is so perfect for us.

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

Mostly from Ikea & Shopee. My favorite piece of furniture from Ikea is the sofa bed. It went viral on TikTok and everyone is looking at it. Haha. I love shopping at Ikea because it’s quite cheap and I love the quality. The same goes for Shopee, you can find good and cheap home decor at Shopee.

What is your next home project?

Our next home project is flooring. We decided to change the floor to SPC. The next one is a pantry makeover. I got inspired by the Instagram decor community.

Any advice you would like to share with others? 

You don’t need a huge house to decorate your house. Size doesn’t matter. Just do anything that makes you happy. Don’t wait until you have enough money to decorate your house, it will never happen!

Plan your journey and save your money. You decorate your house for you and your family, not for others.

What do you love most about Diha’s apartment? Follow her journey on Tik Tok and Instagram.

The post This TikTokker’s Modern Grey Apartment Is Full Of Impressive DIYs appeared first on That Isle Life.

As someone who loves to travel, he wanted to feel like he was stepping into a hotel room whenever he came home.

“When I first met my interior designer, I told him that I wanted something different that stood out. It did not need to have a typical “homey” feel. I wanted to feel like I’m on “vacation” all the time,” KB said.

By choosing elements like dark forest oak carpentry and paying attention to non-conventional details like lighting, KB has created a home that can easily pass off as a 5-star hotel suite.

However, KB’s home doesn’t just look fancy. Every single aspect has been well-thought-out so that it makes sense for his lifestyle.

For instance, he enjoys cooking but he doesn’t want his entire home to smell like food. His solution? Creating a hidden door to conceal the rooms. Genius!

Each area also has enough built-in cabinetry to store everyday things that aren’t suitable to be displayed. This way, KB’s home is constantly clean and sleek – just the way he likes it.

Besides that, each room feels like an extension of the next. From the entryway to the master bedroom, nothing looks out of place.

KB knows the moody interior may not appeal to everyone, but it is his adventurous and bold spirit that makes his home feel personal and completely unique.

More Home Tours:

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• A Lawyer Shares The Secret To Making Her Rental Feel Like Home
• This Fashion Designer’s Apartment Feels Like Paris In New York

Name: KB

Location: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Type of home: Condominium

Number of rooms: 2+1 rooms

Size: 1010 sqft

Years Lived In: < 1 year

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style?

Bold, modern, and timeless. #daretobedifferent

Upon entering the unit, you will be in the main area, which is an open concept combination of the living, dining, and kitchen.

Living and Dining Area

Key highlights:

• Our main feature wall is a plastered Venetian wall. It holds a display shelf and a hanging console in dark forest oak carpentry. All of the metal works come with bronze detailing.
• As for the TV wall panel, we had the dark forest oak carpentry extend all the way from the console and display shelf to the TV console and built-in bench by the window to maintain continuity.
• The main highlight of the TV area is the full-height wall panel in black marble design combined with nyatoh timber strips and bronze trimmings.

• We also added a built-in bench by the window, which is good for reading and having my morning coffees. There is also additional storage underneath.

• Finally, we have additional wall storage behind the sofa. The built-in wall cabinets extend to the wall panel in the dining area. It also comes with a hidden door. I cook quite a lot, and I didn’t want the smell to get into the rooms. Therefore, the idea to have a hidden door to the rooms is quite brilliant. The wall cabinets come in a light grey fabric laminate finishing.

Kitchen

We used black granite for our countertops and backsplash. I love how the veins remind me of waves hitting the shore. The cabinets also have a dark forest oak finish like the living area. We incorporated grey mirror detailing in each of the areas, which is a nice finishing touch.

Home office

Our home office will be on the left once you enter the hidden door. The theme/concept for this room is slightly different from the main areas. However, the color theme still falls on the darker spectrum.

Key highlights:

• Dark Chidori pattern laminated cabinets
• Display shelves
• Black glass panel for notetaking, doodling, etc.

Powder/Laundry room

We used the same Venetian plastered walls for this room.

Master bedroom

Our master bedroom and bathroom are at the end of the corridor.

Key highlights:

• Our “floating” glass wardrobe is something you don’t see very often in homes. We wanted it to look like a boutique-style wardrobe. It is fully covered in dark tinted glass and supported by metal frames bolted from the ceiling to the floor. It also has a row of dark forest oak drawers along both sides of the wardrobe. The entire combination creates the illusion that it is “floating”. This wardrobe serves as a display cabinet for fine clothing, accessories, and shoes (at the bottom platform).

• There is also a full-height mirror on the other side of the wardrobe, with front facing LED strips to help with illumination.

• We wanted to maintain the continuity of the theme throughout the bedroom. So, we used the same dark forest oak finishing for the bed side table, which is connected to the wardrobe. It extends all the way to the bed head and the dressing table.
• The full-height bed head panel consists of a laminate that looked and felt like natural stone. We complemented it with bronze trimmings and nyatoh timber strips finishing on the side before placing it on the Venetian plastered wall.
• To add color into the bedroom, we selected a tan coloured leather bed frame as the main furniture highlight of the master bedroom.

Master bathroom

The master bathroom boasts a full-length mirror with a storage cabinet across the drywall area.

We used the same granite stone as a backsplash for the master bathroom’s vanity and the same dark forest oak finishing for the cabinets to stay consistent with the theme. There are some metal racks for display/open storage as well.

Lighting

My ID joked that my home is a light museum because of the amount and various types of lights installed in my home (respective to the size).

In addition to the basic existing lighting that comes with the home, I have LED light strips in every room, a track light system, and a couple of spotlights in the living room.

I think lighting is one of the most important things that most owners tend to overlook (or find less important) when doing a home makeover.

Lighting serves more purpose than just brightening up the home. With the right type and amount of lighting, it can transform the home into something else. Lighting highlights the important features and hides the least striking ones, creating the perfect mood and ambiance for the home.

Accent color

Besides that, we decided on bronze as an accent color. Since the overall theme is dark, we needed to have a bold color to avoid everything from looking flat.

We chose bronze over gold because gold would have stood out too much. Bronze was the perfect color to create subtle detailing to the overall dark carpentry theme.

On top of the bronze detailing, we added grey mirrors and nyatoh timber strips detailing.

What inspired your home decor? 

The inspiration comes from various sources like places that I’ve visited, hotel rooms I’ve stayed in, and photos/videos I’ve seen on the Internet/Pinterest.

But, what really drove the inspiration for the overall concept is the continuity that I wanted to achieve from the moment one enters the condo building. I wanted the design to flow from the exterior/facade of the building, through the corridors, and into my unit. I didn’t want a feeling of disconnect when stepping into my home from the main building.

Since the concept of the condo building is pretty industrial, we adopted the same industrial feel as well.

To achieve the industrial yet luxurious feel, three main elements were selected for the home – metal, wood, and glass/mirrors. All of these details are noticeable throughout the home.

While the elements above are quite common in most homes, the color selection makes it different. I prefer a darker theme, as it brings out the little details in the design.

I also did not want to have any white walls and no wallpaper, as I prefer to have a
“real” feel and touch for the elements in the home.

The continuity theme doesn’t just flow from the exterior to our unit. Our interior has the same continuous theme from room to room. The same colors and materials are adopted in almost all of the areas. As a result, the condo doesn’t have much of a “rojak” look and feel.

What do you think makes your home you?

Personally, I’ve always tried to be unique and be different. The home design reflects this sentiment as well, with the bold and #daretobedifferent concept.

Did you hire an interior designer for your home?

Yes, I got help from an ID (Msquare Creation) because managing a home renovation on your own is really difficult. To achieve the results/outcome you want requires a lot of attention to detail, which is challenging for me in terms of time and energy. Therefore, it was worth it.

I was also pretty lucky to get an ID who truly understood the sort of concept, theme, and overall look and feel that I was looking for.

The whole renovation process took about 3 months (including the MCO period) from start to finish.

What is your favorite element in your home?

Too many to choose from. For the living area, I would pick the main feature wall that runs all the way to the tv area. As for the bedroom, it’s most probably the “floating” wardrobe.
I like them because they are a one-of-a-kind design. You don’t really see them anywhere else, and I would say they are the unique signature pieces of the home.

What is the best investment you made for your home? 

Lights! I spent almost RM4,000 on a smart track light system and LED light strips for the whole unit. They are perfect for lazy people like me, as they are controllable via my
phone through an app.

The best part about it is that I can create any sort of ambient/mood lighting I want in my living area. There are a million color combinations available for me to play around with whether it’s a movie night, poker night, gathering with friends/family, dinner time, and many more.

Name one regret you have about your home.

So far no regrets. But, if I could change one thing, it would be the window area in the master
bedroom. Currently, it is only a half-height window. It would be great to change it to a full-height window just like the one in the living area. Then, I would be able to have an uninterrupted view of the whole neighborhood.

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

Living

• JoyDesign Studio (Damansara Utama) – sofa, coffee tables
• Taobao – stools, cushion seats, decors

Kitchen

• Builder’s Hardware (Kepong) – Fotile appliances (oven, steamer, hood &
  hob) and granite sink & tap
• Marble Emporium (Subang) – granite countertop/backsplash

Bedroom

• Rozel (TTDI) – bedframe, mattress
• Akemi (1 Utama) – bedsheets, duvet, etc

Others

• SSF
• Hooga (Starling Mall)

Any advice you would like to share with others?

Budget

You don’t need a million dollars to make your home look like one. It’s about having the
right theme, concept, and elements. These will make any home look great.

Having said that, it would be good to have a nice budget put aside for home renovation. Bear in mind that the bigger your home is, the more space you would need to cover (in terms of renovation), and therefore a higher renovation budget is required.

That’s why you need to start thinking of the renovation budget when you purchase your property. The renovation budget is approximately about 10-20% additional of the property price.

Consistency

Another important thing is to have a consistent theme across the whole home, so it doesn’t look too “rojak”. This is a struggle for most homeowners because some couples have
conflicting ideas (or too many ideas), and we would love to have everything.

However, we need to learn to let go of some of the ideas if they do not fit well into the overall theme/concept.

Details

Details are also important. This is another aspect where most homeowners tend to overlook. While they prefer to spend most of their budget on furniture to make their home look great, imagine putting nice rims on a “kancil”. Rims would definitely look cool, but if you step back a little and look at the overall car, something’s a bit off, ain’t it?

Therefore, the biggest challenge is to balance the budget you have. I recommend spending it on details like lighting, mirrors, and details like groove lines to bring out the best parts of your home, and then complementing these details with furniture.

There are many good-looking furniture sold by local makers such as Joy Design,
Kinsen and MoreDesign. Find the ones that bring comfort without breaking the bank. If
budget is something you are really tight with, take time to replenish and furnish your home later. Some “nice-to-have” furniture can wait.

Interior designer

If you are engaging an ID, find one that you can work well with. If possible, have a look at
their previous works or projects and visit them to check the workmanship of their contractors.

While it’s nice to find the cheapest ones, oftentimes it also means cheaper material, and less
attention to detail in terms of design and consultation. Again, it’s all about balance. Find a good one that fits your budget and ideas and doesn’t cut costs on material usage.

Most importantly, trust them and try not to change their design or concept too much. You hire them to provide ideas and what is best for your home. They are not products you can compare prices with and pick the cheapest ones out of the lot.

Interior designers provide service in the form of creativity and ideas, so it’s not fair to compare them like you would with a product.

What do you love most about KB’s dark and moody condo? Follow his journey on Instagram and Facebook.

The post This Dark And Moody Home Looks And Feels Like A Five-Star Hotel Suite appeared first on That Isle Life.

We’re making it a point to document the present since we are going to make some changes to the apartment. That way, we can look back and see how far we’ve come!

Last month, I wrote all about our living room. In this post, I’m going to share what our master bedroom looked like before and now. Spoiler alert – this is the only room I liked before better than now.

Master bedroom – Then

Let’s talk about the design process first. As much as I love interiors, my husband is equally as fussy about what he likes and doesn’t like.

He insisted we kept the bedroom minimal yet functional. In other words, he didn’t want it “over-designed” because he wanted our bedroom to feel like a sanctuary.

With that, we chose grey as the primary color of our bedroom. It’s such a soothing color, and it’s great at hiding most stains or blemishes. So, we bought an upholstered grey king-sized bed frame and matching curtains for the room.

Then, we settled on white melamine nightstand tables because they were on sale. We custom-made our beds with a local furniture company who wanted to get rid of the nightstand tables. So, we grabbed both tables for $25! What a steal!

As for the hanging pendant bedside lights, I spotted them in my designers’ portfolio and instantly fell in love. Not only do they save space, but they remind me of a posh hotel. If you know me, you’d know that staying in hotels is my guilty pleasure!

I also fell in love with the crittall divider that we installed to separate the main sleeping area and our wardrobe. It is hands-down one of the best decisions we made during renovations.

Our designers had suggested a built-in wardrobe for this area, but we’d already gone above the budget, and the built-ins were too expensive. We had no choice but to get our wardrobe from good ol’ Ikea.

Back then, I told my husband we should install a bigger wardrobe in the guest room where we could store clothes we don’t wear as often. Then, we would only have our everyday clothes in our open wardrobe, and the room wouldn’t look cluttered.

Well, let’s just say, I completely regret my decision, and our bedroom is far from clutter-free! But, don’t be fooled by these before pictures, they were taken before we moved in all of our stuff.

In terms of the styling, our interior designers did a fantastic job. We loved all of the colors, patterns, and textures they used to create a warm and cozy bedroom.

We especially LOVED the jute rug they placed in front of the bed. Unfortunately, we couldn’t keep the rug because of our dog. We were so sad when they took it back!

Before master bedroom photos were taken by Groundwork Studio.

Master bedroom – Now

Frankly, we haven’t done much to the bedroom, and I think that’s why I preferred the before.

We removed most of the decorative pieces like the tray and plants because they didn’t feel very practical. For instance, I’m constantly knocking over things on my nightstand in the morning when I’m searching for my glasses.

Besides that, my “brilliant” wardrobe plan has caused me the biggest headache. I completely underestimated the number of clothes I have, and there’s barely any space to accommodate all of them now.

I don’t know why this never crossed my mind back then, but it’s so inconvenient to get dressed when half of your clothes are in the guest bedroom.

All of my go-to outfits are currently on the bottom shelf, and they make the bedroom look so messy.

To make things worse, I used the Ikea table opposite the wardrobe as storage instead of a proper vanity table.

I’d decided on an Ikea table with slim legs at that time because we’d already spent so much money on renovations. I figured I’d turn it into a beautiful and functional vanity area over time.

Well, three years have passed, and I have done absolutely nothing to it except put all of my junk on it. I didn’t even purchase a mirror!

At this point, I just feel like our bedroom is so cluttered and lacks personality…

Master bedroom – What’s next?

First, I have to get organized and get rid of all of the clutter. I’m thinking of selling the vanity table and replacing it with a dresser. I’ll also like to add hooks and baskets to increase storage space for my clothes and accessories.

Once everything is in place, it’s time to style!

Since we have some room next to our TV, I plan to add an armchair and a small wall shelf to create a reading nook. This area gets so much natural light because it’s next to the window. It’s about time we capitalize on such a beautiful space! I can already picture this nook to be a great place to laze in other than the bed.

I also want to change our nightstands. These have served us well, but they’re a little small. A bigger nightstand would be great so I can add decorative accents without knocking them over.

Last but certainly not least, I’m thinking of doing something to the wall behind the bed. I’m so indecisive, and I’ve been flip-flopping with my decision.

On some days, I’d like to DIY a board and batten. On other days, I want to slap on a piece of statement wallpaper. Recently, I’ve been toying with the idea of installing beadboard instead.

I can’t seem to make up my mind!!! Does anyone else face the same issue?

I do, however, know that I definitely want to add more color to the bedroom. Our current grey, black, and white combo is making the room look a little sterile. I still want to keep things looking minimal, so I’ll most likely add neutral tones like brown and green.

It looks like I have to go back to the drawing board and create a vision board for my master bedroom. Hopefully, we’ll be able to re-design the master bedroom without compromising style or function!

The post Then And Now: What Our Master Bedroom Looked Like Before And Now appeared first on That Isle Life.

Born and raised in a small village in Malaysia, fashion designer Zang Toi made his mark in the fashion industry globally more than 30 years ago. Known for his timeless silhouettes and immaculate tailoring, Zang’s label remains a classic in a world full of trends.

It’s no surprise then to discover that Zang is still in love with his French-inspired abode after 17 years. After all, it is a true reflection of his personal style.

Like his daily black and white ensembles, the award-winning designer’s Upper East Side apartment is decked in the same colors. The minimalist color palette is indeed the perfect backdrop to allow the chrome accents like polished nickel hardware and silver-leafed antique furniture to pop.

The pièce de résistance of Zang’s elegant one-bedroom apartment has to be the life-size portraits of his muse, Marie Antoinette, flanking both sides of the main fireplace.

The larger-than-life artwork may feel like they belong inside a museum. But, perhaps the best way to admire the portrait of the final French queen is by taking a seat on Zang’s neoclassical-style chair and feeling the warmth of a custom-made fox fur rug underneath your feet.

Just as his design philosophy is to make the ladies look and feel beautiful, Zang has applied this very principle to his own home. His apartment not only looks exquisite, but it makes him happy.

It is, ultimately, his Parisian sanctuary in the heart of New York City.

Follow Zang‘s journey on Instagram or Facebook.

Photography by Anastassios Mentis.

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Name: Zang Toi

Location: Manhattan, New York

Type of home: Apartment

Years Lived In: 17 years

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style? 

I designed my apartment to look like a pretty black and white photograph of a Louis XV-style apartment.

What inspired your home decor?

My love of glamorous Parisian style.

What do you think makes your home you? 

It is a space that I feel very very comfortable in.

As a fashion designer, how did you apply your personal style to your home?

The apartment was designed with the hallmark of House of Toi GLAMOUR, which also serves as the perfect backdrop for my clients to enjoy and display their Zangs whenever they visit.

Did you renovate your home?

The apartment went through a major renovation under the very capable hands of a great contractor, Peter Dimitropoulos. He finished the renovations at the record time of four short months. When it comes to design, I designed the apartment myself. I have never understood why a designer would hire someone else to design his/her design?

Tell us about your favorite room or element in your home.

My favorite element is the timeless beauty of this apartment that stands the test of time.

What is the best investment you’ve made for your home? 

The GORGEOUS French antiques that I re-finished in white and silver-leafing that’s uniquely Zang!

Did you do any DIYs in your home?

No…I know exactly what I want visually, but I can’t put a nail on a wall or change a light bulb to save my life. LOL!

Do you have any home regrets?

No regrets… still loving it after 17 years!

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

Paris, New York, and New Orleans.

What is your next home project?

I am currently updating my mirrored massage room. I’m switching the floor-to-ceiling mirror panels to black cotton velvet with black lacquer panels, which will hopefully make the room even sexier.

Any advice you would like to share with others?

Create a home that is YOU, one that makes you happy to come home to every day.  

What do you love most about Zang’s Paris-inspired Upper East Side apartment? Let us know in the comments below!

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The post This Fashion Designer’s Apartment Feels Like Paris In New York appeared first on That Isle Life.