My first impression of Ain’s contemporary yet modern house tour feels like a visit to a thoughtfully-curated art museum.
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:
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.