The living room reflects the owner’s creative yet practical personality. Photos: The Star/Yap Chee Hong
When asked about her vision for her new home, which she inhabited just a few weeks ago, Pearly Wong said “something unique”.
The house, located in an “old” area in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, had all the attributes she was looking for.
The location was apt, a stone’s throw from where she was already living and more importantly, the house provided a blank slate that suggested numerous possibilities.
After living in a condo for the past 15 years, Wong decided that she wanted to move to a landed property. But not one to be taken in by the shiny façade and glossy fixtures and fittings of new developments, Wong opted for an older property.
“I prefer classics,” she says, while conceding that renovating an old house poses a fair number of challenges.
The living spaces reflect creativity and functionality.
Post-makeover, the only reminder of the old house when entering the front door is the flooring.
To undertake the transformation, Wong found an ally in her friend Ray Tan of Bintang Rezeki, who took on the challenge of bringing her vision to life.
When she showed him the house, she recalled him saying, “Oh my goodness! This is so nice.”
When asked about the concept of the design, Tan says, “It must always be based on what the owner wants.”
In this case, Tan was tasked with conceptualising the design. He began by studying the location and terrain. He also looked at the neighbours and surroundings. The structure of the building was to remain as is and from there, he began the process based on the characteristics specified by the owner – “spatial practicality and functionality, conceptually light and that it should be all white”.
That served as the starting point for the transformation. The process differed from typical interior design (ID) projects. Instead of coming up with a complete plan, the redesign was done in stages.
An artwork seen at the dining area.
“We removed something and then decided what we were going to do,” says Wong. “That is totally different from having an ID with a fixed plan.”
An interesting aspect of the design is that it is built on the idea of replicating a yacht.
Tan says the inspiration came from “the fact that the house faces an Easterly angled rising sun”. That, coupled with his design philosophy which does not focus on structural or decorative columns, led to the idea of creating a “yacht house”.
To create that feel, Tan camouflaged the balcony by creating a canopy which, combined with circular windows, creates a nautical effect.
“I did not intend to design a boat initially but after preliminary designs and calculations, it was more practical and interesting to head that way,” he explains.
“But full points to the owner for her open-mindedness when it comes to design.”
The result was a good collaboration between the owner and designer. In fact, it was Wong who brought up the possibility of putting in the round windows which are featured prominently throughout the house.
The house was designed to feel like a ‘yacht house’.
Tan credits the house owner for being practical yet artistic. This can be seen by the strong and vivid artwork that is placed on stark white walls, mostly sourced from a local art dealer.
The criteria for her artwork, like the design of her house, was that she wanted something “unique”. The vast pieces that are placed in the living room were acquired more than a decade ago but continue to remain relevant today.
“Many of them were up-and-coming artists when I bought the work,” she says, adding that they are now established names.
The designer also describes Wong as someone who has style, “without going over the top in both design and budget”.
That is something that can be seen in the decor of the house. The owner is someone who believes in investing in quality pieces that stand the test of time.
“I believe in investing just once,” she says.
Hence, the furniture in her new home are all pieces that she had from her previous property. She is not one who believes in the need to bring new pieces to a new space.
Her approach to go against the norm can also be seen from the fact that the living room has two chairs and sans a sofa because she realises that she rarely sits on her sofa. Her minimalist perspective can be seen from the decorative items in the house. 
The round windows create a nautical effect.
Just a few plants that were gifts from friends grace the kitchen area while the master bedroom is free of clutter, which she attributes to her “OCD” (obsessive-compulsive disorder).
Wong says she developed her sense of aesthetics through her association with the “artistic crowd”. From there, she learnt what was suitable for her.
The final result, as described by Tan, is “a perfectly completed home, delivered to a very stylish owner”.
The living room reflects the owner’s creative yet practical personality. Photos: The Star/Yap Chee Hong
The clean lines of the rafters are in keeping with the home’s neat spaces.
An artwork seen at the dining area.
The house was designed to feel like a ‘yacht house’.
The living spaces reflect creativity and functionality.
Natural light enhances the all-white requirement by the owner.
The owner keeps her wardrobe (right) and bathroom neat and minimalist.
The owner keeps her wardrobe neat and minimalist.
Artwork collected over the years adorns the home’s walls.
The round windows create a nautical effect.
