Malaysian 2-storey terrace house blends modern and vintage British vibes

With a soft palette of blues and neutrals, Sharifah Imihezri’s home is a calm sanctuary. Photos: The Star/Yap Chee Hong

From the outside, Dr Sharifah Imihezri Syed Shaharuddin’s house looks like any other smart double-storey terrace home.

Set on a quiet street in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, its simple facade belies the beautiful decor that lies inside. Cross the threshold and all will be revealed: this is the home of someone who likes beautiful things.

Growing up with her father, the late Syed Shaharuddin Syed Bakeri, a well-regarded lecturer and artist, she was always drawn to the arts.

“Although I ended up doing engineering and now am an engineering lecturer, I’ve never stopped painting,” says this mother of four who is fondly known as Imi.

Sharifah Imihezri’s beautiful abstract paintings create a uniquely personal display in her home.

“I paint when I’m stressed or when I am inspired. I usually paint anywhere in the house so it can get a bit messy! Since there are quite a few of my paintings, I mostly keep them rolled up in storage. I’ve been actively painting since I came back.

“Some of my bigger paintings are in my office. Most of my paintings are abstract. I do like exploring with different mediums and themes. Art shouldn’t be something that is difficult or hard. Art requires practise; with time you naturally begin to trust your instinct and intuition on composition, subject matter and colour combinations. It should be intuitive, goes with the flow and in the end makes you happy.

“Because that’s what painting is to me – my happy place,” shares Sharifah Imihezri.

To create more cosy corners, Sharifah Imihezri added a statement vintage writing table and artwork next to the staircase.

A blend of vintage and modern

Sharifah Imihezri bought her 22ft x 75ft (6.7m x 22.8m) terrace house before leaving for Britain to further her studies.

“We came back to Malaysia in late 2012 after four years, and started thinking of renovating the place. There were three bedrooms on the second floor, and we converted the bedroom downstairs to a TV-cum-game den for my sons. But in hindsight, I do regret not having a room downstairs for my guests, especially for them to pray or rest,” she shares.

In the extended kitchen, a wooden study table with a rattan chair doubles as her youngest daughter’s art table while a collection of rose-inspired artwork sits atop the table.

Sharifah Imihezri admits that she has always been drawn to English designs and patterns from a young age. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that during her four years in Britain, she bought a number of vintage and antique furniture that now proudly sits in her home.

The main kitchen opens up to the converted den space.

“I was addicted to Ebay when I was there! The first thing I bought was this beautiful writing table that I had been eyeing for about £100 (RM568). At that time I wasn’t even thinking of how we were taking it back or what our house in Malaysia was going to be like! The next thing I got was a rustic-looking coffee table for about £80 (RM454). I simply loved the look.”

Another large piece of furniture that she purchased was an eight-seater oak dining table with high-back chairs.

“This dining look was on trend back then. Even my husband was surprised with this purchase! At that time, we had an MPV and we had to take several trips to cart the table and chairs home.

“Luckily, the table is quite unique in that it can be separated into sections!” she shares.

Be it a cosy reading nook or elegant lounge that she’s created in the living area, Sharifah Imihezri has cleverly used the layout to her advantage, especially to accommodate her family and loved ones when they visit.

One of her decorating rules is keeping the colour palette neutral and using large carpets in similar tones to unify the space.

“You’ll notice that I’ve kept the large furniture and sofas in neutral tones. While the wood from the vintage furniture adds cosiness to the place, I’ve also kept the carpets in neutral shades,” she adds.

Another pair of Sharifah Imihezri’s abstract paintings hang over the dining table.

Strategic furniture arrangement can make a long or large living room feel cosy and intimate. Sharifah Imihezri has created a comfortable sense of scale to her living room by dividing it into two conversation groupings with a path in between. She did this with the unconventional placement of her TV. Because of the TV’s large size, she decided to radically place her TV in the middle of her living room, turning it into a room divider of sorts and creating a small entryway at the front.

“The large TV cabinet was custom built. To avoid blocking the sunlight from coming through the room, we consciously left some space above the cabinet. My husband asked me repeatedly, ‘are you sure you’re OK with the TV being permanently here?’” says Sharifah Imihezri.

One unexpected good part about the TV cabinet placement is that it also blocks the heat during the day when she draws the curtains. She says that several of the wing armchairs in the living area were also purchased on eBay during her student days.

The classic silhouette, graceful curved wooden legs and upholstery give a certain vintage charm. Some of the chairs have interesting details like brass front wheels that are in good condition, making them unique conversation pieces.

Since Sharifah Imihezri came back to Malaysia, she has continued to scour the Internet for good quality and affordable vintage furniture pieces.

”I have bought pieces from shops on Instagram. They have some beautiful items that are quite rare and timeless. I’m always drawn to something odd or different that catches my eye.”

How does she maintain her furniture?

“I’ll just leave it as it is! Aside from regular cleaning, I don’t really do much to them. I like to leave things as they are and simply let them age naturally. People appreciate things with patina. So a bit of rust doesn’t matter. As long as it’s not harmful to us and the kids, that wear and tear gives the furniture character,” she says.