The dry kitchen and living spaces are characterised by grey marble flooring and teak ply shelves in the background. Photos: H.Lin Ho
House No 100 may look just like the rest of the houses next to it on the outside, but it’s the inside that gives it character and a mark of distinction.
In fact, the house won a gold medal for the Interior Design category at the 2022 PAM Awards held earlier this year.
Located in the Mansions, an exclusive gated community in Desa ParkCity, Kuala Lumpur, the six-bedroom house is situated on a hilltop, granting it a broad view of the community club house and swimming pool.
A project by DRTAN LM Architect completed that was in 2019, the house was originally a two-and-a-half-storey linked design with a land size of 357sq m.
After the remodelling, it now has a build-up of 650sq m, with an added lower ground space that even houses a half-sized basketball court.
The facade of House No 100, which is originally a two-and-a-half-storey design.“This was an interior design and renovation project for an existing bare standard developer’s house in a high-end enclave.
“The client wanted a cosy, warm and special home that could accommodate all their family needs, including having a basketball (half) court in the lower level of the house.
“The house is situated on a slope, giving us the opportunity to add two new levels below. Our concept was to transform the rather austere and cold interior space into a warm, voluminous home through the use of natural raw timber joinery and panelling, and also to transform the stairs into a sculptural art element to tie all the different floor levels together.
“This, coupled with appropriate lighting, gives the space a warm amber glow and highlights the art within,” explained architect Dr Tan Loke Mun.
One of the stand-out features of the house is the 10m-wide double-volume rectangular box that embraces the main living spaces on the ground floor.
The reason for this feature is to enhance the large space by reworking it into a “crafted timber-panelled amber jewel box” of sorts.
The 12-seater teak dinette table and industrial steel kitchen-cum-bar at House No 100 in Kuala Lumpur.“We wanted a grand living space with full-height glazing at one end that encapsulates all the living spaces of the house – dry and entertainment kitchen, dining and living,” said Tan.
‘Floating’ centrepiece
Large vertical fins and shelves made of teak ply wrap around the main living areas, adding character to the space.
Strip lighting was built into the rear of each panel of ply to illuminate and create a golden amber glow to the timber-framed sculpture.
Perhaps what anchors the whole house and forms a pleasing aesthetic is the white steel rod suspended staircase that appears to float like a piece of modern industrial art piece.
“The use of steel rods to suspend a sculptural stair has been a signature element in a lot of our projects.
The white steel rod suspended staircase appears to float like a piece of modern industrial art piece.“Steel is strong in tension and so it should be used in a manner to display its best quality.
“In this project, we meticulously detailed the stairs and painted it gloss white to appear as if it is floating in space.
“Thus the staircase, which is an essential functional element, gets a chance to be more than just stairs but also acts a centrepiece in the house for all to admire,” added Tan.
Contemporary touch
Befitting the high ceiling in the house are the large 12-seater teak dinette table and industrial steel kitchen-cum-bar that combined, offering a warm and classy space for get-togethers.
Completing the look is the textured neutral grey marble floor finish for that contemporary touch.
The master bedroom is designed with a long, mirror-lined row of walk-in wardrobes.
This thin profile gives a sense of elegance to the space, while specially selected raw materials add to the purity of the surfaces and enhance the ambience through the use of glass and light.
The sleep area has a warm tone finish, perfect for unwinding after a long day, while the master bathroom has a modern min-imalist feel with calacatta (white marble) finishes around the shower alcove.
The master bathroom has a modern minimalist feel with calacatta (white marble) finishes.
Lighting for the whole house is entirely energy-saving.
The configurable LED modules offer much flexibility, aesthetics and functionality as they can be easily adjusted to achieve the optimum lux level and colour temperature to meet the various functions of the space.
Besides the sustainable LED lights, the use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and odourless paints, varnishes and coatings, certified timber and plywood, and steel with high recycled content, are among the other sustainable aspects.
Overall, House No 100 exemplifies a play on volume and surfaces, where golden teak wood grain and polished stainless steel converge to reveal a bright, contemporary and abstract interior space that caters to the needs of a modern, young family.
With these design features, the message that the architect wants to deliver across is that “every house or space can be trans-formed into something great”.
The dry kitchen and living spaces are characterised by grey marble flooring and teak ply shelves in the background. Photos: H.Lin Ho
The 12-seater teak dinette table and industrial steel kitchen-cum-bar at House No 100 in Kuala Lumpur.
The white steel rod suspended staircase appears to float like a piece of modern industrial art piece.
The master bathroom has a modern minimalist feel with calacatta (white marble) finishes.
The teak ply shelves at the main living area come alive with LED lighting.
The facade of House No 100, which is originally a two-and-a-half-storey design.
The detailing of the main staircase gives it a sculpted look.
The white staircase is fused into the living area at House No 100.
Befitting the high ceiling in the house are the large 12-seater teak dinette table and industrial steel kitchen-cum-bar that combined, offer a warm and classy space for get-togethers.
