This Malaysian home is carefully curated to reflect the personality of its owner

Ain’s living room is a contemporary-styled space with carefully picked furniture and shelves to display her favourite decor pieces. Photos: @ainjamlus

One can say that in Ain Jamlus’ double- storey link house in Elmina Valley, Shah Alam, the colours, textures and decor items seen are carefully selected for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

The contemporary-style interior combines a minimalist look with art decor pieces that accentuate the space.

“It was definitely a journey finding my home style but I knew I wanted something evergreen, neutral and contemporary, but with interesting pieces to display that I would say reflect my personality,” said Ain, 36, previously a TV advertisement producer.

“The colour choices are also to help ease my son Ariez’s autism journey whereby I want him to feel comfortable and not overloaded with different colours and tones but also provide visually stimulating pieces that he likes. With that, I try to incorporate different textures around the home,” added Ain, who currently runs a cabinet hardware business.

Ain and her family moved into their 1,900sq ft (176.5sq m) home in November 2019, slowly moulding the interior to what it is today.

In March, her home was selected by #ighometourmalaysia under the theme #ightmlivingarea for her inspiring living room.

Displayed in different nooks and corners are unique vases and art decor pieces, which are carefully curated.

#ighometourmalaysia is a local home tour group on Instagram hosted by a small group of home decor enthusiasts to inspire one another and share ideas on home design and decor.

“The concept for my living room was contemporary. I wanted to have a simple but huge TV cabinet that anchors the space. I wanted plenty of storage and also shelves to display my favourite decor pieces.

“The furniture was also carefully picked as I needed to balance the space with good proportions of furniture size. I think this can either make or break the space if not applied properly,” she shared.

Other areas of her house also exude their own character and style.

For example, a black-and-white artwork in the dining area speaks volumes.

“I have an open-concept home where you can see everything from the main door. I wanted artwork that grabs attention but isn’t overstimulating. So, my husband and I created the art ourselves.

“Black and white are such statement colours for any kind of setting or concept. We thought it would be the perfect addition for that space and it also complements the rest of the home.

“If you ask me what it means, I feel like it’s a reminder that in life, there isn’t only black or white but also the grey area where sometimes life can lead you to places that you can’t imagine being in,” said Ain.

The black-and-white painting by Ain and her husband hangs proudly in the dining area.

Although she’s not a qualified artist, Ain sometimes does commission work as a creative outlet.

“As an autism mum, my days can be stressful and I find painting helps me to regulate myself. And I also love that more people are accepting black-and-white artwork into their homes; it makes me really happy to know that a piece of this reminder is in their homes as well.”

Dotting different corners and spaces in her home are unique vases and art decor pieces, which she carefully curates.

“The reason why I really take my time with each piece is because I don’t just buy something to fill the shelves. I buy with the intention of meeting what the space needs and how it makes me feel.

“I’m very mindful of shopping for the home and I try not to rush myself when purchasing items. Over the years, I’ve collected key pieces and sometimes I do rotate them from time to time depending on the season and mood.

“It’s also fun to get creative with what you already have rather than constantly buying new things,” she said, adding that she often thrift-shops at secondhand stores for vintage pieces. She also shops at home furnishing retailers and goes for designer pieces by European brands.

“To me, it really does not matter where it comes from as long as you know how to mix those items at home.”

Black-and-white floor tiles add character to the space.

The clever use of floor patterns adds visual dynamics to her interior space. Chevron floor patterns in the living room extend to the dining area, while black-and-white tiles adorn the porch.

“The chevron flooring is one of the key features I wanted for our home. Chevron helps make your space look and feel longer. We also chose vinyl material to have better padding for Ariez when he gets active around the house. As for the black-and-white tiles on the porch, it is mostly an aesthetic feature.”

What Ain likes about her home is the fact that it’s “seamless, cohesive and yet there are many visual interests around”.

“Three years in and I still get excited looking at the items I have around my home.”

She has this advice for other home decor enthusiasts: “Always take your time in building your home, even down to the smallest things. Carefully curate pieces that reflect the space and your personality. Be mindful of the items you include in your home and avoid trends just because everyone is (following them). Only go for it if it jives with your space,” she said.