In the quiet corners of a home that has breathed life for generations, a transformation is unfolding. It isn’t led by a team of contractors, but by the steady hands of a woman who traded administrative work for the honest texture of reclaimed wood.
Meet the creator behind Kampung House. A full-time mother of four, Norpadilah Afandi is proving that “homemaking” isn’t just about maintaining a space, but about building a legacy, one drill bit at a time.
She regularly shares her DIY journey on social media, under @norpadilahdiycrafter.
A functional future
Kampung House isn’t just a project; it’s her birthplace in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan.
Having lived there since childhood, Norpadilah watched the original home’s half-stone, half-wood structure undergo a renovation 14 years ago. While the structural bones remain rooted in traditional kampung style, the interiors showcase a modern Nusantara Farmhouse aesthetic.
“It’s about honouring the past while crafting a functional future,” she shares. Guests who step through her doors often find themselves in a state of wonder. The items they’ve admired on her social media feeds aren’t store-bought luxuries; they are the fruits of labour, sweat and a keen eye for upcycling.
In a world of fast furniture and disposable decor, Kampung House is a sanctuary of sustainability. Her repertoire of rescued materials includes old wooden doors reborn as rustic benches, vintage headboards transformed into elegant chair backs, discarded drawers stacked into spice racks. Even a motorcycle mudguard finds new life as a bespoke wall lamp.
Her crowning achievement? A kitchen island crafted from reclaimed truck floorboards. It took only two days to complete, yet it stands as a testament to her philosophy that luxury isn’t about the price tag, but about the story.
Sweat, sawdust and resilience
The journey hasn’t always been seamless. She recalls a coffee table that nearly broke her spirit. Armed with only a manual saw and a hammer, the two-week ordeal was a gruelling lesson in patience. “I almost gave up,” she admits. But she didn’t.
And it’s all thanks to the technical skills that she has picked up over the years via YouTube and Pinterest, where she mastered the “Big Three” of the DIY world: the cordless hand drill, the sander and the jigsaw.
“Every homemaker should know how to handle a cordless drill,” she asserts. “It’s the ultimate tool of independence. It’s about knowing you can maintain and create within your own four walls.”
Perhaps most impressive is how she balances her craft with family life. Small projects are tackled in the kitchen, often completed within a single day. Larger builds happen in her workshop, so quietly and efficiently that her family often doesn’t realise a new masterpiece has been born until they see it trending on her TikTok account.
Her creativity has even birthed a boutique business. Using leftover wood scraps, she creates a limited number of Wooden Tiny Houses – miniature handcrafted marvels that sell out almost instantly online.
The journey is the destination
Whether it’s a chandelier made from a traditional pau steamer or her current project – a custom built-in pantry – her work is a reminder that our homes are living canvases. She only calls in professionals for tasks that require specialised certification or when time is truly of the essence.
For everything else, there is the joy of the build. “It isn’t just about the finished product,” she shares. “It’s the journey that matters.”
In the hands of this homemaker-turned-artisan, the Malaysian kampung house isn’t just a relic of the past, it is a masterpiece in progress.
5 rules for DIY projects
Think you need a professional workshop to transform your home? Think again.
DIY enthusiast Norpadilah Afandi shares her “cheat sheet” for creating your own DIY masterpiece.
Stop scrolling and start building. If you’re going to invest in tools, start with these three essentials. They are the backbone of almost every project:
> Cordless hand drill: Your new best friend for everything from hanging art to building furniture.
> Power sander: Because the difference between “homemade” and “hand-crafted” is a smooth finish.
> Jigsaw: For when you’re ready to cut corners, literally and creatively.
Before you head to the landfill, look closer. A wooden door is just a bench waiting to happen; an old steamer is a designer chandelier in disguise. Don’t see what an item is; see what it could be.
Don’t let mess overwhelm your life. For small scale projects, aim for a 24-hour turnaround. It keeps your momentum high and your living space functional. If it’s a big build, take it to the shed to keep the chaos out of the kitchen.
You don’t need a degree in carpentry; you need a Wi-Fi connection. From technical joints to farmhouse aesthetics, use YouTube and Pinterest to learn the right techniques. Work smarter, not harder.
Don’t let the fear of a “DIY fail” stop you. If a project takes two weeks instead of two days, so be it. The goal isn’t a factory- perfect product, it’s the pride of saying, “I made this.”
Norpadilah's living room exudes a rustic feel. Photos: Norpadilah Afandi
This kitchen island is crafted from reclaimed truck floorboards.
These miniature handcrafted houses sell out almost instantly online.
In Norpadilah’s creative hands, even a motorcycle mudguard can become a wall lamp.
Kampung House is a sanctuary of sustainability.
A full-time mother of four, Norpadilah Afandi is proving that “homemaking” isn’t just about maintaining a space, but about building a legacy, one drill bit at a time.
