As Eleena had a limited budget, she had to consider simple and cheap materials but used them effectively. For sliding doors, custom-designed mild steel folding doors with steel mesh panels were used, while some of the new walls are made from perforated concrete blocks (or ventilation blocks). These resulted in brighter spaces and improved ventilation across the rooms.

The use of these porous materials also gives the house an ethereal quality, as they reflect light and allow occupants inside to observe the activity and natural world outside. The main door was made from checker plate metal and has become one of the interesting features of the house.

Elsewhere, walls are kept in white plaster and the original flooring, such as broken marbles on the ground floor area and timber parquet floors on the upper floor, are retained and polished. Now restored to its gleaming state, the marble floor bounces light around the house. "The use of these different materials and retaining what we could kept costs low compared to proprietary glazing and hardwood door systems," explains Eleena.

The kitchen and dining at the rear extension of the house is a single open space with steel Y-columns placed internally so that the framed mesh panels can slide open uninterrupted. This allows views directly onto the rear garden which is lined by a stone gabion wall placed along the site boundary.

Just beyond this stone wall is hilly terrain with local fruit-bearing trees that attract wild animals like monkeys, squirrels and the occasional flock of wild boars. A long and low bench is placed along with the wide opening, enabling the occupants and visitors to sit and chat and enjoy the greenery.

Don't miss: Home Tour: A 'Brutalist' Bungalow In Shah Alam Surrounded By Greenery

Unsurprisingly this area is the architect's favourite part of the house. "The folding mesh panels open fully from end to end, providing uninterrupted views of the back garden, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. Here, the space feels like outdoors most of the time," she muses. 

The addition of the bench creates a firm boundary between inside and outside. Yet, it encourages interaction and connection to the external world simply by inviting people to sit along the perimeter of the space.

"I think the contractor has done great work on the long and low bench we designed in the kitchen and dining area. It serves as a sitting area that reinforces the relationship between the internal space and the outdoor," she says. " The bench is cantilevered and is less than 100mm thick, which is a remarkable engineering feat. This makes the bench look like it is floating above the floor."  

The unexpected use of material extends to the kitchen and dining space, where interlocking concrete pavers, like those usually found on outdoor terraces, reiterate that this space is neither inside nor outside.

This hardwearing floor allows the area to be used for activities traditionally associated with the outdoors, such as barbecues and messy children’s play. To match this, materiality was kept industrial throughout with kitchen cabinetry comprising of perforated aluminium panelled doors and concrete worktops.

Don't miss: 5 Fabulous Family-Friendly Homes In Asia

Another part of the house that directly connects to the outdoors is the study, where the new courtyard stretches into it. Like the dining/kitchen area, sliding mesh panels are used, and they open out to the ‘outdoor room’ with walls of perforated concrete blocks and a single frangipani tree planted on the gravelled ground.

Here, the relationship to the outdoors is more direct, blurring the spatial boundaries between the internal and external, creating a  contemplative space for concentrating on tasks.     

The overarching idea was to maintain the original form as far as possible so that it sits well with its semi-detached neighbours. As such, very few three-dimensional modifications were carried out to the existing external envelope of the house, and the focus instead was on reconfiguring internal spaces toward the beautiful greenery surrounding the house.

Apart from making large strategic openings and adding the rear extension, one of the external interventions was the introduction of a new monochrome colour scheme. This combination of whites and greys makes for an attractive backdrop, especially to the new and existing greenery of the house. 

NOW READ

Home Tour: A Practical Yet Pleasing Terrace Transformation In Kuala Lumpur

4 Inspiring Wellness and Self-Care Spaces in Kuala Lumpur

Home Tour: A Lithuanian Photographer’s Lush Bohemian Space in Kuala Lumpur