Cover Giallo Venato marble extends from the interior to the garden walkway in this compact Kuala Lumpur home, transitioning from polished to honed finish.
Giallo Venato marble extends from the interior to the garden walkway in this compact Kuala Lumpur home, transitioning from polished to honed finish.
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Supewerks Studio transforms a unit at Centrio Hillpark into a compact Kuala Lumpur home, where Giallo Venato marble extends from the interior to the garden, unifying social and private spaces across two levels
When Supewerks Studio took on a 900-square-foot unit at Centrio Hillpark in Bangsar South, the brief was more about spatial reorganisation than decoration. The client, himself an architect, sought to transform a conventional developer layout into a compact Kuala Lumpur home that could accommodate both social gatherings and private retreat within tight constraints.
The solution involved complete demolition and reconfiguration. Interior architect Xiu Ming Chan of Supewerks Studio eliminated the original compartmentalised plan, establishing a sequence of connected spaces across two levels instead. The ground floor was conceived as a social zone oriented towards the existing garden, while the first floor became a private layer containing a study area and master suite.
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Above Giallo Venato marble flooring anchors the living room, where custom leather seating sits beneath textured wall coating
Giallo Venato marble flooring anchors the living room, where custom leather seating sits beneath textured wall coating
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Above The ground floor living area features custom upholstered seating and black louvres that frame views to the garden
Above Controlled lighting transforms the atmosphere at night, with black-framed doors opening to the garden beyond
The ground floor living area features custom upholstered seating and black louvres that frame views to the garden
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“Rather than treating the home as a series of enclosed rooms, the design was conceived as a continuous sequence of spaces that maximises both usability and experiential depth within a limited footprint,” Chan explains. The living area connects directly to the garden, allowing the exterior to function as an extension of the interior.
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Above Black horizontal louvres filter daylight across the ground floor, where Giallo Venato marble connects interior zones to the garden
Above A narrow corridor lined with textured wall coating connects ground-floor areas, with Giallo Venato marble flooring providing continuity
Black horizontal louvres filter daylight across the ground floor, where Giallo Venato marble connects interior zones to the garden
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Material selection reinforces this logic. Giallo Venato marble, chosen for its pronounced veining, extends from the living room through to the garden walkway, transitioning from polished to honed finish as it moves outdoors. The stone establishes visual continuity while anchoring the ground floor of this compact Kuala Lumpur home.
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The black quartzite island is subtly translucent when backlit, creating a focal point in the dining area
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The kitchen occupies the centre of the social areas. An Ernestomeda system from Italy incorporates a black quartzite island that doubles as a dining surface, creating a continuous plane for cooking and gathering. When backlit, the quartzite reveals unexpected translucency, transforming the island into a focal point within an otherwise restrained palette. A staircase adjacent to the dining area connects to the upper level.
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Above A walnut-clad staircase adjacent to the dining area connects the ground floor to the first floor’s private quarters
Above The ground floor unfolds as connected spaces, with Giallo Venato marble flooring and grey-tinted glass panels establishing material continuity
A walnut-clad staircase adjacent to the dining area connects the ground floor to the first floor’s private quarters
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The material language throughout is deliberately controlled: walnut-finished veneer, grey-tinted glass and black-stained timber create a backdrop that allows architectural interventions to register clearly. A concealed guestroom is integrated behind walkways and kitchen cabinetry on the ground floor, maintaining openness in public areas while providing programmatic flexibility.
The first-floor study area functions as both a living space and a workspace, with black louvres filtering natural light
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The first floor contains the private quarters. The master suite is accessed through a concealed door and connects the bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom in succession. The bedroom features a sunken bed platform framed with padded surfaces, producing an intimate enclosure within the larger volume.
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Above The first-floor study area features built-in walnut shelving with integrated lighting and a custom desk unit
Above A concealed door within the first-floor study leads to the master suite's private sequence of spaces
The first-floor study area features built-in walnut shelving with integrated lighting and a custom desk unit
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Bathrooms function as dedicated material environments. The ground-floor bathroom features a seamless mineral-textured finish with a single Giallo Venato marble accent on the water closet wall. The master bathroom is entirely clad in honed Viscount White granite and incorporates a custom sunken bathtub and shower area. Both bathrooms feature Claybrook MarbleForm wall-hung basins, the first of their kind in Malaysia.
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The master bedroom’s sunken platform is framed with botanical wallpaper and padded surfaces, creating an intimate enclosure
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Stone detailing received particular attention throughout the compact Kuala Lumpur home. In bathrooms, surfaces were waterjet-cut to introduce fine groove lines that subtly articulate zones without additional materials. The living area marble shifts in finish as it extends outdoors, maintaining material continuity while responding to functional requirements.
Most furniture was custom-made by local artisans to suit spatial and material specifications. The unit also includes a separate private access to the basement car park via a dedicated stairway behind the kitchen.
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Above The master bathroom is fully clad in honed Viscount White granite and incorporates a custom sunken bathtub and shower area
Above Black horizontal louvres filter light into the ground-floor bathroom, where Viscount White granite walls meet a custom terracotta vanity
The master bathroom is fully clad in honed Viscount White granite and incorporates a custom sunken bathtub and shower area
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“Our favourite aspect is the material expression, in particular the usage of expressive stones, creating visual drama on its own, yet when applied consistently it blends seamlessly into the overall material palette,” Chan notes.
The clients have responded to the completed home’s atmospheric shifts throughout the day, from light-filled openness during daylight hours to a more intimate setting at night, shaped by controlled lighting and material textures. Working within 900 square feet, this compact Kuala Lumpur home demonstrates how spatial clarity and material restraint can create living quarters that function as both a social venue and a private retreat.
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Jennifer Choo is Regional Managing Editor of Tatler Homes, covering architecture, interior design, and art across Asia. Based in Malaysia, she oversees regional content on luxury residential design and contemporary art collections. Legally trained but choosing to pursue her passion for design, she previously led notable design publications and worked as an interior stylist and art consultant for property developers, design firms, and private clients.
