Home tour: A grand Malaysian home inspired by 5-star hotels

Naturally enough, the surrounding neighbourhood had an influence on the design. The Grandezza @ Eco Sanctuary development is located near Kota Kemuning and boasts gardens that are spacious and well-manicured. To allow unimpeded views of the surrounding greenery, it made sense to make the most of the full-length glass windows throughout the house.

At the same time, the glare of all the natural light is modulated through the use of nano-tinting. Another green initiative was the incorporation of solar panels that take full advantage of the sun. 

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From the very start of the design process, it was clear that the exterior had to make an impact that would match the theme of the 5-star hotel aesthetic. The design team had to cycle through a few ideas – initially, a standard courtyard, then a pavilion – before settling on the final, most impactful, option.

This took the form of a vertical garden from which water cascades down into the pool, creating a jacuzzi effect below. The greenery is evocative of the jungle and also functions as a sculptural and textural element. Nik Ida Juliana explains: “the plants elevate and soften the building.”

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Moving into the interior, the hotel theme is clearly apparent in the overall sense of spaciousness and cohesion. In this regard,
the muted colour palette plays an especially important role.

The hushed hues allow for a sense of calm; the elegant play on greys and beiges helps to link the various spaces into a unified whole; and the tendency towards lighter tones creates an impression of size. The house thus seems to expand beyond its 5,000 sq ft of built-up space.

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It helps that the original bungalow was designed along clean, modernist lines. With its boxy geometry and emphasis on simplicity, the whole structure shares more than a few points of kinship with the Cubist movement. “We didn’t have to do much,” shares Nik Ida Juliana, “That’s why you see, we just focus on pockets of space.”

The most apparent transformation was the reconfiguration of the ground floor to create a more impactful layout. The orientation of the guestroom was adjusted; a surau was added; and the wet kitchen and laundry area were moved to make way for a showstopper of a dry kitchen.

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A sense of drama emerges from the play on space. The most spectacular instance would have to be the double-volume living room wall: a flamboyant expanse of quartzite marble is flanked on either side by tall display shelves that draw our eyes up to the ceiling. The transition in ceiling height from the living room (7m) to the dining room (4m) was also an opportunity for creativity: the design team introduced a curved transitional panel to create a seamless flow from one area to the next.

Then there is the master bathroom which Nik Ida Juliana delights in as the “jewel” of the house. The sheer generosity of the space – the master bathroom is as big as the master bedroom – matches the lavish approach one would expect for a luxury hotel. Using a mirror as a divider in the bathtub area further magnifies the dimensions of the bathroom and clinches the suggestion of bejewelled extravagance.

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While the sense of space and muted colour palette allow for a cohesive overall design, there are also plenty of moments in the house which indulge in contrast and juxtaposition.

Nik Ida Juliana explains that she believes in adopting a “design dichotomy of opposites to create a playful tension”. She adds with a laugh: “I know this is the opposite of what we designers have been taught”. 

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This deliberate creation of tension is immediately apparent in the flooring of the living room and dining room. A more conventional choice might have been plain white, but instead the design team mixed things up: amongst the gleam of grey-white marble, they interpolated segments of black marble that look like geometric jigsaw-puzzle pieces.

Other moments of contrast are to be found on the walls. White paint and creamy-brown veneer panelling predominate, but complexity is introduced through the use of bronze mirrors, artworks, and brick veneers.

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There is no ignoring the witty interplay between different elements when it comes to the choices in lighting, furniture, and detailing. On the one hand, there is the lithe dynamism of the cyclone-shaped chandelier in the living room; on the other hand, there is the solidity of the circular dome-light feature in the dining room.

And then we have the sculptural, almost geological curves of the foyer’s console table; this acts as a foil for the compact lozenges that are the dining chairs. In the dry kitchen, the translucent green and black marble of the island stands out against the demure wood panelling. 

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Ultimately, though, the 5-star hotel theme emerges not just from the structural and material choices. There has to be a certain attitude to it all as well: a willingness to be pampered and to shrug off mundane practicalities.

Nik Ida Juliana declares that you sometimes have to be whimsical. She draws our attention to the double-height display shelves of the living room and laughs: “when you’re in a hotel, you don’t want to think about how to clean them: there are cleaning fairies that will come in the night with their magic dusters!”

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