Cover The kitchen island, clad in jade green marble and Italian quartz, serves as one of the main focal points of the Kuala Lumpur apartment
The kitchen island, clad in jade green marble and Italian quartz, serves as one of the main focal points of the Kuala Lumpur apartment
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Oryza Design Studio transformed a 1,750-square-foot apartment in Kuala Lumpur for a collector whose appreciation for art and aesthetics shaped every design decision
In a 1,750-square-foot Kuala Lumpur apartment at The Legacy OUG, the tension between Eastern and Western design sensibilities is evident throughout. The owner, Bob, is a collector of vinyl records, teacups, art prints and even a framed US dollar. When he approached Oryza Design Studio through Instagram, he brought both an archive of objects and an appreciation for how design could frame them.
“His personality immediately drew us to the project,” says Noel Tan, co-founder of Oryza Design Studio. “As someone who appreciates art and aesthetics, he shows great respect for design and designers alike.”
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The entrance area features silver quartz mosaic flooring, solid wood louvre doors leading to the home office, and display shelving for Bob's collection
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The four-bedroom unit’s square layout and long corridor offered a chance to rethink circulation. Most apartments treat hallways as throughways, but Oryza used the passage to mark the transition from public to private zones. They lined it with mosaic-patterned silver quartz stone and installed a custom-designed handle. Bob considers it his favourite detail.
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Above The entrance threshold shows the solid wood louvre sliding doors that can open the home office to the living area
Above The long corridor, with mosaic flooring and custom handles, leads to the private bedroom areas
The entrance threshold shows the solid wood louvre sliding doors that can open the home office to the living area
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The home office occupies what was originally a guest room, now fitted with solid wood louvre sliding doors that can open the space to the living area or close it for concentration. Across from it, the master suite expanded by absorbing an adjacent bedroom, converted into a walk-in wardrobe. The bedroom itself follows a minimal approach: light beige wood flooring, wood-grain laminate cabinetry with simple handles, and soft tones.
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Above The King Living sofa anchors the living area, which opens to views across Kuala Lumpur through floor-to-ceiling windows
The King Living sofa anchors the living area, which opens to views across Kuala Lumpur through floor-to-ceiling windows
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The concept Oryza pursued, titled “The Contrast,” required balancing Western and Eastern influences without obvious signifiers. “It was challenging because it needed to balance Western and Eastern influences in furniture, colours, materials, and other design elements,” Tan explains. The result shows elements from different traditions sharing the same space.
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The kitchen island, clad in jade green marble and Italian quartz, serves as one of the main focal points of the Kuala Lumpur apartment
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The living area’s TV backdrop features a metal-effect finish in mild rustic copper, with precise, restrained workmanship. A custom bench in special veneer adds texture without pattern. The island and dry kitchen anchor the common area with jade green marble and Italian quartz cladding integrated into the carpentry. Most of the cabinetry in this apartment is stained walnut, a consistent element that ties together the more assertive material choices.
Above The open-plan dining and living area connects through to the home office, where the calligraphy art is visible beyond
Above Black-stained dining chairs with leather upholstery sit beside the circular table, sourced from King Living
The open-plan dining and living area connects through to the home office, where the calligraphy art is visible beyond
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Earth-toned walls with limewash texture sit between these stronger materials. The silver quartz mosaic appears again at the entrance, creating a tactile threshold that marks different zones. Furniture from King Living and pieces custom-made by Oryza’s contractor complete the rooms.
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The dining area features a wooden table beneath a piece of calligraphy art and a bubble pendant light, with the home office visible through louvre doors
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Above The home office features built-in walnut-stained shelving with silver quartz mosaic tile backing to display Bob’s curated collection
Above The window sun screen creates a wider wall surface that serves as a backdrop for the framed US dollar bills, part of Bob’s collection that initially impressed the designers
The home office features built-in walnut-stained shelving with silver quartz mosaic tile backing to display Bob’s curated collection
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The home office received particular attention to accommodate Bob’s collection of framed calligraphy. A window sun screen, which reappears, flatters the wall surface that functions as a backdrop for the distinct master bedroom door, which features a custom handle with layered metal effects and marble detailing, adapted from an earlier Oryza project.
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A view from the corridor into the master bedroom reveals the integration of the stone pedestal and earth-toned limewash walls
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Not everything worked out. The hidden air conditioning grill developed a design flaw that blocks airflow from the fan. But the corridor turned out as planned, and the living area, with its adjacent office, demonstrates how Eastern and Western design elements can coexist without one overpowering the other.
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Above A dressing area with black furniture and concealed wardrobe storage sits within the master suite
Above The custom walk-in wardrobe interior includes integrated lighting, hanging storage and drawer units finished in black
A dressing area with black furniture and concealed wardrobe storage sits within the master suite
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Above The corridor’s walnut-framed openings create sightlines through to the various rooms beyond
Above A recessed wall niche displays calligraphy art, backlit to create depth in the corridor
The corridor’s walnut-framed openings create sightlines through to the various rooms beyond
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Bob’s collection, which initially impressed the designers during their first meeting at his previous apartment, now has a setting designed for its presence. The framed dollar, the vinyl records, the teacups exist in a space that was designed knowing they would be there, that the person living with them pays attention to how things look and where they sit.
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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.
