Cover The open-plan living and dining area in this Kuala Lumpur condominium features fluted wall panels with adjustable luminosity
The open-plan living and dining area in this Kuala Lumpur condominium features fluted wall panels with adjustable luminosity
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Studio Eleven combines two condominium units high above the Kuala Lumpur skyline into a sprawling unit defined by dark timber panelling, concealed lighting and custom metalwork
Perched on the 42nd floor of The Manor, a 50-storey tower in Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, this 3,700-square-foot residence has floor-to-ceiling windows that capture sweeping views and abundant light. However, the client wanted the opposite, so architect Kim Hin Neoh of Studio Eleven merged two condominium units along Persiaran Stonor into a single dwelling that deliberately rejects brightness in favour of dimly lit, richly textured interiors punctuated with theatrical gestures.
The main entrance with dark ebony-stained timber panels and the origami light installation visible beyond
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The client, a product designer who co-founded a systems furniture start-up in the United States before returning to Kuala Lumpur following its acquisition, approached Neoh after visiting Curio Dark, a café the architect had designed in Jalan Ampang. “The ambience was noticeably dimmer than that of a typical home,” Neoh recalls of his first visit to the client’s previous residence, located a short distance from The Manor. “His desire for an even darker, more enigmatic atmosphere in the new space made the design brief all the more interesting.”
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Above The vestibule passage features backlit Patagonia quartzite opposite mirror-polished surfaces creating layered reflections
Above Close-up of the backlit Patagonia quartzite granite wall arranged in deliberate asymmetry
The vestibule passage features backlit Patagonia quartzite opposite mirror-polished surfaces creating layered reflections
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The primary challenge was to unite two newly completed condominium units, each served by a shared lift lobby, into a cohesive dwelling with no visible trace of the original separation. Neoh sealed one entrance door and repurposed the adjacent bedroom into a cloakroom beside the main entry, creating a transitional buffer between the two former units. A built-in pocket sliding door allows the cloakroom to disappear entirely within the wall panelling when not in use.
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The living room features a Frog lounge chair by Living Divani, with fluted dark timber panels, and the Levante pendant by Lucepl visible beyond
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Dark ebony-stained ash veneer panels and soft taupe planes establish the foundational palette. Concealed, dimmable LED lighting is integrated into built-in furniture and wall panelling throughout, creating deep shadows, muted tones, and sculptural light. The ash veneer itself required meticulous selection, with crown and quarter-cut sections matched to achieve the desired grain balance, then sandblasted for texture before receiving the dark ebony stain.
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Above The Levante pendant by Luceplan hangs above the dining table with dark fluted panels beyond
Above The living room features dark timber panels with concealed lighting and a Beolab 18 sound column
The Levante pendant by Luceplan hangs above the dining table with dark fluted panels beyond
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Natural stone is used in various finishes throughout the residence. Metal elements recur in different treatments, reflecting the client’s background in systems furniture design. The most striking example appears the moment lift doors open: an origami-like installation of folded perforated metal sheets, finished in brushed Chardonnay gold.
“We divided the design into several modules during the conceptual phase, allowing them to be transported to the site and assembled on location,” Neoh explains. Each module was engineered for easy dismantling to access concealed dimmable lights. The perforation pattern follows a dissolving gradient from bottom to top, with aperture sizes printed at full scale to ensure correct light diffusion. Multiple study models and mock test fittings preceded final fabrication.
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Black Marquina marble pairs with brushed Chardonnay gold cabinetry and Troag pendant by Foscarini
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Beyond the vestibule entrance, a backlit crystallised quartzite granite wall in polished Patagonia stone is arranged in deliberate asymmetry. Set opposite a mirror-polished surface, the configuration creates layered reflections that, in Neoh’s words, “transport visitors into another spatial realm.” The antique-finished Black Marquina marble used for the kitchen vanity and island contrasts with the brushed Chardonnay gold overhead cabinetry. Mirror-finished stainless steel appears in the vestibule passage, while matte-black customised pocket door handles punctuate other areas.
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Above Sliding timber screens with geometric patterns with concealed LED strips create adjustable ambient lighting
Sliding timber screens with geometric patterns with concealed LED strips create adjustable ambient lighting
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Above The man cave features a customised sofa beneath a Big Bang pendant by Foscarini
Above A Haller Low Cabinet by USM beneath abstract artwork, with a Mayfair Mini pendant by Vibia
The man cave features a customised sofa beneath a Big Bang pendant by Foscarini
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The condominium comprises three bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a home office, dry and wet kitchens, and a self-contained man cave designed for the owner to socialise with friends without disturbing family members. Fluted wall panels in the dining area allow adjustable luminosity, while softly illuminated sliding timber screens with geometric patterns conceal the projector screen when not in use. Camouflaged sliding panels hide areas the client prefers to keep private.
Above The man cave’s wet bar features sage-green cabinetry and a Black Marquina marble backsplash
Above Sliding timber screens with geometric patterns, with concealed LED lighting to cover up the projector screen when not in use
The man cave’s wet bar features sage-green cabinetry and a Black Marquina marble backsplash
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Above Dark timber panels wrap the home office with a 265 Small wall lamp above the Wishbone chair
Above The vestibule features backlit Patagonia quartzite with a Collar lounge chair by Wendelbo visible beyond
Dark timber panels wrap the home office with a 265 Small wall lamp above the Wishbone chair
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Furniture was sourced from local suppliers, including Xtra, Space Furniture, Studio 216 and Urban Edge, as well as international sources. The living room features a Frog lounge chair by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani, Lemante coffee tables by Kensaku Oshiro for B&B Italia, and a Beolab 18 sound column by David Lewis for B&O. Lighting includes Melt Mini wall lamps by Tom Dixon, a Levante pendant by Marco Spatti for Luceplan in the dining room, and a Big Bang pendant by Enrico Franzolini for Foscarini in the man cave. The study features a 265 Small wall lamp by Paolo Rizzatto for Flos.
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The master bedroom balances taupe panels with dark timber and bronze mirror
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Above Detail of the bedroom’s custom lighting with concealed LED strips behind perforated metal sheets
Above Custom cabinetry with concealed lighting
Detail of the bedroom’s custom lighting with concealed LED strips behind perforated metal sheets
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“My favourite part is when visitors first glimpse the origami-like light installation as the lift doors open, an almost inaudible gasp,” Neoh says. The client is pleased enough with the outcome that the two are currently discussing working together on another of his properties once vacant possession is obtained.
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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.
