Cover White walls, a staple of English cottage interiors, gain depth and nuance through carefully selected textures and materials like marble
White walls, a staple of English cottage interiors, gain depth and nuance through carefully selected textures and materials like marble
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IDent_3’s modern take on the classic English cottage takes full advantage of its mountainous setting in Batang Kali, Selangor
Nik Ida Juliana, founder and managing director of interior design company IDent_3, was initially quite wary about taking on this project. She admits with a laugh that she was concerned about clashing with the prospective client. For one thing, their tastes were entirely divergent: the designer favours a modernist aesthetic while the client tends towards the maximalist. Ida also notes how the client in question, Bonda Rozita, is unafraid of speaking her mind. It is no surprise that Rozita has made a career of being a strong, forthright leader: she built a business empire in the traditional wellness line.
As it turned out, though, the two immediately hit it off and found it a cinch to develop a productive working relationship. In fact, it was precisely Rozita’s open communication that helped give direction to the whole project. The result is thus an elegant blend of their different perspectives.
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Thoughtful translations
Above The dramatic barrel ceiling spanning the living and dining areas exemplifies IDent_3’s approach to bringing the soaring skies indoors
Above A kinetic banana leaf bas-relief in the foyer greets visitors with texture and movement
The dramatic barrel ceiling spanning the living and dining areas exemplifies IDent_3’s approach to bringing the soaring skies indoors
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From the outset, Rozita’s inspiration was the classic English cottage. This traditional style is all about ornate detailing, extensive use of timber, cosy nooks and crannies, and an overall sense of quaint charm. While this design vernacular is associated with affluence among Malaysians, Ida felt that it was more important to aim for something more timeless.
Ida recounts that she challenged Rozita by asking her: “Doesn’t this house deserve to stand out? Don’t you deserve more than just a standard design?” Ida eventually managed to convince Rozita to pursue a new design language that was all about reinterpreting and modifying the traditional English style.
The dining area exemplifies elegant grandeur through its majestic arched barrel ceiling
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The finishing and materials were an essential consideration in this respect. Firstly, there was the matter of the beams for the ceilings of the living, dining, and foyer. Timber would have been a fitting nod to the stylistic reference; however, this would also have been far too expensive and impractical due to its sheer weight. The solution was to opt for timber veneers from AVL Industries Sdn Bhd.
Secondly, the house features white walls, which are de rigeur in English cottage interiors; however, Ida also added nuanced variation by adding texture, for instance through the use of marble. Wall sculptures were mounted to further break up the uniformity of the white. There is no ignoring the kinetic banana leaves of the foyer’s bas-relief that greets visitors as they enter the residence.
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Utilising the “compress and release” design principle, the home features lower ceilings at entry points that open dramatically into lofty spaces, maximising the emotional impact of its interior volumes
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Carefully chosen details add to the sense of modernity. Simplified shapes predominate in the public areas. Note the elegant ovals of the bannisters. And note how the custom-made lighting plays on geometry: from the starburst configurations upstairs to the subtle ellipses of the light shades above the dining table and then to the angular lines in the kitchen.
A strong dramatic impact was made in these spaces by multiplying the number of lights. For her part, Rozita was very keen on including chandeliers for a touch of glamour. While two of these fixtures do feature in the foyer, a deliberate effort was made to tone down their extravagance: the chandeliers that were settled on have pared-down silhouettes and arrangements.
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Above In the kitchen, slanting planes reference traditional English gabled roofs while maintaining a distinctly modern sensibility
Above The landscape features tropical plants transformed into precise topiary, creating a fantastical atmosphere reminiscent of European gardens
In the kitchen, slanting planes reference traditional English gabled roofs while maintaining a distinctly modern sensibility
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The landscape design deserves a special mention. Here, tropical plants somehow transform into prim and precisely groomed topiary.
The effect is dreamlike and fanciful as if Lewis Carrol’s Alice had walked through the looking glass and found herself in Malaysia.
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Heightened effects
Above The quintessential ‘cosy nooks and crannies’ of traditional English cottage design, were reimagined through a contemporary lens
The quintessential ‘cosy nooks and crannies’ of traditional English cottage design, were reimagined through a contemporary lens
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Much of the design was guided by the site itself. Located in Batang Kali, near Genting Highlands, the 11000 sq ft property is perched on high ground and looks out onto rolling mountainous terrain.
In fact, the house owes its name to this setting: it has been dubbed Puncak, which means ‘peak’ in Malay. From this vantage point, the view is spectacular, with the wide sky and dense greenery.
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White walls, a staple of English cottage interiors, gain depth and nuance through carefully selected textures and materials like marble
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That being said, the topography did pose its own set of problems. Ida explains: “the structure couldn’t be tall and grand due to
the strong wind factor and it couldn’t sprawl expansively due to the variations in gradient and elevation.”
IDent_3 worked closely with Hafiz Arip Architect to formulate a solution. The structure would sit snugly within a hollow; from afar, it would look like a single-storey building, but upon approaching and rounding the corner, another storey would be revealed below.
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Above Custom lighting was multipled to create dramatic impact without relying on traditional chandeliers
Above Custom lighting plays with geometry like these starburst configurations
Custom lighting was multipled to create dramatic impact without relying on traditional chandeliers
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As far as the interior was concerned, the inspiration was to bring the soaring skies into the house itself. The main way this was achieved was by featuring a variety of high ceilings.
In the kitchen, there are dramatic slanting planes that are a play on traditional English gabled roofs. And then stretching across the living and dining, we find the broad-keeled barrel of the arched ceiling.
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Above The bedroom at Puncak continues the home’s elegant design language with its impressive ceiling height
Above A marble table anchors the space, its natural veining adding subtle texture
The bedroom at Puncak continues the home’s elegant design language with its impressive ceiling height
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To maximise the emotional impact of the ceilings, IDent_3 implemented a design practice known as ‘compress and release’ to emphasise contrasting volumes.
How this worked was that there were lower ceilings at entry points; these then opened up to massive, lofty spaces. Ida explains: “When the client goes in and out, it feels as if the universe and her domain are one!”
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Above The bathroom is a serene personal sanctuary that complements the breathtaking natural setting of this residence
The bathroom is a serene personal sanctuary that complements the breathtaking natural setting of this residence
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And Rozita has indeed found this home to be a proud domain. The project was such a success that Rozita went on to commission Ida to design her boutique (also in Batang Kali).
Their divergent design tastes and open communication ultimately resulted in a stunningly original piece of design work. Ida sums it up: “My favourite part of any job is when there is a strong interaction between all parties and when there is a willingness to explore new ideas.”
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