Cover The open-plan dining and kitchen area demonstrates how micro-cement unifies the floor and wall surfaces
The open-plan dining and kitchen area demonstrates how micro-cement unifies the floor and wall surfaces
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In Selangor, The Grid Studio uses micro-cement and crafted stone to rework a standard developer house for a young family seeking calm, grounded interiors
In the suburban development of Eco Ardence, roughly 25 kilometres west of Kuala Lumpur, a standard developer bungalow has been pared down to the basics. The 3,175-square-foot house, redesigned by Deacon Loi of The Grid Studio, started with enclosed rooms, basic finishes, and little natural light.
The clients, a young family, found Loi’s work online. They were drawn to his studio’s ability to balance refined detailing with what he calls “raw, grounded materiality. They wanted spaces that felt calming and grounded, qualities that would recede into the background during daily life. The existing four-bedroom structure had rooms partitioned in ways that blocked light and restricted movement. It was functional but unremarkable, the kind of layout replicated across dozens of similar developments.
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A bonsai installation sits at the base of the staircase, framed by vertical steel slats and micro-cement columns
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Loi noticed something during his first site visit. Sunlight created a sharp highlight on one wall in the living area. That became his starting point: a home built around how natural light moves across surfaces chosen for texture rather than decoration. The concept developed through layering what he describes as “deliberate proportions, muted tones, and textural contrast”, forming a path that guides you from one space to another.
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Above Micro-cement floors extend through the entry, where vertical steel slats frame the staircase
Above Micro-cement panels frame the television niche with its textured stone base and recessed dark display shelving
Micro-cement floors extend through the entry, where vertical steel slats frame the staircase
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The renovation reworked nearly every interior space. Walls came down to improve circulation and pull daylight deeper into the plan. The house has a living and dining area, a wet and dry kitchen, four bedrooms, and multiple bathrooms. There was no pool to begin with, and none was added. The most significant intervention is a monolithic kitchen island made from crafted stone. The mass anchors the open living areas. “The crafted stone kitchen island is a personal favourite,” Loi says. “It anchors the entire space as a sculptural, functional, and emotional centrepiece."
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The dining and kitchen area showcases the balance between micro-cement surfaces, timber cabinetry, and the crafted stone island
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Micro-cement covers walls, floors, and select ceiling surfaces. The material, which needs careful application to avoid visible joints, creates what Loi calls a “cocoon-like softness” while keeping architectural lines clear. Timber cabinetry adds warmth without disrupting the muted palette. There are no visible handles. Shadow gaps and recessed joints make surfaces appear to float.
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Above The stone island’s smooth top surface contrasts with its textured, hand-worked base
Above Natural light catches the irregular texture of the crafted stone island's hand-worked surface
The stone island’s smooth top surface contrasts with its textured, hand-worked base
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Concealed lighting washes walls in soft gradients rather than spotlighting specific areas. The approach draws attention to material texture: the granular quality of micro-cement, the veining in stone. Loi and his team moved the stone island around on site multiple times to align its profile with lighting shadows. Each material was chosen to work with the others, creating balance without what Loi calls “visual noise.”
Above The wet kitchen corridor features micro-cement walls and concealed linear lighting
The wet kitchen corridor features micro-cement walls and concealed linear lighting
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The technical work was exacting. Getting seamless micro-cement finishes across different surfaces and where cabinetry meets walls took precision. The material requires exact mixing and application. Any inconsistency shows. Custom steel framing marks transitions between spaces but remains subtle. Hand-worked micro-cement curves soften corners. The stone island, cut to appear to float above the floor, required exact measurements at its base.
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A backlit textured stone feature wall anchors the bedroom with dramatic gradient lighting
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Furniture from Ambient Living maintains clean forms that quietly occupy space. Unicraft, a Malaysian artisan workshop, made the custom stone elements and textured feature walls. Their work gave Loi the sculptural qualities he wanted. Every detail was designed to look effortless but came from careful planning: shadow gaps and recessed joints to create weightlessness, concealed lighting lines that wash walls in natural gradients, seamless cabinetry, and hand-crafted micro-cement curves.
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The bathroom pairs veined marble walls with a timber floating vanity and freestanding tub
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Green initiatives were not part of the original brief but made practical sense. Bringing in more natural light cuts daytime electricity use. Durable materials like micro-cement, solid timber, and stone need little maintenance or replacement. Energy-efficient lighting lowers running costs. The clients wanted natural ventilation and brightness, which suited the design approach.
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Timber cabinetry wraps the bedroom with a backlit textured stone accent panel
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The clients say the finished home feels more spacious than its square meterage suggests. The materials create a sense of calm, which they describe as grounding. The kitchen island has become the centre of their daily routine: a work surface that also serves as a gathering point. While time constraints stopped him from developing more bespoke furniture pieces for this house, something he would have liked to pursue. Still, the project achieves its purpose: transforming a generic structure into a home where light, proportion, and restrained materials are intentional.
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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.
