Home tour: A family home redesign in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, that balances tradition and innovation

The project’s clarity of vision was an achievement in itself, given that there were constraints imposed by the original building. For one thing, the 1980s architecture had a conservative, standardised feel to it; for another, it was not possible to make major structural changes, since the semi-d was connected to its neighbour on the other side.

Jason Sim, co-founder and principal architect of S/LAB 10, explains that they left the exterior largely unchanged, but did not shy away from totally gutting out the interior.

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The spatial constraints actually ended up serving as a stimulus for creativity. Sim shares that the design team gladly took on the challenge to “experiment by opening up several spaces.”

This is particularly apparent with the ground floor, where each distinct area flows gracefully into the next, and where long, unimpeded sightlines predominate. 

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S/LAB 10 took full advantage of the fact that the client’s and the parents’ houses had adjoining outdoor areas. The intervening boundary wall was removed and the resulting shared space was then transformed into the key feature of the whole design: the courtyard.

This courtyard stretches out to 75 square feet and has established itself as a natural gathering place for the whole family. The shifting natural light, the free movement of air, and the nod to nature–all work together to create a calm, welcoming mood.

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There was a clear evolution in terms of the choice of colours and materials for this project. At first, the design team suggested a more conventional palette, with bright sandy tones.

As they got to know the client better, though, they realised that it would be possible to push boundaries by employing darker shades and placing a greater emphasis on textures. The materials themselves would then be able to take centre stage.

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As Sim explains, “The application is simple–there are no overly ornamented details, which means that the characteristics of the materials such as the wood grain reveal themselves through the reflection of the light”.

He goes on to draw our attention to “the expressiveness of the natural wood finishes around the house, from the joinery to the timber blinds”.

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The juxtaposition allows for the various materials to interact in contrasting and complementary ways. The eye instantly registers the warm-hued Merbau wood of the floor, ceiling, and wall slats of the courtyard.

Beyond that, one finds the polka-dotted whimsicality of the terrazzo of the bathrooms and the staircase.

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Then in the dining room and on the walls of the stairwell, bronze mirrors introduce a sense of mystery thanks to the darker undertones that lie beneath their surface gleam.

The tesselations and reflections of the bronze and terrazzo combination in the stairwell make this area one of the highlights of the entire design. 

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Furniture was carefully chosen to create different moods. The seating options, for instance, all have distinct personalities.

The Nicchris rattan lounge chairs in the living room exude a cool retro charm with their low-slung cuboid dimensions; while the custom-made rattan chairs in the courtyard are simpler and perched upright on slender legs.

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At the bar island, the Tri-space bar stools from Case Furniture introduce a more spiky, futuristic silhouette.

A very different personality is conveyed upstairs by the demure suggestion of hourglass curves from Poltrona Frau’s Lepli ottoman.

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The balance between contrasting moods is sustained in the lighting. Another touch of whimsy is found in the living room’s Stellar floor lamp from Pulpo. Nestled in the corner of the room, the Stellar’s grape cluster of bulbs light up with a quirky, otherworldly glow.

In the dining room, the Glasgow 9 pendant light is more austere and precise, with its nine smoked-glass spheres in a confident starburst formation.

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Other pieces add their accent notes. Some are more eye-catching, like the coffee table in the living room. This piece of Patagonia quartzite was assembled locally with a PVD-finish base and dominates the space with its curves and splashes of black and grey on white.

The rugs from Flying Carpet Bangsar KL create a more subdued effect—these invite closer inspection with their speckles, shimmers, and striations of subtle colours.

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