By Johnni Wong| Mar 28, 2010
Photographs courtesy of Xceptional Interiors
Penthouse with a masculine palette
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L-R:
Corridor: A pair of Chinese lattice-work cabinets and a Tibetan runner share the limelight with a modern floor lamp from Artemide.
An abstract painting by Tajuddin Ismail hangs over antique Thai angels sitting on a Tibetan cabinet. |
This penthouse unit in an exclusive part of Bangsar belongs to a former investment banker turned entrepreneur who desired “warmth and character” in its refurbishment.
After his previous penthouse unit did not turn out to be what he had expected from another interior designer, this widower who has two adult daughters living with him, had a more specific idea of what he wanted and didn’t want.
The owner took possession of the penthouse in 2006 and shortly, appointed interior designer Raymond Lee (right) of Xceptional Interiors to recommend a refurbishment plan. The designer specialises in upmarket residential properties and has undertaken many projects in multi-million ringgit properties.
Says Raymond, “I was appointed in March 2007 and the client moved in just in time for Christmas that year. He had purchased the penthouse direct from the developer, off the plans, I think sometime between 2003 and 2004.”
Currently, an identical unit is on the market and the asking price is RM7.6 million.
This duplex penthouse is one of six such units located in the low-density development called Inara on Bangsar Hill which has a total of only 22 residential units.
The penthouse has a built-up area of approximately 511sq m (5,500sq ft) excluding the spacious, upper deck garden.
The lower level (before renovation) comprises a large living room with a large terrace, powder room, three en-suite bedrooms with one that opens out to the terrace, dining room, breakfast corner, dry and wet kitchens, laundry room, maid’s room, toilet and storeroom. There is also an indoor “pool” located below the stairs.
A staircase connects the lower level to the private quarters upstairs which include the family room with an adjacent terrace, water feature and upper-deck garden. The master bedroom has a walk-through closet and dressing room that leads to the huge bathroom (shower cabin, water closet cabin and bathtub). On the upper level, there is a fourth bedroom with an attached bathroom.
This unit has a 3.4m (11-foot) high ceiling and generously sized space featuring a wide, double-landing staircase – features that are normally found in well-designed bungalows.
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L-R:
Living Room: Framed Kuba cloth from Africa provide texture, colour and sophistication to the space.
An adjoining room was opened up to make a cosy corner off the master bedroom with a daybed.
A smaller bedroom was merged with another bedroom to create a ensuite environment for the elder daughter.
Modern kitchen outfitted with the latest gadgets and accessories including Italian bar stools.
Dark textured wallpaper by Osborne & Little offer contrast to framed antique Japanese wood block prints. |
According to Raymond, the owner and his two girls liked the exclusivity, low-density and central location of the development. The penthouse units in this particular development, come with layout proportions normally only found in landed detached properties.
“Part of my brief,” says Raymond, “was to try to understand what the client’s lifestyle was really all about and how his two daughters - studying in Melbourne and London, at that time - wanted their respective space to be designed.
“The client took great pains to explain to me the different personalities of his two daughters – that these two girls had rather distinct likes and dislikes in the area of home décor.
“A visit to his then penthouse in Mont’ Kiara, also ‘informed’ me of the many design features that were not liked by the client or those that simply did not work. Most of the ID (interior design) features were very ‘textbook’ or generic in nature, and did not give the unit any personality, class or sophistication.
“The client expressed that while that penthouse’s interior was designed by a professional designer, it lacked warmth and character. Admittedly, he had left the ID development or proposal very much to the designer after the initial budget approvals, etc.”
Scope of work
Raymond’s scope of work included the design concept, planning, space re-configuration, detailed drawings for the fit-out, lighting plan, soft furnishings as well as accessories selection, artwork acquisition, kitchen design and landscaping input.
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View of the living room from the entrance foyer. The black-and-white velvet
ottoman in the foreground is by Andrew Martin. Eames screen in dark oak stands
in the corner. Floor lamp and table lamp by Artemide. |
“My involvement commenced right from the beginning after the client took possession of the unit from the developer.
“Some of the original flooring material and wall finishes were changed in the upgrade. It was essentially a bare unit without any ID embellishments. Rooms were merged. Doors sealed and spaces redefined.”
Renovation work included merging two secondary bedrooms on the lower level to form a suite with the living room and an adjoining bedroom, each with en-suite bathrooms. The original door to the third bedroom from the dining room was sealed.
While the flooring material for the main areas such as the living room was left intact - as the 61cm by 61cm (2ft by 2ft) marble slabs were perfectly good - the flooring for the terraces was replaced with black Italian tiles with an unpolished, granite-like texture.
In the kitchen, local Niro tiles were used and for the walls, Spanish mosaic tiles.The ceiling for the upper level was lowered significantly with plaster panels to give it a more intimate feel.
Clever colours
Any major challenges to overcome?
“None really,” says Raymond. “Once the client agreed on the concept, he left it very much to me. Although, of course, he was very much involved in the final selection of most of the loose furniture.”
As for the colour scheme, Raymond took into consideration that his client was a “gentleman,” so he recommended a “warm, masculine palette” of colours such as “latte, toffee, chocolate and cream accented by black.”
“While brighter colours are reflected in the choice of artwork and in the respective bedrooms of the daughters, brown is still the common binding colour throughout,” explains Raymond.
“It is important that the rooms seem to blend seamlessly from one to the other. And the clever use of colour does the job.”
Major pieces of furniture and accessories recommended by the designer and selected by the client, included:
- The Living Room: Pair of Minotti armchairs, Andrew Martin ottoman, Eames screen, Minotti coffee table, Artemide floor lamp and table lamp.
- The Dining Room: Sovet Italia dining table, Bontempi Casa leather dining chairs, ThreeSixNine side-board and Tibetan chest.
- Master Bedroom: Andrew Martin pillows and bed-end ottoman and Designers Guild armchair.
- Balcony: Outdoor furniture from Dedon and antique Indian dowry chest from Colonial Mosaic.
- Rugs: Persian, Indian, Tibetan and Afghanistan.
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| Family Room: A large painting by Attasit Aniwatchon next to a still life by Ahmad Zakii create an artistic impact. Woven leather armchairs from the Philippines add to a casual, resort-like atmosphere. Large sliding doors lead to a timber-decked terrace, water feature and upper-deck garden. |
Artworks used for this project included paintings by local artists such as Ahmad Zakii Anwar and Tajuddin Ismail as well as by Thai artists, Natee Utarit, Attasit Aniwatchon and Sutee.
Antiques and artifacts include framed Suzani shawls, Turkish embroidery as well as Indonesian and African textiles such as a Kuba cloth from Zaire.
Visitors would not fail to notice the black and brown copper-trimmed jars from Vietnam and the red lacquered Thai wooden offering boxes or “hsun oks” which were all selected by the designer.
When it comes to lighting, the dining room is equipped with remarkable lamps from LamLee, a US brand created by an American designer of Chinese descent, originally from Shanghai.
Other lighting fixtures include lamps by Artemide or were custom-made or purchased from Lightcraft.
Lest, anyone thinks that everything has been “designed” for the family, personal mementoes are displayed in specific areas of the penthouse but they were not photographed or shown in the pictures here, to protect the family’s privacy.
Needless to say, this family has been living in their new home happily ever after since moving to this professionally decorated penthouse. Money can buy happiness, if you know where to shop.
l Raymond Lee can be contacted at +6012-3988302 or e-mail: coolasian97@yahoo.com
l E-mail the writer (johnni@thestar.com.my) if you know of interesting homes to feature.
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