By Willy Wilson | June 25, 2010
Keeping up with Pamela and Vanessa Chong - runners-up of TARA 2007
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| Gorgeous sisters: Vanessa (left) & Pamela Chong |
In year 1992, the Chong family moved into a newly developed residential area in Cheras known as Salak South Garden. Mr. Chong, together with his English wife and six children, bought a three-storey, corner lot house for his family. He acquired the land next to his house to build a bigger kitchen and three extra rooms for his children who would become teenagers soon.
Little did Mr. Chong know that 18 years later, some of the most talented entertainers in the local show business would call this place home. As faith would have it, three of his children – Vince, Vanessa and Pamela – are Malaysia’s reality TV sensations.
Vince Chong is the first reality TV star to issue from Akademi Fantasia, a popular local competition that made him a household name in the music industry.
Meanwhile, Vanessa and Pamela Chong’s journey to stardom started when they joined The Amazing Race Asia 2 (TARA 2) in year 2007. The pair, who finished right on the heels of the Singaporean winners, has since found themselves living the live of a celebrity – gracing magazine covers, giving motivational talks, endorsing numerous products, and acting in big budget Malaysian movies.
“Our journey started right here. This family house reflects us in more ways than we could ever describe,” says Vanessa of her family house. StarProperty.my chatted with the gorgeous sisters about their cosy family house, DIY home décor and property investment.
Did you join TARA 2 to break into the entertainment industry?
Pamela (P): Not at all. We joined the race because we have been such big fans of the show. Using it as a vehicle to build a career in the show business had never been on the itinerary.
Both of you have made a career in show business post-TARA 2. Share with us some highlights in your careers so far.
P: Playing Melur, a female lead role in Yasmin Ahmad’s movie, Talentime, is definitely my biggest accomplishment to date.
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| Evolution: An 18-year-old family residence is now a modern bungalow, with a lot of symmetrical accents adorning the house |
Vanessa (V): My latest movie is Kechoc Betul (out in the cinemas now). I have also acted in two telemovies entitled Cinta Lelong and 30 Hari Mengenali Cinta. More recently, I hosted a reality series, The Rookie.
But sharing two scenes with Naomi Watts and directed by Doug Liman (of Mr. & Mrs Smith fame) for a Hollywood movie entitled Fair Game has got to be the highlight of my career. I only had three lines, but it was such an awesome experience.
Impressive! Living with parents and four brothers could be too overwhelming for some people. Has it ever been an issue for you two?
P: Living under the same roof with my family has never been an issue. People often ask if it gets suffocating living with family, and I always say no. The layout of the house makes it possible for each of us (parents and six children) to have our own space.
V: Let’s just say the Chongs enjoy each other’s company [laughs].
Brief us on the layout of the house.
V: A three-storey house with seven bedrooms. The main entrance is located on the second floor, which is connected to the first and third floor by stairways.
The first floor consists of three rooms, a music room and a courtyard where my brothers play basketball. The second floor, which is where the family members meet and hang out, consists of a dining area, kitchen, living room, master bedroom and a Balinese-style garden. Meanwhile, the third floor is entirely occupied by three other bedrooms.
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| Perfect mix: A cosy English country home with Asian sensibilities |
The second floor seems to be the heart of the house. Tell us why there is no television in here.
P: Yes, the second floor is where we always gather and hang out. We decided that having television would distract us from spending some quality time as a family, especially when all of us (the children) are now adults with our own respective activities. When the craving for television kicks in – like the World Cup season – we would go to the first level, where my dad had built a TV room.
Has there been any renovation work done to this house?
P: There has been a lot of renovation work done to this house. Having a father who is an architect, our house is doomed to forever be a work-in-progress [laughs]. That being said, all the renovation works done so far have always been purpose-driven.
V: Take, for example, the kitchen. We wanted a spacious kitchen with good natural lighting and direct access to the dining and living room.
We extended the kitchen and knocked a fragment of a wall that separated the kitchen and the dining. The purpose of this renovation is to allow us to communicate with each other even when cooking. And yes, the Chongs are foodies [laughs]!
Tell us about the design and décor of the house.
P: Over the years, the design and décor concept of the house has evolved to cater to our needs. A family of eight adults would usually opt for a long dining table. But being a family that enjoys each other’s company, we chose a square dining table that would fit in eight people in close proximity.
V: In other words, the design and décor of the house truly reflects us as a family – a cosy English country home with Asian sensibilities. It has evolved into a more modern house, with a lot of symmetrical accents adorning the house.
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| Sweet and simple: A spacious kitchen with good natural lighting and direct access to the dining and living room |
But if you take a look at the interior items closely, you would realise that there is nothing elaborate about the concept. In fact, there are a lot of practical, DIY (Do-It-Yourself) creations.
What’s the best DIY creation you have come up with?
V: The bench near the bay window in the living room. It is our own little creation to give that relaxed feel to the entire house.
P: The bench is made out of two lower drawers put together, topped with two pieces of sun tanning beds. Linen cushions in brown and lemongrass colours complete that chic, summer look.
While we’re on the topic of property, share with us your thoughts on property investment.
P: Property investment is big a commitment. I think it is crucial to do our homework before deciding to commit on a purchase. Location, ROI (return on investment) and income stability should be taken into account.
V: We are actually looking into buying a property together. Although it is a big commitment, we both agree that property is definitely a worthwhile investment. We are currently doing our research on property.
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