A modern touch
After years of neglect, a townhouse in Malacca now stands proud with the deft touch of an interior designer.
The Wai
Imet the client at an art exhibition a year or so before I was approached to take on the project. I was instinctively drawn to it as it was a project in Malacca, my hometown, and that the project site was on the same street where I was born.
As both the client and I are based in Kuala Lumpur, the help of Malacca-based architect Debbie Lee and contractor Kuah were enlisted.
I was drawn to the house not for its size (at less than 2,000sq ft on two floors, it has a relatively modest footprint in comparison to some of the grand homes on the same street), but for the possibilities that could materialise post-renovations.
The brief from the client was to create a modern contemporary interior with no superfluous details akin to the pseudoPeranakan style seen at many of the recently refurbished properties in the neighbourhood. Keeping it modern but warm and inviting was of top priority.
On the ground floor, the original fittings were gutted out, an old well terminated, sunken courtyard reclaimed and a new septic tank installed.
The archway separating the foyer and living room was left intact (the only original architectural feature of the house) and the timber trusses repaired and reused.
New polished marble slabs and granite tiles add gloss and texture to the floor.
Full height timber-framed glass sliding doors separate the dining and living room from the courtyard. The open skylight allows natural light to flood in and provides for better air circulation.
New and wider stairs with glass balustrades built on a less steep incline was added. A new fully equipped kitchen with Caesarstone counter tops allows you to whip up meals with great ease.
To reinforce the first floor and provide additional support for the new bathrooms on the first floor, cast iron I-beams had to be incorporated.
We were able to salvage at least 80% of the solid timber floor boards upstairs and all bathrooms feature wall-towall and floor-to-ceiling marble cladding for a luxurious finish.
Custom-made furnishings, hand-picked accessories from a variety of stores, Oriental rugs plus contemporary artwork from the client’s collection create the intricate layers of style, comfort and modernity for this townhouse in the Unesco-listed heritage zone of old Malacca.
When not used by the clients as their holiday home, the property is let out as a guest house.
Cover: The fully restored façade of Prive Malacca.