3 Ways to Deal with Home Renovation Stress

by Lanny Ho

Do you have a home renovation coming up? Are you worried about how it could affect you mentally? Your worries are valid. The process of renovation usually (if not always) brings about a high level of stress and anxiety. And it is because it is a process that suddenly disrupts the everyday routine that you are used to. On top of that, your house is likely in a huge mess, you have a bunch of decisions that need to be made all at once and you have to experience the pain of seeing money fly out your pockets at every turn. If you are going through this process with your partner, you may also be worried about it putting a lot of stress on the relationship. You don’t want to go through all the tense arguments and let something that’s supposed to bring you more joy really test the limits of your relationship and your sanity instead. 

So then, how can one deal with this challenging obstacle in the way of your dream space. How can one properly compartmentalize the decisions that need to be made from most urgent to least urgent? How can you function normally with all the inconveniences that you have to face? 

First and foremost, you need to remember that the end result of all the stress you are dealing with is the joy of a reinvented home space that accommodates your tastes and lifestyle. A home space where it’s not only aesthetically pleasing to you and your family but also functions in a way that makes your life easier. The best part is also the renewed love and joy you will hold for your home once the renovation has been completed. So keep your mind focused on the great things you will gain after everything. But just in case you lose your mind during the process, here are some things you can do to help deal with it:

ACCEPT & ACKNOWLEDGE

We must always accept and acknowledge the problems we face as part of the process. 

It is important to recognise that the stress we face during the process of renovation is normal. It is completely fine to feel stressed out or overwhelmed by the experience when the time comes but remember that stress is just another part of life. We deal with it more than we like but it is something we are actually quite accustomed to. When we were young, we typically stressed about our studies, or perhaps, sometimes about a fight with a friend. As we grow older, we start to stress about our work and money. And when the time comes for us to do a home renovation, we also stress about it. We constantly seek reassurance. Is this the right colour? Am I getting the value I paid for? Will the material that was chosen give a nice finish to the look? But again, it’s normal. We stress about similarly structured questions on a daily basis. Think of the renovation process this time around as the stress you normally experience but packaged differently. It isn’t an extra burden on your life but rather something that you need to get through to achieve your goals. And in this case, your goal would be your dream home. 

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Take things one step at a time. We understand that it can be overwhelming while you’re getting through the renovation process because of all the decisions you have to make. The more renovations that have to be done, the more stress you have from the added amount of decisions you have to make. 

From the first consultation to the end of the project, how in the world will you be able to make all the decisions? Think back what’s the most important functionality or aspect in the design that you have envisioned and start from there. What is it that you absolutely must have in this particular space? How should it look? Which of the elements are not as important to you? If you’re renovating multiple rooms in your home, then start with the room that matters most to you then end with the least important. If you can’t decide which one is more important to you, try to think about which room you will most likely frequent the most. For example, if you work from home, it would be your home office. Try to break things down in a way that you can follow. If you’re unsure about something, you can always ask your interior designer or any consultant that you are working with. 

Once you complete making individual decisions, see how they look put together and make adjustments from there based on the 3D drawing your designer provides you with. Make as many changes as you need to prior to the design’s confirmation. There’s no rush. Remember, YOU are the one who decides, YOU are the one paying for it, and in the end, YOU will be the one living in this space. The designer is only there to help you bring your dream to life. Ultimately, the power is in your hands. So relax and take your time to decide what suits you best. One step at a time. 

(But do it BEFORE your final design has been decided)

BUDGETING THE BUDGET’S BUDGET

The headache gets bigger and tougher to endure when money is involved. All the calculations on costs and deliberations on whether you will be getting the value that you paid for. Trying to make the numbers make sense while making sure that you get what you want without spending more than you can afford to pay for. Deciding on what your budget is and how much you are going to spend is going to largely influence the quality of the experience you go through during the process. Budgeting can also be one of the worst parts of the renovation process for a couple to go through. 

The most important part of managing stress while you are budgeting is to be clear on what you want and how much you’re willing to put out for it since the very beginning. If you are renovating with a partner, then the clarity of what you want needs to be aligned and thoroughly discussed with your partner. Think about these questions. How much do you have saved up in the bank? How much of that amount will be used for other funds or commitments (for example, credit card payments, loans, other bills, etc)? How much have you saved up or put aside for the actual renovation itself? You must understand how much you have and where everything is going.

Also, consider setting up a contingency fund that could catch you if you fall when (and only when) renovation issues arise during the process. 

4 Guides to Achieve Your Dream Bedroom

by Lanny Ho

Your bedroom should be your place of escape. The sanctuary that you run away to at the end of the day. The ideal place for your very own personal getaway. Our bedroom is where we sleep to rest and recuperate at the end of the day and is the first space we experience when we wake up whether or not it is a good or a bad day. And sometimes, we may even eat there. It is an extremely personal space, especially when compared to any other spaces in the household as it should be the reflection of the person who resides in it. 

It is important for us to be able to go to our bedrooms to recharge and get away from all the external stress factors in our lives. Therefore, it is crucial for our bedrooms to be both functionally and aesthetically pleasing for us to feel comfortable and at home in our private space.

As the bedroom is a very personal space, the perfect dream bedroom for each individual will vary depending on their lifestyle, personal preferences and so on. Thus, there is NO one formula to the perfect bedroom. The most important thing is for the owner of the bedroom to decide what they would want their bedroom to look and feel like, what should be included and many more. That is why this article will not tell you what YOUR ideal bedroom would look like but instead aim to provide you guidance on how you can achieve your DREAM BEDROOM space. 

A MOOD

Your dream bedroom should definitely be able to pass your personal vibe check before it can really be considered your very own “Dream Bedroom”. That is why the first step is obviously to ask yourself what you want your personal bedroom space to look or feel to get an initial image in your head as a way to get yourself started. 

Ask yourself these questions: How do I want the bedroom to feel when I enter it? Should it be airy and dreamy, simple but luxurious, or moody and sexy? Are there any specific elements of functions that you want your room to have to accommodate your lifestyle?

For example, if you are someone who does a lot of makeup, you may want a huge vanity table to be able to make your face up comfortably. How much storage space would you need to keep all your personal belongings whilst not making your bedroom look as if it is overwhelmed by clutter? What makes you feel the most comfortable? 

Try exploring these questions on your own first before deciding to proceed with any decisions. 

CHOICE OF COLOUR

Thinking back to the initial image that you have in mind in your head for your bedroom design, ask yourself what colour would best convey the image that you had in mind. 

If you don’t have the slightest clue as to what kind of colours you can start to consider, interior designers would usually recommend subtle and soothing colours of monochromatic tones for bedrooms because it is supposed to be a restful and peaceful sanctuary for the room owner. It isn’t recommended for bedrooms to be styled with bold primary colours.

Based on colour theory, the colours that would convey the calm, serene, and soothing feels that would promote a restful and peaceful environment would be gentle hues of lavender, blue or green. It is also recommended to include colours that lean towards the more neutral, soft, or more muted shades. Like, opting for a navy blue instead of a navy blue when choosing deep shades for your room.

Apart from that, another good choice of colours for a cozy and comforting bedroom is Rick Jewel-Toned colours which help set the perfect bedroom mood. For example, topaz, browns, or deep pomegranate colours. If you already have your own set of “favorite colours”, perhaps you can use those but in more toned-down versions. 

As you may be able to gather by now, commonly recommended colours for bedrooms are not too loud so that the person who owns the bedroom will actually be able to get some rest. 

THE RIGHT SIZED FURNITURE

While it is important to find furniture that looks good, it is equally important (if not more important) to find furniture that can actually FIT your bedroom. You don’t want to go through all the trouble of getting all those beautiful bedroom pieces (that may or may not cost A LOT), only to find out that it can’t fit into the space it was meant to be in. So please remember this ladies and gentlemen, furniture should fit the room that it occupies. This is especially emphasised when it comes to bedrooms that are not very big but still want to look well-balanced overall. 

If possible, it would be good to get a floor plan or a measured drawing of your bedroom space. Don’t choose a bed or wardrobe that is too large or heavy for your small bedroom. Choose to put what is important into your private sanctuary. If your bedroom is large, you could also add little pieces here and there to let the room look a little more balanced. And, make sure that the furniture and accessories you choose for a bigger bedroom are not TOO small so it won’t look out of place in the large space. 

Your bedroom should only have the things that you REALLY need.  You have Marie Kondo your furniture choices! Choose what fits and choose what brings you joy. Throw away any ideas for the furniture that may not bring you as much joy. For example, the BASIC thing to have in a bedroom is a bed (obviously), a dresser, and perhaps a chair. Anything else could potentially be unnecessary clutter that will only serve to make your life more difficult than it needs to be.

LIGHT IT UP!

The more sources of lighting that you have in your bedroom, the better it is for your eyes and the finishing look or mood of your dream bedroom. 

There is the idea of “layering” your lighting options throughout your dream bedroom. Think about different lightings that can be used for different purposes. For example, (1) ambient lighting that can help light up the whole space, (2) small focus lights that can act as small lamps for reading or other activities, (3) accent lights that can help soften the illumination of the wall’s colours, and (4) natural lighting to make the room look bigger, lighter and airier. It is ideal for the lights to be adjustable from dim to bright or bright to dim. You could also install separately on and off controls to control which light you want to leave on in the bedroom area selectively. 

Wet vs Dry Bathroom

by Lanny Ho

If your bedroom is your sanctuary, your bathroom is where you can be FREE. You don’t have to worry about what you’re wearing, or how you sound as you serenade your faithful fan (usually a.k.a. The Showerhead) or how long you’re taking reading whatever it is that you like to read. 

Your bathroom is also where you spend a majority of your time giving yourself self-care and prepare yourself to face the rest of your day or unwind from it. 

And, if you are looking into how to renovate your bathroom space, you may have come across the idea of a wet vs dry bathroom concept. It’s possible that you may be thinking, “is this just another way for rich people to make themselves feel richer?”.

Well, the answer is NO. There’s a reasoning behind designing bathrooms in a way that sections the dry zones off from the wet zones. It is more than just looking to chase the “luxurious” looking lifestyle with a fancy-schmancy bathroom concept. It is about increasing or maximizing the functionality of a bathroom without having to sacrifice the aesthetics of ideal bathroom space.

WET VS DRY BATHROOM

In this article, you will learn what is the wet zone, the dry zone, and why it is so important to separate those two. You can also find out what kind of alternative concepts you can have aside from a wet and dry one. 

To start off let’s learn about what each of the terms are referring to.

THE WET ZONE?

What is the wet zone? The wet zone is referring to the zone where most bathroom activities that involve water typically occurs. For example, it is where you will have your shower or bathtub. You would usually also have a towel rack nearby as well. 

THE DRY ZONE?

What is the dry zone? The dry zone is referring to the zone where the more common activities typically take place. For example, the toilet or the vanity area. This is the zone where you, your family, as well as your house guests will be using. Because of that, it is important to keep it dry and hazard free so that none of you will have to go through the hassle of wiping your feet every time you use the toilet. 

WHY ARE WET & DRY ZONES DESIGNED TO BE SEPARATED?

Improved safety: Separation of wet and dry zones can help you protect not only you but everyone who uses your bathroom. This is especially important and relevant to households with the elderly or young children because their motor skills may not be the most agile and thus, they are more prone to slipping hazards. Using the traditional bathroom design, water will almost always splash everywhere during and after shower or bath. And after the bath, the entire floor would be wet with water causing it to be slippery and become a slipping hazard. You won’t have to worry as much about this issue if you separate the two zones in your bathroom as it is the relatively safer option. 

Improved functionality: Simply by separating the wet and dry zones, the functionality of your household’s bathroom can be increased. It means that while one family member takes a long shower, other household members could be in the dry zone to brush their teeth or wash their face and perhaps even go to the toilet without worrying about bothering each other. 

Convenient and clean: When you separate the wet zone and dry zone in your bathroom, you can also make it more convenient for you to clean your bathroom areas. The traditional bathroom design that merges both the dry and wet zones is typically designed in a way that would be very humid. And in this case, the high humidity is not a good thing. When the air in the bathroom is more humid, it also means that it creates the ideal environment for bacteria to breed and multiply all over the bathroom.

The worst part is, you can even see them most of the time but they’re there. Due to this, the traditional bathroom requires more frequency and time to clean it and ensure that the bacteria will not take over the bathroom. The separation of these zones helps block moisture from accumulating and contains the water within the wet area only. This effectively keeps the dry zone dry, thus, inhibits the growth of moisture and bacteria greatly. That is why the separation makes it easier for house owners to clean a dry and wet concept bathroom. 

Extend the life of sanitary items: Similar to how the separation can help make it more convenient for house owners to clean their bathrooms, it also helps extend the life of the sanitary ware that is usually kept in the bathroom through blocking moisture from entering the dry zone. This prevents cabinets (which may be made of wood) from corroding. There are usually also electrical appliances in the bathroom that would break if exposed to high humidity and moisture for an extended period of time. Thus, the length of their service life would significantly be reduced. 

ALTERNATIVE: THE WET ROOM?

However in order to achieve a separated dry vs wet concept for your bathroom, you would need to have enough room for one. So what can you do if you can’t have a dry and wet concept bathroom? You have a wet room instead! Designing your bathroom with a wet room approach is quite favourable for those who have small bathrooms. Other than that, a common solution is utilising enclosed shower cubicles. 

But, what is a wet room? A wet room refers to an open-plan bathroom where there is drainage placed in the floors so that the whole room can be used as a shower area. As in, the whole entire room has to be tiled, designed to be waterproof with top-their plumbing and drainage. Therefore, it is completely safe to have no shower screen and to allow water to splash into the room. How does that work? There is actually a special waterproof wet room shower tray below the tiles which functions to drain water away as quickly and effectively as possible. 

It is also amazing for those who have household members that may be facing mobility issues as the floors will be completely level with the rest. 

Of course, small bathrooms are not the only ones who can have a wet room. Bigger ones can too! Furthermore, it can be installed anywhere (whether it’s upstairs or downstairs). Plus, it requires less maintenance and cleaning than usual.

What Malaysian Homeowners Should Know: The 5 Zones Kitchen

by Lanny Ho

Have you ever heard of a 3 Zone Kitchen? If yes, then THROW the 3 ZONE/kitchen triangle approach to kitchen design OUT OF HERE because that is OLD NEWS. Learn about what a kitchen designed with the 5 ZONES approach is capable of instead. It is the latest approach that interior designers utilize to optimize space and maximise convenience for homeowners.

Through the 5 ZONES kitchen approach, each element in a kitchen design should be put there with a purpose and that purpose is only to make YOUR life easier. Remember the two key factors that make a 5-ZONE approach kitchen better than any other: (1) Quality of Motion and (2) Storage Optimisation. Designers will also design based on specific needs of the client AND still integrate the 5-ZONES approach so that there is still a high level of flexibility in aesthetics and design function.

Due to the recent pandemic, many Malaysians have actually homecooks themselves. Without realising, they may have transformed their idea of a kitchen space from one to heal the stomach to one that heals the soul instead. It isn’t as pragmatic anymore and many use cooking as a way to relax or an opportunity to enjoy their time at home. Open-concept kitchens (connected to either their living rooms or dining rooms or BOTH) are especially popular right now. Therefore, it is increasingly important to many homeowners everywhere that their kitchen space is one where they can cook, dine and feel entertained while doing so. This gives rise to the 5 ZONES approach to kitchen design. 

WHAT ARE THE 5 ZONES? 

The 5 Zones are literally five zones that are designed to be closely connected work zones that give a kitchen a workflow that is both intuitive and convenient. The way in which the zones are situated in relation to one another is crucial to determine the efficiency in which a kitchen user and their household members can move and work around the space in the kitchen. 

The 5 Zones are the; (1) Cleaning, (2) Consumable, (3) Non-Consumable, (4) Preparation, and (5) Cooking Zones. 

CLEANING ZONE

What is part of the Cleaning Zone? The dishwasher and sink are parts of the cleaning zone. This is the zone you can consider a “wet zone.” It can be where waste storage or waste separation is done and a place to store household cleaning supplies and utensils. 

What is important? Designers and homeowners must make sure that there is sufficient space to store cleaning utensils and agents in the Cleaning Zone. Pull-outs under the skin basin can help make this zone more convenient and better organised. Orgaline inner dividing systems are recommended. 

CONSUMABLE ZONE

What is part of the Consumable Zone? The Consumable Zone is where food is stored. Anything that must be replenished over time can be stored in this zone. For example, items for cooking or baking. This zone includes space for these items to be refrigerated as well as items to be kept at room temperature. This is a zone where the closed packages are stored (Open packages would usually be placed in the Preparation Zone instead). 

What is important? Designers and homeowners should ensure that the food can be easily and conveniently accessed when planning this zone. Not only that, one must also determine the amount of storage space that is required depending on one’s consumption habits. For example, if you are a household owner who consumes a lot because of your large household, then you would need more storage. You can add adjustable inner dividing systems to make this zone more easily organised and wider view. 

NON-CONSUMABLE ZONE

What is part of the Non-Consumable Zone? The Non-Consumable Zone is where cutlery, dinnerware, and glasses are stored. Basically, it is where you store things that are non-consumable (things you can’t eat or non-food items). 

What is important to note? It would be ideal for the designer and homeowner to situate this zone near a dishwasher for more convenience. The storage items in the Non-Consumable Zone typically takes up more or less a third of the overall storage items in the kitchen. Due to the amount of items in this zone, it is important for us to arrange the items depending on the frequency of use. For example, putting them in a lower cabinet for it to be easier to reach. 

PREPARATION

What is the Preparation Zone? The Preparation Zone is where the utensils that are typically used for food preparation is kept. For example, chopping boards, knives, oils, herbs, trays and so on. It is also where some open foodstuffs are placed because they are the ones that are most often used when making food preparations. This is also where the most of the work is done in the kitchen. This area is typically placed between the sink and the hob. 

What is important to note for the Preparation Zone’s design? Designers and homeowners can utilize pull-out drawers in this zone to make sure that the utensils needed can be easily and quickly reached to put on top of the worktop countertop. Apart from that, it is also important for this area to be of sufficient size for enough space to work in as well as ensuring that it is well lit so that the preparation process can be done with more ease. The recommended size of this zone is 90cm in width. 

COOKING

Finally, what is the Cooking Zone? The Cooking Zone is where the pots, pans, and cooking utensils are all located. The oven, microwave, extractor and hob are also usually placed in this zone. From the name of the zone itself, it is without a doubt the zone where you will do all your cooking. 

What is important to take note regarding the Cooking Zone’s design? It is a good idea for designers and homeowners to keep the cooking zone near that hob (which is the built in stove top) in order to ensure that the pots and pans are within reach and can be quickly placed onto the cooking area. It is best if the cooking utensils that are most often used by the home cook are placed near the hob for quick and easy reach. If the homeowner is one that bakes very often, it is recommended for baking sheets and baking accessories to be placed near the oven for the homeowner’s baking needs. 

Contact Favourite Livin for more details. Thanks for reading.

2 Unique Home Designs that are Lesser Known in Malaysia

by Lanny Ho

Have you ever seen or heard how interior design experts describe different kinds of unique home designs with words like Contemporary, Industrial, Minimalist, etc and wonder…

What in the world are these people on about?! Well, you’re not alone. The skill to distinguish between different types of design styles (like many other things in life) isn’t exactly something we humans are just born with. And, with an overwhelming amount of unique design styles out there, it can be intimidating to try and learn about them at first. But of course, if you take the time to learn, it is possible that you could even create your own unique dream style. 

But what about the terms that interior designers here in Malaysia may not use as often? Are you interested to learn about 2 of these unique styles? Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover an interior design style that just… clicks with you. 

Here is a list of 2 Unique Home Designs that are Lesser Known in Malaysia: 

Asian Zen

Asian Zen is definitely a term that is more uncommonly used in Malaysia, which can be baffling because well… We’re Asian! It is a design style that integrates unique layers with a minimalist feel. The style utilizes organic materials as furniture and LOTS of natural lighting to achieve a light, airy, and open feeling (as if it’s the ultimate oasis). Visually, Asian Zen strives for balance to promote peace and tranquility in space. 

There are a few key features that contribute to the aesthetics of Asian Zen, which are; soothing colours, organic materials, natural lighting, clean lines, minimal clutter, and hidden storage. We’ll explain a little about specific features below. 

As the Asian Zen-style strives for tranquility and peace, colours shades and combinations that can calm the mind and soul is essential. Typically, soft neutral colours and white are used for larger elements of the space. To add visual depth to space, darker colours are usually used as accent elements. But that doesn’t mean bright colours are completely out of the question in this style.

To add these brighter elements – think the kind of colours you would notice to be naturally present in nature. For instance, colours of birds, flowers, plants, etc. Ultimately, there shouldn’t be too much colour for this style because less is more. 

Asian Zen decor also strives to allow natural light to flow around the spaces. In conditions where this may be difficult to achieve, artificial light can also be used to replicate the effects of natural light. Such as, allowing the option to control the intensity of the light levels in the room – to imitate the way the sun rises and sets. Or, the use of candles can also be a suitable zen light source.

When you saw “minimalist”, you might have thought “oh no! How am I going to arrange my belongings without ruining the look of the rooms?” Fret not, you just have to be realistic. Hidden and optimized storage is another key feature of achieving the Asian Zen aesthetic. You would definitely need an abundance of space to store bits and pieces of things here and there. A good recommendation is built-in storage, which can blend into the space almost seamlessly.

Think of words like, “blending in”, “multi-purpose”, and “clever”. These words can give you the idea of how you can integrate functionality with the aesthetics of Asian Zen decor.  

Hamptons Style

We talked about an Asian styled interior, now we’re going to dive into one that is heavily influenced by its Western roots. A Hamptons style interior is one that feels like a breath of fresh air. It is bright, fresh and airy originating from areas near the coastline contributing to its coastal vibes.

It is considered a classic style of interior design inspired by homes from the Long Island regions (known as The Hamptons). And, honestly, it’s about time Malaysians started picking up on this style of interior designing.

A little backstory about this style is that “The Hamptons” is referring to farming and fishing settlements during the times before the mid-to-late 19th century. The homes back then were put together with modest, quality materials to survive the conditions of their location. Examples of these townships were Montauk, Southampton or Sag Habor.

These settlements later became vacation hotspots after the introduction of train tracks in Southampton. As it grew in popularity, the wealth of its people grew alongside their beautiful summer homes that reflect their carefree, coastal style lifestyle. The Hamptons Style has, of course, evolved over the years and is now how we see it today.

Relaxed, bright, whitewashed yet beachy vibe. 

The features typically found in the Hamptons Style aesthetics are natural textures, wainscoting, window seats, shaker-style cabinets, quality materials, elegance, and chic outdoor furniture.

Remembering that the Hamptons Style should be bright, airy and light. The colours in the Hamptons style palette are typically whites, neutrals, yellows and greens. A commonly recommended combination these colours would be implementing layering of different shades of coastal blues or  pairing warm neutral colours with coastal blues. The classic Hamptons look would be cream colour with hints of black accents or black with hints of bronze or white accents. 

Quality and natural textures and materials for the household furniture, tools, and other elements are also a main focus. The use of stone or timber to add the textured look. Others also include leather, linen, cotton or wool. Imagine white or cream walls filled with classic works of art, timber floors with rugs and furniture and the sight of soft greens and teal on homewares that have been carefully curated. Another example of typical Hampton style visual textures are chequered fabrics, pinstripe designs or pink gingham. 

Another detail that is crucial to note is the care put into finding ways to light the room. It is important to have a mix of floor and table lamps in order to make sure that the home has multiple sources of lights. Traditionally shaped pendant lights are the commonly suggested lighting aesthetic.

Natural lighting is not as much a focus in this style but instead emphasizes soft lighting that is not too harsh on the interior (which can be caused by direct lighting). Another popular lighting option in this style are sconces and wall lights. A method of the household members to dim the lights for intimate moments or occasions is also a nice touch for this look. 

Thanks for reading.

3 Common Renovation Myths Debunked that Malaysians Must Know

by Lanny Ho

It’s not everyday you get to renovate your home so it’s understandable that your knowledge about the craft is near to zero. But like many things, there’s always pre-conceived ideas we’ve gathered from one of those “he said she said” situations or just popular marketing schemes spreading false information. 

It is incredibly crucial for a homeowner who plans to embark on any scale of home remodeling projects to fully understand the kind of processes that would be involved. The reasons behind the importance of researching and properly understanding the processes should be glaringly obvious. Renovations tend to require you to invest a large amount of your time, energy and, of course, money, varying depending on the options you decide to go for (Ie. interiors require more money and significantly less amount of your time and effort but contractors would require less money and significantly more amount of your time and effort). 

In this article, we want our fellow Malaysians to become a little more aware of common misconceptions surrounding the act of renovations. So without further ado, let’s debunk some misleading home common renovations myths! Here are 3 Common Renovation Myths Debunked that Malaysians Must Know!

DIY saves money

This myth is considered one of the most widespread misconceptions regarding renovation.

The thought of doing your home renovation is definitely a terrifying yet invigorating concept in any way or form. Sure, there are things you can “do yourself” but that doesn’t mean it can be done well. It is definitely satisfying to admire images or watch videos displaying other people’s DIY projects, the before and afters, and even the process is entertaining. While observing this as a bystander, you don’t realise how much commitment it takes to remodel your own kitchen. Not to mention, how dangerous it could be if you are not doing it correctly or are not equipped with the right tools or materials. 

The reason why there are professionals who dedicate their career life to creating aesthetically pleasing yet functional spaces for you is because the task requires an expert eye with high proficiency and expertise in the field. They are there to save us our money, our times, our effort, and add value to our lives and our home in whatever way they can through the renovation process. 

If you were to do-it-yourself, you would need to ensure that you spend countless hours of your own time and effort on research upon research on the who, what, when, where, whys and hows of renovation. Even then, you likely won’t be able to produce quality work because you were not trained to do so. 

So don’t try to impress anyone by doing-it-yourself, WOW them with professionally done, beautiful and high quality interiors instead. In the long-run, you’d see how much money you’re saving on repairs or malfunctions in your home. 

You don’t need any permits

For Malaysians, the thought of permits probably don’t even cross their minds when doing renovations. But, if it comes up, most of us probably think there isn’t a need for permits when trying to do renovations because well… the topic rarely comes up at all! The truth is for certain renovations in Malaysia, there may be permits required to be passed before the project can proceed. If not, the government literally has the right to pull a “Ctrl-Z” on your whole project even after it has been completed. Trust me, you wouldn’t want THAT to happen. Especially after spending all the time and money on it. 

Much of our lives have laws that govern it, but we just don’t notice because of how these laws have already been imprinted and ingrained into our systems. We treat these laws as the norm, as if it’s normal and most of our lives, we probably never question them. 

The act of renovating our homes would mean “to change the whole look of the surroundings” or “affect how others are able to use the property.” Therefore, the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 has detailed what is allowed and not allowed for renovations. Failure to comply with the laws can result in large fines, demolishing of your renovated property, and difficulties when trying to put your house up for sale in the future. 

That is why you really MUST double, triple, quadruple check whether or not you are allowed to be renovating in a certain way before proceeding. Check out this article we found to help you get an idea of what to look out for: Click here

It is expensive to go green

This is a juicy one! A majority of people still think that going green is unreasonably expensive and not worth investing in when renovating their homes. That could not be more far from the truth. Green technology can still be considered quite new when compared to the traditional and conventionally used technology but it HAS been around for a number of years. We want you to understand that going green is an investment. It can actually save you money in the long run. 

As suggested by the U.S. Department of Energy, when you are shopping for appliances, you should consider two separate costs. (1) The cost at the point of purchase of the appliance and (2) The cost of utility during the lifetime of the appliance once it has been purchased. For many years to come, you will be coughing up money to cover for the second cost of the appliance every single month. That is why when you’re purchasing an appliance you should also consider how energy efficient it is. A good way to identify an energy efficient appliance is through the “ENERGY STAR” logo. 

It is even possible for you to power your entire home with a solar panel due to the advancements of technology. Although the cost would be in the range of RM50,000, you could sell any excess energy that you have accumulated with the panel you have installed to offset your costs.

This is made possible with the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff. Depending on your usage, it has been estimated to take as little as 4 years to up to 11 years to pay-off your installation costs. In just 4 years! Then after that, it’s just profiting from selling the excess energy your home is producing. If you are interested, you can apply to be a Feed-In Approval Holder (FiA) by visiting the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program by Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia. 

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For now, that is all the myths we will be debunking for this article. We should always question the things we read online and confirm the facts or reliability of the sources that are presented to us. We hope that you were able to learn something new about renovations and also about our beloved nation, Malaysia. Thank you for reading. 

5 Home Renovation Guides for Beginners in Malaysia

Top 5 Home Design Trends of 2021 in Malaysia

by Lanny Ho

Are you wondering how you can keep up with the times with your home renovation or decoration? Do you want to revamp your home with the latest trends? Lucky for you, our affiliated interior designers gave their thoughts on the trends they think will be prevailing in Malaysia, 2021. Here are the top 5 must-see Home Design Trends of 2021 in Malaysia.

Open Concept Kitchens

You may have seen open concept kitchens in Western films. But, in Malaysia, open-concept kitchens are still relatively new. A reason why this design has been increasingly popular in Malaysia is because of how stylish and luxurious it looks in a home. Not only that, the way it is structured can provide your home space with more fluidity and functionality. Furthermore, it’s also great at facilitating social interaction among the household members. It gives your home a spacious feeling accompanied with more natural lighting entering the space. 

Nowadays, many young folks have an increasingly busy lifestyle, some managing their own businesses and many more. Open kitchen concepts are a great fit for these kinds of household owners (ones with a busy lifestyle). It can act as a space to prepare your meals, eat your meals, keep an eye on your children (if they’re at the living room), and even a space to get some work done.

On top of that, you can keep your TV on for background noise while you work OR catch up on your favourite shows or current news while you prepare and enjoy your meals without having to watch it on a small screen or struggle to hear what the people on the TV are saying. 

Earth Tones

Another trend likely to rise in 2021 amongst Malaysians is Earth Tones. Earth Tone patterns are emerging as one of the interior design colour trends of 2021 in Malaysia because the shades not only give spaces a nice warm feeling but also a sense of connection to the great outdoors. Given the situation with the pandemic, many people would unconsciously be seeking more warm tones and connectivity in designs due to many of the restrictive conditions at these difficult times. It gives you a homey feeling and makes you feel safe. 

Design elements and furniture that replicate the patterns of plants, wood, and other natural elements can create a calm and soothing environment similar to the outdoors. Especially since we’re spending a lot of time indoors at home nowadays, a replicated feeling of the outdoors is very welcomed by many. 

For those who love more bold colours, you don’t have to sacrifice your love for straying from the “safe” or neutral tones with pops of colour and sprinkle of personality here and there. You can also opt for some black doors, burnt orange sofas, peacock paintings, or Chinese inspired tables or cabinets. 

Multifunctional Spaces

With many people affected by these uncertain times, working and learning from home have been mostly unavoidable by many in these situations. Therefore, multifunctional spaces have been more relevant than ever in 2021. People want to be able to feel comfortable working from their homes rather than complaining about how inconvenient and unfavourable the conditions are at home. 

For a while now, interior designs for homes have been developing more solutions to create rooms that are as multifunctional as possible. Different spaces in different rooms can now do multiple things that are not traditionally done at that said room.

The sky’s the limit. This way people can prepare meals, enjoy their food, work, socialize all in one area. If there’s a child in the household, a living room space can easily be designed to provide a small comfy playpen or perhaps a see-through wall to supervise the playpen when parents are working from home.

Home Workspace

For reasons already specified, creating a space at home for ourselves to immerse ourselves and complete our work has been more and more relevant with the difficulties that the global community has faced over for a year now. More and more people are looking to create a workspace in their own homes in order to adapt to the changing landscape of the work environment while keeping themselves and their loved ones safe from harm. 

Some popular key terms when creating workspace designs now are minimalistic, bright, clean, contemporary, and sleek. The home workspace is created to have a space to be able to concentrate and focus on tasks at hand, and to be productive even from the comfort of one’s home. However, this does not mean sacrificing bold and dynamic colours or patterns. The implementations of natural wood elements, geometric adhesive prints, mixed metals and natural lighting have been more prevalent amongst the home workaholics.

But these elements are usually used in ways that would work harmoniously with the somewhat typically neutral colour scheme. Basically, imagine how these elements can be there to add that nice flair but it still can blend right in with the scenery. For example, pops of colour on office furniture (chairs, desktops, or table lights), plants, accent walls, unique looking art or sculptures, flooring and so on. 

Other than that, another function that makes home workspaces so appealing is recent designs that help with optimizing storage. For instance, hidden cabinets, slide-out work desks, and so on. The idea that the presence of your work does not have to stay in your home when you are not working.

A way for you to put it all away when it’s time to unwind. Or, just a way for you to manage and clear the work clutter away before moving on to your next task by starting with a clean new slate. By giving you the option to hide away all that “work”, you can give yourself the feeling of leaving the office as you would when you are working at your actual office. It gives you a way for your mind to trigger that reset button for the day and relax.

Top 3 Dream Kitchen Must-Haves of 2021

by Lanny Ho

Want to make your kitchen the pride of your home and the target of your guest’s envy. Modern, sleek, chic, contemporary, traditional, vintage, you could create your DREAM KITCHEN from an endless list of possibilities. But just serving looks isn’t going to make anyone jealous. If you REALLY want to be the center of envy, make it look good but make it even more functional and convenient with state-of-the-art kitchen technology.

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