Home tour: A serene Japandi condominium in Selangor, Malaysia with stunning views

Newcleus Design’s Japandi condominium high above Petaling Jaya is an oasis of calm

Located in bustling Petaling Jaya, this condominium unit in Bayberry Serviced Residences, Tropicana Gardens, was furnished minimally to rent out. However, a newly married couple decided to make this their first marital home and approached Newcleus Design to spruce up the 1,500 sq ft unit.

“The couple just happened to be close relatives of ours and came to us, trusting us to create a fresh, young, contemporary yet comfortable space for their daily use,” explains Nee Wong, Creative Director of Newcleus Design.

The site was adequately sized for a new growing family, with a large glass window spanning the width of the living and dining area, overlooking the lush greens of the Tropicana golf course. Large curtains initially covered these windows, so the designer wanted a more open visual experience, ideating a tea table overlooking this view as soon as they saw the site.

Photo 1 of 2 A bird’s eye view of the township

Photo 2 of 2 Natural materials were favoured

“Being constantly surrounded by the demands of fast-paced urban life, I wanted the new homeowners to be able to find refuge in a clean, ambient space but also have moments of individuality and character,” explains Wong.

“The homeowners are a well-travelled couple who enjoy their time at home making coffee. So the overarching concept of the interior design was to marry the warm, clean, serene elements of Japanese and Scandinavian interiors with artful Parisian style,” she adds.

Above Serene open plan living

The designers drew the big gestures with minimalistic wood finishes, morphing from a TV console table and a floating Japanese tea table to wall wainscoting panels for a zen look. They then zoomed in to details that would bring more character to the space, such as a ‘chimney’ looking ceiling trough over the kitchen island, black-lined Roman blinds, and cornices reminiscent of a Parisian abode.

“Despite the space limitation, we introduced ceiling details within the living area. The large wooden curtain pelmet with black striped Roman blinds changes the spatial experience of the living area, compressing one’s view to the beautiful golf course ahead and creating a more cosy scale to the living experience,” explains Wong.

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Photo 1 of 2 Wooden details are a feature

Photo 2 of 2 Natural light is ample in this home

Wood laminate with an ash wood finish was predominantly used. This feature on most carpentry work in the living area creates a cohesive look throughout, from architectural finishes like wainscoting and curtain pelmets to the floating TV console, custom altar, tea table and shelves.

“The floating tea table was a pleasant detail to work on for us. We envisioned the table as a plane extension from the TV console, dropping its height slightly to create a completely different function at a corner of the living area,” states Wong.

“It was also special to us because we could introduce something connected to the homeowners’ hobby of enjoying home-brewed coffee and tea.”

Above Japanese inspiration

Above Wood built ins

Wong notes that the kitchen was fun to work on because the designers knew they wanted a French-inspired kitchen that was chic and clean.

“We paired dusty blue laminate cabinet doors with a sintered stone top that had veins resembling Carrara Italian Marble. Black hardware was the key to completing the look, present in the black knobs, door handles and curved spine of an 8-arm chandelier overlooking the island,” muses Wong.

Photo 1 of 3 Clean lines in the dry kitchen

Photo 2 of 3 A neutral colour palette

Photo 3 of 3 Clean lines in the dry kitchen

In the master bedroom, the designers knew they wanted the space to have fewer wood finishes, so cream-painted wainscoting and beige bedhead upholstery set the tone.

However, Parisian touches finesse the room, like the custom pink dressing table with gold knobs, a double-arched mirror and a gold-framed glass wardrobe to display the client’s accessories and bags.

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Photo 1 of 3 A soft mood imbues the bedroom

Photo 2 of 3 Neutral colours in the bedroom

Photo 3 of 3 Intricate details in the bathroom

Furnishing the home is an eclectic mix of pieces, ranging from Wishbone chairs to Gubi Pacha lounge chairs and the distinctive Togo sofa.

“I introduced some of the final styling touches to stay true to the concept and reflect the owner’s taste in travel—contemporary artworks with colourful brush strokes, Mediterranean pots filled with palm plants, a double-arch shaped mirror for the dresser, and custom tatami seats for the tea table,” recalls Wong.

The whole space radiates a calm, warm atmosphere which Wong reports the clients enjoy tremendously: “They particularly like the well-lit living cum dining area, are constantly making coffee and even taking their work from the study to the dining table.”

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Home Tour Tropicana Bayberry Petaling Jaya Malaysian Apartment Japandi Designinspo

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