So Here’s The Plan (literally) One of the first few houses we saw had a balcony that gave me a vision — a “sun room” where light spills in and time slows down. From that moment, every home we viewed was measured against this layout. After viewing around 29 houses (bless our agent for the patience 😅), we finally found the one. High floor, not quite next to the MRT but close to an LRT — a small compromise. Still, the layout was exactly what we’d been chasing from the start. 
Progress and Flow The yellow line traces how the space breathes. I’ve always loved open, airy circulation — where light and people flow easily, and my husband likes as little clutter as possible. But also creating as much storage as we can with what space we have. When I first stepped inside, I saw the vision almost instantly: the Dry Pantry and the Sun Room. It was one of those Eureka moments — the vision just clicked, and it never left. 
Theory to Practice Time to revive everything I’d learned back in my diploma days in interior design and architecture 😂 My husband and I — both from the trade — used our knowledge, but we also talked to friends and IDs (we’re still shortlisting who to work with) to create the layout in the space. Locking the spaces came naturally, but the kitchen and master bedroom took the longest to get right. Eventually, it all fell into place. 
Style & Soul The soul of the house is nostalgia — a little oasis that turns back time and quiets the noise of work days. The look is modern colonial: inspired by the black-and-white houses of Singapore and the old Shell homes in Miri, Sarawak — my hometown. I never lived in them, but I visited often; white walls, timber floors, and that calm, lived-in warmth always stayed with me. I’ve always loved homes that feel like film sets — The Parent Trap, Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give — bright, airy spaces where light lingers and everything feels alive. That’s the kind of feeling I wanted: graceful, timeless, but never sterile. We’re keeping what matters — the marble floors in the living room, the parquet that reminds me of home — while balancing cost and practicality. We both love simplicity, though I lean toward ornamentation. My husband keeps me in check — but I’ve managed a few wins (louver doors, my love 🤍). He also loves black, so instead of dark walls, we’ve threaded it softly into the build — black timber trims, details, and finishes that ground the space without weighing it down. My husband’s now enjoying the title of “client,” since everything I design or propose goes through his approval first 😅 Black-and-white bones, warmth from wood and light. Airy enough to breathe, grounded enough to feel like home. A home built from heart, calm enough to slow the world down. 
Current Status: So why engage an ID? To make things easier for our designer, we’ve already prepared a full deck — design intent, floorplan, style notes, and build considerations. We’ve met a few IDs, but since our layout and concept are already locked in, the next stage is really about execution. It helps them quote more precisely and lets us see where the design can work harder for us. Some asked, “If you already know what you want, why engage an ID?” Fair question — but with our schedules, managing a contractor directly isn’t realistic. It might save money, but it means being on-site constantly and catching every mistake ourselves — which we’d definitely notice, but don’t have time for. Getting a good ID makes all the difference. Do your homework — check their background, past projects, and reviews. When you meet them, ask questions to understand how they work and manage timelines. Most importantly, see if your styles and values click — you’ll be working closely together for months. We’re both from the trade, experienced in commercial fit-outs, but this is home. We trust a residential ID to project-manage and coordinate so we can actually breathe 😅 Of course, we’ve made it clear — while we’ve simplified the front end, we’ve also got sharp eyes for defects and know what can or can’t be done. There’s a lot more thought behind the design, but we’ll break it down along the way. Let’s see how the journey goes from here 🤍
26 October
