Outwardly Low-cost But Inwardly 'Luxurious'

By Atira Khalisha Nor Adnan

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 (Bernama) -- From outside, Muhammad Izzat Che Baharu’s low-cost apartment in Pandan Indah here looks worn and weathered, which is unsurprising, considering the building it is located in was built over 35 years ago.

But, step through the door of his 640-square-foot unit on the second floor and you would think you were entering a luxury condominium.

Through clever space utilisation and decor in soft tones, Muhammad Izzat, 34, a photographer at Koperasi Permodalan Felda, and his wife Nur Amirah Shari, 35, have transformed the modest unit into a neat as well as visually striking minimalist home.

Muhammad Izzat said the apartment — originally bought by his father in 1990 — was previously rented out until he decided to move in after getting married in 2022.

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“Even before getting married, I had always dreamed of decorating my home with a minimalist theme. So when the time came to move in, I was excited to bring that vision to life. Originally, the walls were just cement blocks but my father did some basic renovations which cost about RM31,000, plastering the walls and repainting them,” he told Bernama when met at his home recently. 

He said the walls were then painted in pink and blue, not what he had envisioned.

“So when I moved in, I decorated everything from scratch… I bought and chose all the paint colours, furniture and curtains,” he said.

Muhammad Izzat, who has a diploma in computer programming, said to realise his dream design, he used a software in his smartphone to plan the layout of his home.

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“I sketched and planned everything beforehand. I got most of my ideas from social media platforms like Pinterest and TikTok, as well as (furniture retailer) IKEA. My wife and I renovated according to our budget and the space available. Most of the furniture was bought online and some from local furniture shops,” said the father of one.

Despite challenges such as hauling heavy furniture up to the second floor using the staircase and having to adapt the design to suit the house layout and lighting, they still managed to create a space that is both comfortable and visually appealing.

“But I had to give up on the idea of having live plants in the house as the conditions simply weren’t suitable.

“Initially, I tried placing a small plant in the laundry area but I couldn’t water it freely for fear of the water leaking onto the unit below,” he said, adding that having a beautiful home boosts his self-esteem, even if it is just a low-cost apartment.

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Another flat dweller who transformed her low-cost unit into a “luxury-style” home is Nur Syafiqah Ahmad Suhaimi, 30, who lives at Rimbun Apartment in Balik Pulau, Penang.

The mother of three believes that a house is not just a shelter “but a place to unwind after a long day of work”. She said she did not let the challenges of juggling family and a career stop her from turning a vacant space into a beautiful and comfortable haven for her family.

“The house originally had just a cement floor and very basic wiring, so everything had to be done from scratch — from installing stone polymer composite flooring to doing the wiring, placing the furniture and fixing kitchen cabinets. It took about three years to fully furnish the place.

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“All the effort and the RM20,000 spent felt worthwhile when guests praised my home and were amazed by the transformation. In fact, my home inspired some of my neighbours to decorate their own homes like mine,” she said.

-- BERNAMA