A loft-style house with high ceilings and open spaces

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Text by Louisa Clare Lim

 

This terrace house in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was renovated by Seshan Design to have loft-style interiors within a contemporary structure.

With a size of 2,000 sqft and a narrow but long layout, it features soaring ceilings, copious amounts of natural lighting, and industrial-style finishes and details. The house was originally a two storey unit with a built-up area of approximately 2,100 sqft, but it was renovated to become a two and a half storey house with a reduced floor area of 2,000 sqft. “The footprint was reduced to keep to a tight budget, but the house feels far from small as we played a lot with heights and volumes,” says Ramesh Seshan, founder of the eponymous design firm.

 

The ground floor of the house is designated as the service area, with a small lounge and guest room. This floor also houses the wet kitchen and opens up to the rear yard that is naturally ventilated and secured by a two-storey high metal mesh structure.

 

 

Up a floor to the second storey, the main living space is bright and airy. The double-volume space is complete with an open kitchen and dining area, lounge and study.

 

The master bedroom is situated on the open mezzanine on the top floor. From here, one can see all the way down to the main entrance gate. “This is the key factor in designing small spaces – having a continuous line of sight and lots of natural light – to ensure that the space doesn’t feel claustrophobic and instead giving the perception that the space is much larger than it actually is,” explains Ramesh.

 

The large space consisting of the sleeping area, dressing area and open bathroom still maintains its privacy, thanks to its segregated location in the house and roller blinds that can be drawn over the mezzanine parapet.

 

A highlight of the master bedroom is the customised compactor shelving system as a wardrobe!

 

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