Home tour: A designer couple's meditative home in Kuala Lumpur

The founders of Wunderwall Design’s home doubles as a sanctuary and outlet for experimentation

For Sharmaine Wong and Wei Hoong Chia, creating beautiful spaces is just another day in the lives of these designers who are partners in work and life.

Wong and Chia are two out of three founders of the renowned design studio Wunderwall Design, who have been behind some of the city’s most inspiring (and viral) spaces.

Their subtle yet experimental approach to design that emphasises artisanality and meticulous detailing has given rise to an identity all their own.

Above A quiet haven

Above Sleekly shaped furniture

Cafes like the Victorian Conservatory-inspired Jibby by the Park to the Carlos Scarpa-esque VCR Ritchie, the uniquely realised Small Shifting Space and most recently, the quiet luxury of the resort-style restaurant, If Only, have been Wunderwall's contribution to enriching the design landscape of the city but so when it came to designing their own home—the keyword was: sanctuary.

Photo 1 of 2 Burnt wood coffee table

Photo 2 of 2 The tv and sound bar are the only items on the wall

The couple had recently moved into their home in one of Petaling Jaya’s most sleek modernist condominiums and decided that what they needed most after spending long days being inundated by design was a retreat from the outside world.

“With design as a profession, we needed an enclave that is quiet and calm to come back to, an escape from the everyday hustle,” states Wong.

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Above The freestanding island

Above Shadow and light

While a serene home was the overall idea, the duo couldn’t help using the space as a testing ground of sorts for future designs: “There was no actual brief, but because it was our own home, we could experiment with materials, designs and the lifestyle that may not be the norm for usual households.”

The minimal light illuminates this minimalist kitchen

Above The ground metal acts as an art piece

For example, in the living room, the TV wall hangs alone with a sound bar on the otherwise empty wall, a nod to minimalism and functionality that most homeowners may baulk at.

Here too, one may find two slabs of burnt Nyatoh that form the coffee table to provide appealing textures to the eye.

Above Curated pieces decorate the study

Above A meditative corner

In the kitchen, a large curved stainless steel panel was ground by hand to reveal the pendant light that reflects on it, while wardrobes were adjusted to lower than standards, so the house looks bigger than its size.

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