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Modern, rustic - and very comfortable - De Space Interior Design's Modern Kampung-Style Homestay combines elements from the Malaysian 80s to create this little jewel in Johor Bahru that holiday-goers can enjoy. ________________________________________________ City life. Fast, opulent, exciting… And unbearable at times. But while it may be quite unimaginable for many of us to go back to living without electric lights and interiors built from modern materials, it’s hardly surprising if we sometimes do wish when were simpler – when the nights were quiet and peaceful – removed from the low but oppressive cacophony of the city and lights that keep you awake when you should be sleeping. (see 10 Surprising Effects of Lack of Sleep) Truly Malaysian – a modern transitional interior design we can all relate to Inspired by the overbearing need to inject some sanity back into our crazy lives, the Modern Kampung-Style Homestay Design Idea by De Space Interior Design (an interior designer in Johor Bahru) was born. Combining home design elements straight out of typical ‘80s Malaysian household, the modern kampung definitely seems to be the perfect choice to bring out the best of a 600-square-foot studio which its owners intend to turn into the homestay for holiday-makers. Image on left: Lat the Kampung Boy says hello to guests as they come through the homestay's dark mahogany doors; Image on right: Private seating arrangements separated from the main entrance by an antiqued wooden screen. The Modern Kampung-Style homestay experience starts the moment visitors walk through the dark mahogany front door inspired by a time before, and we were delighted when a playful Lat the Kampung boy greeted us there, smiling playfully at us behind the curtains of his 2-dimensional world. Walking past the wooden screen dividing the entrance from the rest of the house, the modern-traditional transitional elements making up the core of the design quickly become apparent. Dark mahogany furniture contrasts beautifully against clean white walls, enchanting and elegant, which is further accentuated by jet black beams that run along with the ceiling lights. _________________________________________ Get personalized quotes to compare now - Find an interior designer in Johor Bahru _________________________________________ A traditional rattan chair that adorns the living room alongside dark mahogany-coloured modern furniture and upholstery pays homage to the 80s that inspired it. RenoMan from the RenoTalk Show shows us how it’s done. Old and New Decoration Ideas We also loved many other things that the designers at De Space had included in their modern kampung design and, on the wall, are lights encased in authentic-looking oil lamps and hand-woven baskets. To help define the boundaries between the living room, bedroom and bathroom is another wooden screen made with the same dark mahogany (the first small but gorgeously crafted screen at the entrance hides the living space inside from the wandering gazes of the outside, which complements the rules for good Feng Shui). And, just as we thought that there’s no way this small space had more surprises for us, De Space designer, BK Liau, introduces us to the homestay’s rotating TV cabinet. Mounted in between the living room and master bedroom, this one-of-a-kind TV cabinet rotates in a complete 180-degree angle - and with a flick of the wrist allows the same TV to be used from either side of the house. About De Space Interior Design: De Space Interior Design is a creative interior designer in Johor Bahru well-known for their versatility and expert understanding of interior spaces. Delightful or inspiring, elegant or powerful, the designers at De Space Interior Design are always willing to help. Watch the guided tour of the Modern Kampung-Style Homestay Design below! For more reading: Interior Designer vs Contractor _________________________________________ Get personalized quotes to compare now - Find an interior designer in Johor Bahru _________________________________________

Personal interactions matter. Whether you’re looking for a reliable interior designer in Johor Bahru or elsewhere, your attitude changes the way they'll work with you - and the more they like you, the more likely to be fairer in their dealings with you. Feature image: Modern Japanese home design by Kava Décor, an interior designer in Johor Bahru. With so much going on during a renovation it isn’t surprising that we sometimes take for granted the professionalism of interior designers and contractors. But maintaining a healthy working relationship goes both ways - and the best way to keep it that way is to adopt a good attitude in your interactions with others. In short: be nice, and people will reciprocate. It’s a strategy that has worked for most of our evolutionary past, which makes for a strong case itself. Building a fair and healthy working relationship is the same with anyone, including interior designers. So here are six things that you can do to achieve that: 1. Make a good first impression First impressions count, and the first few minutes of meeting someone could make or break his or her opinion of you. So always be polite and punctual. When meeting the contractor, be sure to be on time and introduce yourself professionally yet in a friendly manner. Mind your body language; smile, make eye contact and face the person you’re speaking to. Also, be mindful of where your feet are facing: feet turned toward the person you’re speaking to sends a subliminal message to their monkey brain that you’re genuinely interested in meeting them; turned away sends the message that you’re itching to get away as quickly as possible. Second, do your homework. Find out what goes into the job. For example, the approximate cost of materials and labour, average projected work timetables and basic architectural considerations. Knowing the basics can go a long way in impressing whoever you're talking to, and to an interior designer, it gives the impression that you want the job done right. He will also appreciate that he will have less explaining to do, plus it will give you some important insights into why and how things are done. 2. Don’t inconvenience them Be considerate in your dealings with your interior designer and don't make decisions that will inconvenience them unnecessarily. Have an idea of what you want done and take note of your core considerations for your design needs: will it have to be safe for children or elderly? Will there be a specific theme? What's your budget? Nobody expects you to be an expert, but interior designers and contractors will appreciate if you didn’t change your mind every step of the way. Plus, an experienced interior designer will often have more job offers than they do time, and are therefore interested in working with clients who won’t give them a hard time. Every minute they spend accommodating your fickleness costs them! And if they like you they’ll probably be the ones asking you for referrals instead of asking to be referred… Classic marble bathroom accents with golden shower frames and taps. Design by Kava Décor, an interior designer in Johor Bahru. 3. Lend a helping hand from time-to-time Don’t shy away from helping out with small jobs if whenever you have time. It never hurts to help out every now and then, the payoff can be big. Plus, you get two stars if the job was something the contractor specifically dislikes or finds especially inconvenient. For example, wall-hacking is laborious and dirty work and no big guy would like to force himself into tight spaces to perform even a simple task. Even if it’s in their job description, helping out can only make a contractor look at you more favourably - who in turn would feel obliged to help you out in return in the form of prioritizing your project over others and performing the best work he can muster. _________________________________________________ Discover the Best Interior Design in Malaysia. _________________________________________________ 4. Don’t Lose Your Cool Despite your best efforts relations can still breakdown, leading contractors to deprioritize your project. But responding in an antagonizing manner doesn’t help most of the time, and could even worsen the situation. Instead, play it cool. Draw your wildcard and use additional monetary incentives to entice them back. More often than not, the reason contractors start to withdraw is their realisation that they've made a mistake of agreeing to a deal that's not worth their time and effort (note: some research into the market can be helpful in determining if uncompetitive pricing is the case for their lack of motivation). Promising your contractor an additional payment on completion of work, therefore, is a sensible solution to get your renovation project back in the pipe, with contractors accepting that the additional payment justifies their involvement. Also, remember that the average renovation contractor in Johor Bahru isn’t a bad person, and it makes sense to assume that this will compel them to return to the job and give it their best. It therefore makes sense that, even when relations appear to be unsalvageable, it is still in the best interest of everyone to attempt to re-establish a tit-for-tat relationship. Not doing so could result in passive-aggressive behaviour, exploitation, cheating and other forms of violence – and nobody wants that. Commercial interior design by Kava Décor, an interior designer in Johor Bahru. 5. Accept the best deals, not the cheapest When signing a contract remember that it is quality work that you want and not necessarily the lowest price. Naturally, the services of a reliable contractor in Johor Bahru or interior designer (who provides quality workmanship and materials) come at a price. In Malaysia, the typical cost of a renovation can be broken down into; 50% for materials; 30% labour costs; and 20% profits. With such a large portion of the cost spent on materials and labour, to cut the price down further (without it cutting into their profits) a contractor will have to substitute high quality with low-quality materials and labour. 6. Build a working relationship that lasts Even after completion of a project, it is still a good idea to maintain good relations with your contractor/interior designer. Finding another reliable contractor in Johor Bahru that you like to work with quickly may prove difficult, if not impossible. For example, you might find yourself needing their services again a lot sooner than you think - maybe could be that you’ve decided to install an additional light in the living room, or a design oversight leaving you with the bedroom in a colour that your child dislikes. __________________________________________ For more reading: Interior Designer vs Contractor - How are they different?