Two-storey house appreciated up to 140 per cent in three years

		Tue, Dec 07, 2010 The Star/Asia News Network
Gary Chua and Yennice Lim are the epitome of a successful young couple looking for a better living. The couple, who are in their 30s, bought a brand new two-storey house in Desa ParkCity three years ago for RM765,000 (S$317,000). Contemporary living at Desa ParkCity Click on thumbnail to view Upon completion, they engaged Aloysius of The Arch to be in charge of the interior work. Minor renovation and finishing took four months to complete before Chua and Lim moved in. Donning a modern contemporary style, the house sees a thoughtful design made to suit the couple's lifestyle. It is indeed a remarkably stylish house, with careful material selection and wise lighting arrangement. Desa ParkCity has been reputed as one of the best property development in Malaysia. But what was your main consideration to invest here? Gary Chua (GC): Both of us come from a rather conventional house. I grew up in Cheras and my wife in OUG. And by that logic, we are used to less hectic lifestyle. When we discussed about an ideal location for our own house, we agreed that it should be located outside the city centre. We reckoned a modern house, with great amenities and security system, would be ideal as both of us are working professionals who spend little time at home. Yennice Lim (YL): Desa ParkCity has always been our priority. When we visited the site, we instantly fell in love with the modern architectural layout. The fact that the developer has a great reputation was also a factor that lured us into investing here. Has it been a good investment? How much has the value of the house appreciated since you bought it? GC: It has appreciated up to 140%. The current market rate for this type of house is approximately RM1.8 million. Tell us about the original layout of the house and how much renovation went into it. GC: It is a double-storey house with three bedrooms. The living, dining and kitchen take up the entire ground floor. There's no clear divider between these rooms, which allows an expansive view from both the entrance and the backyard. A floor up, there are three bedrooms and a family area. A spacious walk-in wardrobe has been incorporated into the master bedroom, which occupies half the floor. Where renovation is concerned, there hasn't been any major work done - we are pretty much happy with the original layout of the house. The renovation, if any, revolved around the finishing part of the house. YL: For example, we needed to hide the cables and wiring in the living room. And we wanted a walk-in wardrobe without suffocating the master bedroom. Under such circumstances, a professional help from an interior designer came in handy. How much did you spend on the renovation work? GC: We spent around RM250,000, including furniture, decorations and electronic appliances. As far as the furniture and decorations are concerned, we tried to keep it under budget. We handpicked the sofa, the dining table and some of the lamps. Where did you shop for the furniture and decorations? GC: We bought the sofa at MIVA and the dining table from Casarano. What are your favourite features of the house? YL: My favourite feature of the house is the encased Japanese garden, which is situated in the middle of the house. The garden doesn't only create a soothing effect, but it also allows natural sunlight to the house. I also like the dining area, which is flanked by an L-shaped mirror that is plastered onto the wall, all the way to the ceiling. GC: I personally like the idea of a 'linear' park behind the house. Designed to emulate a jogging track, the park streams through the back side of each house. And thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass panel that separates the living room from the back entrance, you could watch your children playing at the park while watching TV. I also like the bar corner, which is located next to the staircases. Designed to emulate a real bar - with shimmering wallpaper, blue lighting and edgy bar table and chairs - this is a place where we entertain our guests. The interior designer added a feature wall that conceals the powder room and storeroom (which has been converted to a maid's room). Is there anything else you would like to add to the house? GC: Well, we are currently decorating the study room and another bedroom, which is meant for our future baby.