This Kuantan home takes modern classical interior design to a new level

The modern classical concept is known to be a highly elegant style, with subtle pastel tones, statement decor, and a harmonized combination of geometric and contemporary shapes.

For this grand 2,800 sqft home in Hermoso Residences, Tanjung Lumpur, this elegant design is no less fitting for a family home of five.

The clients approached Klaas Design & Build to redesign their bare unit and after a consultation for the design of their choosing, their dream home came to life.

About the property

Hermoso Residences (also known as Hermoso Residences by the Sea) is a luxury residential area in Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan developed by Tunas Land Sdn Bhd.

The development is known for its unique location by the beachfront and offers exclusive facilities such as a swimming pool, gym room, and clubhouse. The client’s unit is 2.5 storeys high and built up to 2,800 sqft, with 5 bedrooms and 6 baths.

Ground floor plan hermoso residences kuantan interior design
Ground floor plan
First floor plan hermoso residences kuantan interior design
First-floor plan
Second floor plan hermoso residences kuantan interior design
Second-floor plan

A modern classical luxury

The client, a businessman living with his wife, 2 young boys, and his mother, pictured a modern classic design that he found inspiration from in interior design magazines and catalogues.

Classicism design is strongly influenced by European cultural elements, primarily in art and architecture. Its interior features range from elite traditional styles, clean wainscotting, soft pastels, ornate shapes, and gold accents.

Classical interior design concept
Classical interior design concept. Source

Not wanting to stray away from minimalist urban concepts either, modern classical seemed a fair middle ground.

That being said, the owner left it up to the designing team at Klaas Design & Build to take it off his hands and breathe life into this home.

Living room

The ground floor takes an open space concept, with a breathtaking view of the delightful modern classical scenery splayed out.

The living room is greeted immediately by a large vibrant turquoise feature wall at the TV console ending right before the dry kitchen. The elegance of the wainscotting draws even more attention to the whimsical tone at play.

Modern classical living room design
View of the living room with a striking feature wall

It isn’t necessarily a large room and furnishing it was no easy feat. Leslie, the interior designer of Klaas Design & Build, had mentioned there was some difficulty picking out a sofa due to the limited space. Eventually, they went for a plush L-shaped couch. It was roomy enough to seat everyone while simultaneously adding a cosy modern touch.

The small coffee table is also a versatile monochrome that perfectly matches the room’s modern aesthetic without sacrificing legroom.

Modern classical open space concept living room
The open space concept gives a streamlined view all the way to the dry kitchen

Dining area

The dining area here is not given any physical indication of separation save for the dining table itself. It does, however, blend in smoothly with the room’s cohesive feel.

Above, a modern farmhouse chandelier hangs down to brighten the area. A large mirror is hung in place for the purpose of bouncing off light, therefore further illuminating the room. Modern metallic sconces flank both sides for added soft ambient lighting.

Rather than a rectangular dining table, the client opted for a round one. The designing team found this to be slightly tricky given the available space but eventually found a workaround.

Close up of brightly lit dining room with turquoise feature wall
With the mirror’s reflection, the dining room is given a deceptive sense of depth

With the chair legs plated in gold, it adds a grandiose finish alongside the natural-looking wood carving of the table’s hollow pedestal.

Dry Kitchen

For this area, the team was faced with a challenge commonly found in designing terrace homes: lack of natural lighting. The dry kitchen proved to be a particularly tough spot because no windows were present.

Instead of using walls to separate the wet and dry kitchen that would block the light, they created a “zoning” with textured ceiling patterns to separate the dry kitchen from the living room.

Creating a sense of division somewhat helped to brighten the usually dark corner, reinforced with skilful lighting points fixed in place. On top of that, the brown wood textures contribute a sense of character to this contemporary look.

Modern classical dry kitchen with a marble kitchen island
The dry kitchen is small but is well compensated with ample cabinet storage

The refined facade of the dry kitchen is further accentuated with off white cabinetry lining the walls. The countertops, backsplash, and kitchen island flaunt marble streaks, capturing a soothing luxurious touch.

Close-up of marble kitchen counter and backsplash
Marble accents are a prevalent feature in most modern classical designs

For a fitting contemporary look, the deep mahogany bar counter resting on the lip of the kitchen island gives a unique contrast, paired with a couple of natural wood bar stools.

Close-up of dry kitchen and marble kitchen island
The unrefined wood gives a subtle rustic undertone to the room

Wet kitchen

The frosted glass door opens to a small wet kitchen at the back. Polished marble slabs grace the countertops elegantly, and copper-toned cabinetry to layer with.

Kitchen backsplash made of abstract Talavera tiles
Kitchen backsplash made of abstract Talavera tiles

The kitchen backsplash takes the cake as the visual highlight of this room. The designers applied entrancing Talavera tiles to stand out against the plain textures for a stark yet pleasing contrast.

Stairway

The client also happens to be a wine collector and wanted a cool, dry place to store them. For this, the designers decided to utilize the dead space under the stairway and turn it into a classy wine cellar.

Custom-made wine cellar under staircase
The wine cellar tucked under the stairway

The cellar features a variety of custom shelves to showcase the client’s bottle collection. Each side is lined with bright LED lights, subtly brightening the niche and lending a captivating view to the entire room.

Instead of closed panels, frameless glass doors lining the opening provides access to the entire shelf.

Mother’s bedroom

A little bedroom downstairs is provided for the client’s elderly mother for easy access. The design of this room is effortless yet refined with a hint of heritage design.

Blue-toned bedroom
Mother’s bedroom downstairs designed in a simple and alluring fashion

Blue tones catch the natural light seeping in and instantly brightens the room of sleek lines and patterns. A suspended modern woven lamp glows ambiently beside the bed.

Close-up of bedside lamp in a blue bedroom
The woven lamp easily becomes a focal point in the room

The modest bedroom also comes with a built-in closet, a dressing table with a large mirror, and an attached bathroom.

Wooden laminate wardrobe in blue bedroom
The narrow side of the bedroom conveniently fits a built-in wardrobe

Study area

Up on the first floor, the spacious foyer is converted into a sleek study area for the family to work in.

A bank of Scandinavian inspired built-in cabinets is installed for storing books and stationery, with a lengthy study desk extending forward by the wall. It also comes with drawers and plug points underneath.

Green study room in upstairs foyer
The upstairs foyer transformed into a quiet study area

A cute bean bag spot with a colourful rug and contemporary posters contrast the sage green walls, creating a cozy little nook to study or spend a lazy afternoon.

Boy's bedroom with custom made geometrical display shelf
Whether to study or unwind, this wide niche is comfortable enough for any purpose

First son’s bedroom

Each of the client’s children gets their own bedroom and this one singles out due to its unique wall feature. Like all the other rooms, it comes with an attached bathroom and a simple built-in closet by the window.

Boy's bedroom with a display shelf feature wall
The client’s first son’s bedroom comes with an interesting bedhead feature wall

Although modestly furnished with a double bed and bean bag at the side, the bedhead wall comes with a custom-made geometrically shaped shelf for displaying the son’s favourite novelty figurines and toy cars.

Close look at custom made display shelf
A closer look at the bespoke display shelf with figurines neatly arranged

With the room’s timeless design, it can easily adapt over the years as the boy grows older, therefore, making it perfect for a family home.

Second son’s bedroom

The next bedroom is met with a funky combination of colour. Yellow accents balance against the symmetrical pattern wallpapered feature wall smoothly without overwhelming the room’s overall energetic vibe.

Bedroom with a wallpaper feature wall and map decoration
The second son’s bedroom exudes an enthusiastic flair with bright colours

A darker-toned cabinet takes residence in the corner opposite the attached bathroom. The bedhead wall also includes a Winkel Tripel projection world map above the bed for decoration.

On each side of the bed, yellow table lamps are paired with black bedside tables to strike a bright contrast that turns this funky little bedroom into a cheerful space.

Guest bedroom

This hotel-like bedroom is crafted with impeccable classical taste that the clients had in mind to keep their guests feeling comfortable and welcome.

Old English classically designed bedroom
Tantalizing wooden accents cast an undeniably warm and comfy vibe

The stunning light-filled view washes over the vintage features lent by the heritage-inspired sofa and coffee table made of rattan and black steel.

A grey tufted headboard leaning against a neutral abstract wallpaper comes with gold-bordered full-length mirrors and quaint lamps on each side.

Close-up of modern classical bedroom feature wall
Large mirrors make for a unique yet easy feature wall in any room

On the opposite wall, a floating console cabinet matches well with a wainscot wall to place miscellaneous items or even to fix up a TV.

A 3-legged lamp sits by the left corner to lightly illuminate the room with a white built-in wardrobe on the other end.

View of the modern classical bedroom with a colonial designed bench
The opposite wall of the guest bedroom

Master bedroom

It is the only room that occupies the second floor and is beautified with a delicate classical theme.

Wainscotting patterns on a plain grey wall seamlessly contrasts the metallic decorative piece above the bed, enhanced by the golden sheen of the hanging bedside lamps.

Modern classical bedroom bedhead feature wall
The master bedroom in all its elegant glory

Beige bed frames and floating bedside tables supplements a classy touch that creates an enchanting luxurious design.

The large mirror on the built-in dressing table lends a vintage sense amidst the art poster and little decorations.

On the far side of the room, a custom made wardrobe takes up the entire wall with tan coloured laminates to match the surrounding pale accents for a deeper luxurious vibe.

Modern classical bedroom dressing table
The opposite wall of the master bedroom

Balcony

The unique quality about the extended balcony just outside the master bedroom is how much it resembles a vibrant garden.

Fake grass patches cover the floor and bask under beautiful blue skies during the day, like a petite garden above ground.

Balcony garden with fake grass patches
The balcony outside the master bedroom comes with bright green grass

For an outdoorsy flair, marble stones line the separation between the balcony and its extension. A simple lawn chair or bench can be placed for lounging or to simply enjoy the scenic view on the grass.

Wood planks painted baby blue were installed to the walls to even resemble a classic porch front which completed the look of this cozy home.

Lawn chair on a balcony garden
A lawn chair by the balcony is perfect for relaxing like you’re in a garden

A dream home come true

In the end, the home was a perfect emulation of the client’s vision. The total cost of the renovation and design amounted to RM380K.

Project details

Location: Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan, Pahang

Property size: 2,800sqft 2.5 storey terrace home

Price: RM380K

Purpose: Own stay

Design: Modern Classical

Works done: Wet works, built-in cabinetry, feature wall, TV console, loose furnishing, flooring, painting and wallpaper installation, wainscotting, lighting, plaster ceiling,and decorations.

Designer: Leslie Tan from Klaas Design & Build

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