THE view from the balcony of this condominium is simply amazing. One can see the startling contrast of the old and modern from this vantage point – traditional kampung houses dwarfed by steel and glass skyscrapers, including the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.
The proud owner of this luxurious unit at Sky Setia Residence is entrepreneur-cum-trainer Said Saiful, 32. So how did he come to own this amazing place with a view?
A celebrity Said followed on Instagram posted pictures of the view from his (the celebrity’s) own condominium, and Said instantly fell in love with what he saw.
“I just knew I had to own this place,” Said says proudly.
Upon finding out the location of the condo, he immediately purchased a unit for himself, and spent the next six months redecorating his new home.
In keeping with a European motif, the decor leaned towards a modern English concept.
Said’s sense of style is inspired by his travels to Europe. The first city he visited there was the French capital of Paris, in 2012, and he has returned to the continent numerous times since.
“I love the way they decorate their restaurants and their cafes,” he says.
“They use art to complement the place and are creative in their decor, and that inspired me.”
He shows me the balcony, and points to a chic garden furniture set placed in a corner, and says: “I usually have my breakfast there. This is where I get my ideas for work. The view inspires me.”
His admiration for Old World architecture can be seen in his fascination for chandeliers, which are prominently displayed at the entrance of his home, both in the living room and dining room. He admits he was fussy about choosing the right chandelier.
“I almost went to China to [get a] chandelier I wanted,” he recalls.
Fortunately, he was able to find the chandelier of his choice right here in Malaysia.
He also encountered some challenges when furnishing his home. The first set of furniture he ordered was too large. The living room became too cramped and there was hardly room to move.
He had to reduce the number of furniture to make more space, because he didn’t want his guests to feel claustrophobic, or accidentally knock down his decorations.
Originally he had an open-concept kitchen, but was later separated with a door and a wall. Said explains: “My mother always told me that nobody should see what is happening in the kitchen.”
He hints that his next home would be a landed property.
He says: “If you live in a condominium and forget something in the car, you have to go all the way down to the parking lot to get [it]. With a ground-level house, this will not be a big problem. Your car will be in your compound.”
His condominium has three bedrooms. Said gave me a peek of the master bedroom which is separated from the attached bathroom by a glass wall. Above the bed, there was a painting of hot air balloons. I later learnt that the multi-talented Said painted the piece himself.
One attractive feature of the bathroom is a bathtub by a large window, allowing one to relax in the tub while looking at the stars.
“I always brush my teeth looking at the Twin Towers,” says Said.
* Buzz is theSun’s bi-weekly lifestyle and entertainment pullout.
