1. ELLE. MY 155
She points out a multicoloured carpet
that complements the ’50s vibe of an Eames
lounge chair and the clean metal curves
of an Arco floor lamp in the living area.
“I got that Turkish kilim carpet from Zari
Collection. I’m a bit obsessed with them.”
Zari Collection, a local husband and wife
team that brings in home accessories in
jewel-coloured fabrics and rich textiles, is
also responsible for the blankets and pillows
in Peters’ recreation room and on her deck.
Since moving to Kuala Lumpur,
Peters, the co-owner of a pharmaceutical
headhunting company based in Belgium,
does most of her work through Skype. Some
of the furniture at Hijauan was brought over
from her family home in Leuven. When she
shows us a snapshot of the Belgian house,
we see a similar aesthetic in both residences
— clean lines, a play of dark wood and light
walls and plenty of greenery.
At Hijauan, these elements can be
credited to its architects, Teh and Maignan.
The pair have worked together for a decade,
mainly on commercial housing or corporate
structures, so they relished the opportunity
to work on a standalone residence. “There
was an existing structure here that had been
abandoned for eight or nine years,” says
Maignan as we sit around a table in the
living area, which I am told was once the
porch. “There was a mini forest growing in
the master bedroom.”
Hijauan feels like a bit of an oddity,
a cool compact home with modern lines
and subtle colourful accents within.
It would be difficult to reconcile the two
elements, but you should already have an
inkling of what to expect once you spot
the banner hanging from the front door,
cheerfully exclaiming: “Can lah!” 
Cotton pouf, RM1,169,
Missoni Home at
luisaviaroma.com
Pillow, approx.
RM90 at hm.com
Tom Dixon
brass table
lamp, RM4,156,
Gudang Home
Trumpet chair,
RM1,429, Kare
Poster,
RM49,
Ikea
A painting of a Chinese girl in traditional garb
from Ambiance Shop complements decorative
pieces from Peter Hoe and Las Tres Marias A Chinese decorative panel from Lasting
Impressions sits above the family piano.
In the background are tulip armchairs by
Finnish designer Eero Saarinen. Charlotte
wears: Dress and heels, her own. Cuff, Midi
Fabric and throws from Zari
Collection add colour to
a set of Burmese teak chairs
from Raintree Accents on the
outdoor deck
154 ELLE.MY
LIVINGSPACES
GREEN LIGHTAn exciting interior and a calm exterior create a house
of beautiful contradiction, writes Samantha Joseph
H
ijauan, the rental where Charlotte
Peters and her family have made
their home for the past three years,
is aptly named. Lush greenery
embraces the house on three sides,
much of it mature foliage from
when the structure was abandoned many
years ago, which the architects, Amanda
Teh and Stephanie Maignan of 29 Design,
insisted on maintaining.
“This place is amazing,” the slender
Peters, clad in a vibrant Mary Katrantzou
dress, gushes. “It’s in front of a jungle (the
Kemensah Forest Reserve) and you have
so much sunshine.” With palm fronds
reaching out towards the glass walls of the
living room, and two ancient mango trees
lining the walkway to the pool out back, it’s
easy to see the house and its compound as
a self-contained utopia.
If the outside, with its strong lines of
wood and solid panes of glass, is calm
PHOTOGRAPHY:KIMMUN.HAIR:CKAYLIOW.MAKE-UP:EVONFUNG;BELLELOO.STYLING:FLORENCESONG
and collected, the inside is where the party
is at. “The worst thing for a house is for
it to look like it came out of a shop,” the
Belgian native declares. “You could call my
decoration style eclectic,’ she says. “I love
the contemporary look, but it has to have
some colour.”An heirloom tea set sits atop a
contemporary Peter Hoe table in the dining
area, while in the kitchen three ceramic
elephant miniatures from Cambodia sit on
the island, beside hammered metal pitchers
and Van Gogh-patterned coffee cups.
Her outlook has resulted in a home
that is refreshing — the art on her walls
could be from an up-and-coming Indian
modern artist or it may just as easily have
been purchased from the Annexe at Central
Market. In her pursuit for a personal touch,
she has discovered several connoisseurs
who bring in unique pieces, whether it’s
a colourful Indian throw or a cake stand
made of shells from the Philippines.
Stephanie Maignan (left) wears: Dress,
RM1,700, Max Mara. Shoes, RM2,405, Bally.
Necklace, H&M. Amanda Teh (centre) wears:
Top, RM950 and skirt, RM1,650, both Max
Mara. Shoes, Fendi. Necklace, RM59.90,
H&M. Charlotte Peters (right) wears: Dress,
RM2,000, Halston Heritage. Shoes, RM4,567,
Bally. Earrings, RM139, Midi
François Pompon miniature polar bear reproduction
adds quirk to an otherwise demure setting. Artwork
from the Annexe, Central Market hangs above