Before & After: The OUG KL Terrace House That Shocked the Neighbourhood

The terrace house on Jalan OUG had all the hallmarks of a home that time had forgotten. Dark timber panels from the 80s. A kitchen sealed off behind walls. Small windows that let in almost no light. The owner — a young professional who'd bought it from his parents — wanted something completely different.

What Studio D3 delivered was a transformation so dramatic that, according to the owner, his neighbours stopped him on the street to ask what had happened to the house.

The Brief

The owner had three requirements: more natural light, an open kitchen, and a master bedroom that felt like a proper retreat — not just a room with a bed in it. Budget: RM 120,000 for the full renovation. Timeline: 12 weeks.

He'd lived in the house for two years before deciding to renovate, which meant he knew exactly what wasn't working. The dark living room. The disconnected kitchen. The master bedroom that shared a bathroom with the rest of the house.

What We Changed

The biggest structural move was removing the wall between the kitchen and the living-dining area. This single change transformed the entire ground floor. Suddenly the space breathed. Light from the back of the house now reached the front. The kitchen — now fitted with handleless white cabinetry and a solid surface countertop — became the centrepiece of the home instead of an afterthought.

We replaced the original timber-panelled feature wall with a clean plaster wall finished in a warm sand tone, with integrated shelving for display and storage. The flooring throughout the ground floor was unified with large-format porcelain tiles in a warm grey, eliminating the visual choppiness of different flooring zones.

The Master Bedroom

Upstairs, we converted the adjacent room into an ensuite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, giving the master bedroom the flow and privacy it deserved. The wardrobe was custom-built with a full-length mirror panel and soft-close drawers. The bathroom used dark green tiles and matte black fittings — a deliberate contrast to the light, neutral palette downstairs.

The Result

The same footprint. Completely different home. Before, the ground floor felt like three separate rooms squeezed together. After, it read as one generous, light-filled living space.

The owner summed it up: "I didn't move house. I moved into a completely different house."

Thinking About Renovating Your Terrace House in KL?

Studio D3 specialises in terrace house renovations across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor — OUG, Cheras, Kepong, Selayang, Ampang, and beyond. We know the typical challenges: tight budgets, structural quirks, tricky wet work, ageing electrical systems.

We handle it all. WhatsApp us at 010 313 0318 to discuss your project.