This style controls colour, pattern and finish — timber tone, cabinet finish, stone pattern, metal, glass and hardware. It does not fix your floor plan. Layout, dimensions, openings, circulation, storage and M&E are adapted to your actual property.
What you see · what we specify
Muji Japandi · KitchenConcept study
02
A look you choose. Details we make buildable.
What you see
PaletteIvory and warm white · Fine warm-grey stone · Minimal black accents
Wood toneLight oak or ash
Stone patternFine, warm grey
Aluminium finishMatte Black
GlassClear or fluted glass
HardwareMinimal black Gola
What gets specified
Cabinet materialby moisture zone — dry to branded P6, wet to ACP / honeycomb aluminium
Lightinglayers and colour temperature, room by room
Sockets & M&Eswitch, socket and appliance positions
Appliance gapsclearances and servicing access
Layout & dimensionsadapted to your actual property
Essential in this collectionConcept studies — not photographs of completed projects.
Kitchen
Wardrobe
Display cabinetry
Vanity
Entrance
Prayer room
Explore more
Study
Laundry
Wet kitchen
TV feature wall
Kitchen island
Bar
Kitchen
Wardrobe
Display cabinetry
Vanity
Entrance
Prayer room
Suitable for
Condominiums & terrace housesYoung familiesCompact homesDry kitchens, wardrobes, study areas
Why this style works
Reduction is a climate strategy here, not a preference. Pale oak and off-white bounce Sarawak's flat overcast light into the middle of a terrace house, where the plan is deep and daylight arrives only at two ends. Because so little is on show, the storage has to be planned to the last shelf before work starts — this is the style least able to absorb a change of mind on site. And because the style carries no ornament, a ceiling fan — non-negotiable in this climate — reads as part of the room rather than an intrusion.
Approved sourcing matrix
One approved build, component by component.
One approved way to build Muji Japandi — each component with its source route, the ELS specification and where its warranty sits. ALUMAX supplies the cabinetry, glass and metal; appointed specialists supply floor, paint, curtains and lighting to the ELS requirement.
Component
Route
ELS specification
Status
Main cabinetry (dry)
ALUMAX
Light oak or ash, matte, one declared grain direction across a run; aluminium profile pull, not a routed board channel.ALUMAX code confirmed on the finishes catalogue.
Primary
Wet-zone cabinetry
ALUMAX
ACP or honeycomb aluminium carcass in a matched pale finish — the palette carries through, the handleless detailing does not.ALUMAX code confirmed on the finishes catalogue.
Conditional
Countertop
ALUMAX
Fine, warm-grey quartz, low-movement, honed or matt.ALUMAX code confirmed on the finishes catalogue.Approved equivalent: A specialist-supplied quartz of the same warm-grey, low-movement and honed finish is an accepted equivalent.
Supporting
Metal & hardware
ALUMAX
Frame: Matte BlackMinimal black, linear only — a frame, a shelf edge, a tap. No massy dark object, which breaks the reduction.ALUMAX code confirmed on the finishes catalogue.
Accent-only
Glass
ALUMAX
Clear; fluted only for internal privacy, never on an external opening.ALUMAX code confirmed on the finishes catalogue.
Conditional
Floor
Specialist trade
Warm-pale, matt: porcelain, 600×1200mm, rectified, R10 minimum, low-movement, ≤3mm warm-grey grout; or SPC (rigid-core plank), its specification is confirmed at selection.
Supporting
Wall paint
Specialist trade
Warm off-white, LRV 75–82, matt washable, low-VOC, anti-mould for humid rooms, no strong pink or green undertone; approved against the cabinet and quartz master sample.
Sample hold
Curtains
ELS Source
Warm-ivory sheer, run full-wall for an even glow; linen-look synthetic, not true linen (which mildews unconditioned); hung clear of the floor.
Supporting
Lighting
Specialist trade
3000K, no warmer; CRI ≥90; bounced and grazing sources — wall-wash, cove, under-shelf — not downlights on flat fronts.
Conditional
Primary
Suitable for large surfaces and main cabinetry.
Conditional
Approved only under the stated room, lighting or material condition.
Supporting
Suitable for secondary surfaces.
Accent-only
Use in limited areas only.
Sample hold
Cannot be specified until a physical sample is reviewed on site.
ALUMAX
Quoted, supplied, installed and warranted by ALUMAX; ELS specifies the finish.
Specialist trade
Quoted, supplied, installed and warranted by the appointed specialist; ELS specifies the requirement and checks the installed result.
ELS Source
The material is quoted by ELS Source; installation as named in your quotation. Warranty: Responsibility to be confirmed.
Approved equivalents
Where the original selection is unavailable or commercially unsuitable, an approved equivalent must match it on every axis above. The installer must never choose an equivalent on site — a substitution is subject to ELS design and specification review and client approval.
Colour and undertoneSheenTexturePerformanceMoisture suitabilityDimensionsMaintenanceWarrantyPrice band
ELS selects, specifies and coordinates materials to one approved design direction. Products supplied by ALUMAX are quoted, supplied and warranted by ALUMAX. Products and works supplied by specialist trades remain under the respective specialist's quotation and warranty. Any proposed substitution is subject to ELS design and specification review and client approval.
Full-house finish schedule
Every trade, in this style.
The fast track for a home with limited customisation: one decision per trade, who supplies it, and the phase it belongs to. Codes are ALUMAX finish-library codes; a specialist row is ELS-specified and trade-supplied; a client row is bought by you to the direction given.
Room shell
CeilingPhase 2Specialist trade
Paint, soft white, mattConfirmed
Wall paintPhase 2Specialist trade
Paint, warm white on every wall, no accent wall, mattConfirmed
SPC, warm-grey porcelain 600×1200 matt R10, tiler-suppliedConfirmed
Skirting and trimsPhase 2Specialist trade
Flush or shadow-gap skirting in the wall colour, matte black where a metal trim showsConfirmed
Tiles and groutPhase 2Specialist trade
Matt porcelain in the fine warm-grey stone family, 600×1200 or larger, grout matched to the tile — never a contrasting groutConfirmed
Cabinetry
Main frontPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
light oak or ash22-18Confirmed
Feature frontPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
One feature front by default: minimal black, on the island, the tall run or the display niche; a second only by a documented exceptionConfirmed
Exposed carcass / interiorPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Carcass interior in the main-front tone where it is seen (open shelving, glass fronts); white elsewhereConfirmed
Edge treatmentPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Matched edge on every visible edge; laser or PUR edging wherever humidity is constantConfirmed
Wet-zone cabinetPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Aluminium honeycomb in the main-front tone, code YQ017YQ017Confirmed
Work surfaces
CountertopPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Quartz, fine warm-grey stoneConfirmed
BacksplashPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Same quartz as the countertop, run up to the wall cabinet; one stone by default, a second only by a documented exceptionConfirmed
Stone featurePhase 1ALUMAX supplies
One stone by default — the style spends its budget on the one countertop stone; a second only by a documented exceptionNot applicable
Doors and windows
Door leafPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Flush leaf in the light oak or ash tone; white where the wall is whiteConfirmed
Door framePhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black aluminium door frameConfirmed
Entrance doorPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Aluminium entrance door (D-series) in Matte Black; a timber leaf is the design intent — confirm a timber door with ALUMAX before it replaces the aluminium oneTo confirm with ALUMAX
Window framePhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black aluminium window frameConfirmed
Casing / architravePhase 2Specialist trade
Minimal square architrave in the wall colour, or a shadow-gap revealConfirmed
Glass
Door glassPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
clear or fluted glassConfirmed
PartitionsPhase 2ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black slim aluminium frame, clear or fluted glass; manifestation band in a neutral frostConfirmed
Angle valves, traps and drain covers in matte black or brushed stainless, one choice per room; linear drain covers tile-insert where the floor allowsConfirmed
CCTV, alarm and intercom housingsPhase 2Specialist trade
White housings on white surfaces, black on dark; placed to the joinery module, never centred on a feature wallConfirmed
Conditional exterior
Façade / claddingPhase 3Specialist trade
Render in the wall tone family; matte black expressed joints where cladding is usedConfirmed
Exterior framesPhase 3ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black aluminium exterior door and window framesConfirmed
Gates and fencingPhase 3ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black aluminium, matched to the exterior frames — range and finish to confirm with ALUMAXTo confirm with ALUMAX
Exterior shading and screensPhase 3ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black aluminium louvres and screens, matched to the frames — range to confirm with ALUMAXTo confirm with ALUMAX
Glass balustrade on matte black channel outside as inside; metal-only railing in the same finish where glass is not wantedConfirmed
Exterior coatingsPhase 3Specialist trade
Exterior-grade matt coating in the wall tone family, one step deeper than inside; matte black trimsConfirmed
Product Specification Levels
Same look, Essential to Bespoke.
Final materials depend on technical suitability, moisture zone and current availability.
01
Essential
Starts with FLYHOME — ALUMAX's preferred standardised, ready-to-assemble P6 cabinet platform for appropriate dry-zone applications — with other materials specified where the room, exposure or product requires them (wet zones step up to ACP / honeycomb aluminium).
FLYHOME P6 platform for appropriate dry zones
Cost-controlled approved finishes
Practical, reliable hardware
Standard glass and aluminium selections
Substrate by moisture zone — wet zones use ACP / honeycomb aluminium at any level
Curated SPC and WPC samples, each matched to this design language and to the surface it was chosen for — so the finish direction above resolves to a real code you can raise in an ELS+ enquiry.
Confirm colour, grain, gloss and profile depth against a physical supplier sample before ordering — these are application references, not exact colour proofs. ALUMAX supplies, installs and prices these products.
Cabinet platforms available through ALUMAX
Best ValueFLYHOME — Ready to AssembleP6 · Appropriate dry zonesAppropriate dry-zone kitchens, wardrobes, living storage and whole-home cabinetry.
FLYHOME is marketed, priced, supplied and installed by ALUMAX. ELS specifies the platform that fits the room and moisture zone — wet zones step up regardless of level.
Style specification
The technical layer, in full.
Palette
Ivory and warm white · Fine warm-grey stone · Minimal black accents
Wood tone
Light oak or ash
Stone pattern
Fine, warm grey
Aluminium finish
Matte Black
Glass
Clear or fluted glass
Hardware
Minimal black Gola
Lighting
3000K, warm
How it is built
Lighting strategy
3000K, and no warmer: 2700K turns off-white the colour of aged paper and makes pale oak look dirty. Because there is no ornament to catch light, brightness has to come from bounced and grazing sources — wall wash, cove, under-shelf — rather than downlights, which scallop matte white fronts and expose every wave in a long flat door run.
Industry standardColour-rendering behaviour is established lighting science, not one product's test.
Windows & curtains
This style wants diffused light, so run a single sheer across the full wall rather than framing the window — the aim is an even glow, not a bright rectangle. Specify a linen-look synthetic over true linen: real linen holds moisture and mildews at the hem in a room that is not air-conditioned. Hang it clear of the floor so mopping water never reaches it.
ELS field guidanceHow fabrics and finishes behave in Sarawak's unconditioned humidity — ELS field experience.
Furniture language
Keep everything on visible legs — the strip of floor under a sofa or sideboard is what makes the emptiness read as deliberate rather than unfinished. The dark accents this style allows are linear, not massy — a black frame, a black shelf edge, a black tap; a dark solid object breaks the reduction rather than anchoring it. Paper and rattan are the only textures that belong, and both are consumables in this climate — choose them where they can be replaced in an afternoon, never where they are built into joinery.
Handles & hardware
The finish follows the palette, so the choice is only Essential or Bespoke.
Essential
Minimal black Gola
Bespoke
Slim matte black edge pull
Why Matte black: Black aluminium windows · Black-framed sliding doors · Black appliances, sink or tap · Black lighting · Dark stone countertops
Depth & layering
After the style, we match the depth.
Muji Japandi decides colour, pattern and finish. Depth is separate — it is built, not chosen — so ELS matches it layer by layer against your actual ceiling height, walls and floor.
The one rule
Depth comes from a plane change — shadow does the work — or a material change — contrast does the work.
Plane changeshadow does the workMaterial changecontrast does the work
Do both at one junction with no functional reason and they cancel: the eye stops reading either.
Plane ✓Material —
Sculptural depth
One material, a level change — the shadow reads the form.
Plane —Material ✓
Graphic depth
Two materials on one plane — contrast draws the line.
Plane ✓Material ✓
Reserve for a hard boundary
Different material AND a level change together — only where a real boundary changes: wet/dry, indoor/outdoor, public/private.
CeilingSame material — depth from drops & coves
Default to one material and earn depth from drops, coves and shadow gaps — never a busy patchwork overhead. Height is the hard constraint: services claim the void before the design does.
Clear height≥ 2,500 mm (UBBL) · hold 2,600 mm under any drop
The habitable-room legal minimum, with comfort headroom kept below every dropped feature.
Industry standard
Slab to slab2,900–3,200 mm typical
What you start with — before any services are run.
ELS field guidance
AC plenumCassette/FCU 250–350 mm · ducted 300–400 mm
Air-conditioning claims the void first; the design works with what is left.
Industry standard
Condensate fall1:100
The gradient the AC drain line needs to run — it sets where the ceiling can sit.
Industry standard
Cove cavity150–200 mm
Depth to hide the light source and throw an even wash, not a hot line.
Design recommendation
Shadow gap20–30 mm
The reveal that separates ceiling from wall as a crisp, intentional line.
Design recommendation
Board for humidity12 mm gypsum at 400–450 mm centres
Sarawak's high humidity sags thin board on wide centres; this spec holds flat.
ELS field guidance
We askOnce air-conditioning and services are in, how much ceiling height can we spend on a dropped feature?
WallSame material, broken by a reveal
Default to one material broken by a reveal or shadow gap. A material change must land on a plane change or a shadow gap — never stop mid-plane, where a finish that just ends reads as unfinished.
Reveal / shadow gap20–40 mm
Enough shadow to read as a deliberate line, not a gap that looks like a defect.
Design recommendation
Where material changesOn a joint — never mid-plane
A reveal or a corner gives the change a reason; a finish that stops in open field looks unfinished.
Design recommendation
Socket box depth47 mm behind the finish
A flush socket sets the minimum a wall build-up can be — thinner reveals will not clear it.
Industry standard
We askWhere do the material changes fall — and does each one land on a joint we can detail?
FloorDifferent material, one flat level
Default to a single flat plane and zone with material, not level. A level change is either zero or a proper step (≥ 150 mm) — nothing in between, which trips.
Level changeZero, or ≥ 150 mm
Anything in between is a trip hazard; keep it flat or make it a proper step.
Industry standard
Screed load50 mm screed ≈ 110 kg/m²
A raised zone adds real dead load — the structure has to carry it.
Industry standard
Raised sub-frameSteel or aluminium — not timber
Termite country: a raised timber floor is a liability here.
ELS field guidance
Kerbless wet zone20–40 mm slab recess
Holds water in a level-threshold wet room without a step to trip on.
Industry standard
We askDo we zone this floor by material alone, or is a real step justified — and where does water need holding back?
Figures are planning guidance, not warranties. Real performance depends on the product, its installation and the site's exposure; the product datasheet and site measurement confirm it.
These are the standard rules and typical Sarawak figures. The exact heights, falls and build-ups are confirmed by your designer against the real slab, services and moisture zones on site.
Construction notes
The finger groove of a handleless front collects cooking grease and dust, and in humidity that becomes a permanent dark line across pale oak — specify an aluminium profile pull rather than a routed-and-edged board channel.
A pale oak carcass sitting on the floor shows the mop line at the eye level of a seated person — lift the whole run and let a shadow gap, not a plinth, meet the floor.
Reduction moves the storage, it does not remove it — the concealed volume this style needs must be found at plan stage, because there is no later place to add a cabinet without breaking the language.
ELS field guidanceClimate-durability timeframes ELS has seen on Sarawak sites; not a manufacturer rating.
Common mistakes
What goes wrong, and what to do instead.
Assuming the pale palette is what makes the wet kitchen fail
The colour is survivable; the ornament-free detailing is not. Handleless fronts, flush plinths and open shelves all fail in a wet kitchen regardless of colour — carry the palette through in aluminium and glass, but not the details.
Treating bare wall as a saving rather than a designed element
Empty wall only reads as intent when something with visual weight sits opposite it — decide that counterweight at design stage.
Buying the look in objects — the ceramics, the vase, the dried branch
This style is made by what is built in and what is left out; objects placed on top of an ordinary room read as a shop display and are the first thing to look dated.
Final materials, finishes and availability depend on technical suitability, moisture zone, load and the current ALUMAX stocking strategy, confirmed on site measurement and approved scope.