A balanced modern style using warm timber patterns, restrained neutrals and durable matte finishes. Designed for comfortable family homes without becoming overly decorative.
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
Warm Wood Modern · LaundryConcept study
01
A look you choose. Details we make buildable.
What you see
PaletteWarm white and greige · Restrained charcoal accents · Warm greige stone
Wood toneMedium warm oak or walnut
Stone patternWarm greige, low-movement
Aluminium finishMatte Black
GlassClear or soft-grey glass
HardwareMatte black or dark bronze 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.
Warm timber reads as calm rather than cold, which matters in a house that is lit for twelve hours of flat equatorial daylight. Because the palette sits in the middle of the tonal range, it hides the two things Sarawak homes actually show: fine dust on horizontal surfaces, and the slight colour shift every timber finish suffers near a west-facing window. It is the most forgiving of the ELS styles over a ten-year life.
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, warm off-white, one step lighter than the walls, mattConfirmed
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 warm greige quartz family, 600×1200 or larger, grout matched to the tile — never a contrasting groutConfirmed
Cabinetry
Main frontPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
medium warm oak or walnut, one grain direction across a run22-18Confirmed
Feature frontPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
One feature front by default: restrained charcoal, 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 YQ002YQ002Confirmed
Work surfaces
CountertopPhase 1ALUMAX supplies
Quartz, warm greige quartz, low movementConfirmed
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 medium warm oak or walnut 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 soft-grey glassConfirmed
PartitionsPhase 2ALUMAX supplies
Matte Black slim aluminium frame, clear or soft-grey 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
Warm white and greige · Restrained charcoal accents · Warm greige stone
Wood tone
Medium warm oak or walnut
Stone pattern
Warm greige, low-movement
Aluminium finish
Matte Black
Glass
Clear or soft-grey glass
Hardware
Matte black or dark bronze Gola
Lighting
3000K–3500K, warm
How it is built
Lighting strategy
3000K throughout, with no exceptions inside one sightline — mixed colour temperature is what makes warm timber look muddy. Light the joinery, not the room: concealed strips under overheads and inside display niches do more than adding downlights, which flatten grain and throw hard shadows on door fronts.
Industry standardColour-rendering behaviour is established lighting science, not one product's test.
Windows & curtains
This palette browns off under unfiltered west sun, so glazing is part of the design, not an afterthought. Pair a sheer inner layer for daytime glare with a heavier outer curtain only where privacy demands it; a single blackout layer makes the timber read flat and dead by day. Where the opening faces afternoon sun, the glass specification matters more than the fabric.
ELS field guidanceHow fabrics and finishes behave in Sarawak's unconditioned humidity — ELS field experience.
Furniture language
Loose furniture should sit one shade away from the joinery, never match it — matched timber reads as a showroom set rather than a home. Favour fabric and leather in warm neutrals with visible weave; high-gloss or chrome pieces fight the matte finishes and are the fastest way to make this style look cheap.
Handles & hardware
The finish follows the palette, so the choice is only Essential or Bespoke.
Essential
Matte black or dark bronze Gola
Bespoke
Matte black or dark bronze integrated 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.
Warm Wood Modern 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
Timber grain must run in one declared direction across a run, or adjacent doors read as different products once side-lit.
Matte black hardware shows fingerprints in a humid kitchen — specify a textured rather than a smooth matte.
Warm veneers shift tone under direct sun; keep the same batch across one visual field and avoid splitting a run across two deliveries.
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.
Using three different wood tones in one open-plan area
Hold one primary timber and let stone or paint carry the second tone.
Specifying particleboard carcasses in the wet kitchen because the dry kitchen used them
Change the substrate at the wet/dry boundary — the finish can stay identical.
Adding downlights until the room is bright
Add concealed and task light first; ceiling brightness is the last resort, not the first.
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.