Client experiences
Spaces people live well in
These are honest accounts from clients — what prompted them to reach out, how the process felt, and what their spaces are like now.
Back to Home120+
Projects completed
8+
Years in practice
4.8
Average client rating
KL
Based & operating across Klang Valley
What clients say
In their own words
Nadia Rahman
Bangsar South · March 2025
I'd renovated my apartment twice before and both times it ended up looking fine but not quite right. With Grael, the Sketch Session alone gave me more clarity than I'd had in the previous two years. Suria asked the kind of questions I hadn't thought to ask myself. The Draft-to-Design was thorough and the 3D renders meant I was confident going into the build. It actually looks how I hoped it would.
James Tan
Damansara Heights · February 2025
We used Studio-to-Site for our home in Damansara. What I appreciated most was that Farouk was actually on-site, not just available by phone. There were two or three material decisions that came up during construction that would have gone the wrong way without someone present who understood the original design intent. The final styling session was a nice touch — the space looked genuinely finished, not just constructed.
Sarah Wong
Mont Kiara · January 2025
We approached Grael for a creative studio space — something that needed to feel like work without feeling sterile. The process was collaborative in a way that felt genuine rather than performative. Liyana's knowledge of materials saved us from a fabric choice that would've been a mess in KL humidity. The space is exactly what we were trying to articulate but couldn't quite say.
Ariff Mustaqim
Chow Kit · March 2025
We had a shophouse in Chow Kit that had good bones but years of unfortunate decisions layered on top. Started with a Sketch Session just to see if there was a path forward. Grael saw possibilities we hadn't. The Sketch Session alone was worth the fee — and it folded into the full project cost when we proceeded. The bookshop looks like it belongs to itself now.
Priya Chandran
Petaling Jaya · April 2025
I was hesitant because I'd heard that interior designers often don't listen. Grael was different. There were a couple of moments where Azlan gently pushed back on something I wanted — explained why it wouldn't work spatially — and he was right both times. The plans were clear enough that I felt comfortable managing the build myself, which is exactly what I needed.
Hafizuddin Nordin
Shah Alam · February 2025
Family home, three kids, limited budget. Grael was realistic with us about what was achievable and didn't try to upsell. The Draft-to-Design gave us a plan we could execute in phases — starting with the common areas, with a clear roadmap for the rest. That flexibility made the project actually manageable rather than overwhelming.
In depth
A few project stories
Challenge
Bangsar apartment — 800 sq ft feeling like 500
Client had a well-located apartment but the existing layout made it feel cramped. Storage was improvised, natural light was being blocked, and the living and dining areas felt like one awkward compromise.
Solution
Draft-to-Design service. We redesigned the layout to open the kitchen into the living space, built in wall storage to clear the floor, and specified lighter materials to reflect more of the existing natural light. Furniture was scaled and positioned to let the room breathe.
Timeline: 7 weeks design, 9 weeks build
Result
The client described it as feeling like a different apartment. The kitchen is now the social heart of the space rather than a closed-off utility room. Storage is sufficient and mostly invisible. Twice the light, same floor area.
"I genuinely did not expect it to feel this different."
Challenge
Chow Kit shophouse — 90 years of layers
A pre-war shophouse converted to a bookshop. The heritage structure had real character but also decades of mismatched additions that obscured it. Client wanted to restore a sense of cohesion without erasing the history.
Solution
Studio-to-Site engagement. Began with a Sketch Session to identify which elements were worth keeping. The design approach removed later additions that had no architectural logic, repaired original details where possible, and chose contemporary fittings that didn't compete with the heritage bones.
Timeline: 11 weeks total
Result
A bookshop that feels like it has always been there. The client has described customers commenting on the quality of the space — specifically that it feels considered without being self-conscious. Three months post-completion, the client came back to discuss a second floor.
"The space has a quiet confidence now."
Challenge
Shah Alam family home — phased budget, whole vision
Couple with three children wanted to redesign their home but couldn't do everything at once. They needed a plan they could execute gradually without having to start over each time budget became available.
Solution
Draft-to-Design with an explicit phase structure. The complete design was done as one document, but with clear phase markers so each section of the home could be built independently without looking incomplete or inconsistent.
Design: 8 weeks — Build phased over 18 months
Result
Common areas completed in phase one. Two bedrooms in phase two. The family managed the build themselves with contractor coordination. Each phase made sense on its own, and together they now have a coherent home rather than a collection of renovations.
"Having the full plan meant every decision felt like progress."