Cimbrey and Mark, from Houston, Texas live with their son Zane and daughter Elise in downtown Kuala Lumpur in a condo with lovely views of KLCC. They enjoy high-rise living and are spoilt for choice with the full service facilities that come with their 4,000 sq feet condo unit which is in the heart of where city action is.
Cimbrey shares her thoughts on her home and living in KL:
Space with a View
“There are lots of big windows and natural light in the living and dining area. I especially love the open plan feel where the kitchen and dining opens seamlessly to the living room. A blue accent wall makes me think of the ocean or a clear blue sky. The warm brown tones with the blues provide a calming element. We get views of the KLCC twin towers and the KL Tower from the living room – this is simply amazing. We can see the entire city from the windows of our unit!”
Spaces for multi-tasking
“I like that there is a separate family room that functions as a kids play area and an office area for me. I am involved in the PTA at school and the Women’s Ministry in church. The work area in the family room allows me the ability to read emails and create projects for school, church, and home – all while keeping an eye on the children who are playing in their pretend kitchen or with toys on the carpet. Each afternoon our son completes his homework at the kid-sized table, and our family reads together on the navy sofa.”
“The work space in the guest room provides a nice area for my husband to stay connected to business happening in the USA and other parts of the world. Since work hours in the US are often during Malaysia’s night time, my husband can retreat to the guest room and join a conference call after dinner, attend a forum via Facetime, or respond to emails in a quiet setting.”
“I love retreating into my room – it’s my sanctuary. When I want to read a book, I open the windows in my room, hop up on my bed and curl up in my cozy blue quilt. I’m glad to end each day like this.”
Spending time in the kitchen
“We cook almost every night and my children love to participate. Their favourite thing to do is bake cookies or brownies – they are maybe a little too young to slice vegetables for now. Produce in KL is very similar to the produce we are used to purchasing in the US. We find all of our favourite fruits and vegetables easily, and we enjoy trying regional fruits and vegetables from time to time.”
KL with kids
“Having kids in KL is easy. There are so many indoor playgrounds, museums, and activities for children to join. My daughter is learning gymnastics and ballet at The Little Gym. My son is involved in the KLYS soccer programme. One of our favourite things to do is get tickets for children’s performances at Istana Budaya, such as High 5 and Shrek. We also love to visit the amazing parks and playgrounds in the area.”
Like any city, there are some minus points: “The most difficult thing about having kids in this city is the seasonal haze that engulfs South East Asia. Also, the city is very hot. It makes it difficult for children to play outside for long periods of time, and we must always be prepared with plenty of water. Because we live in a condo in KLCC, we must walk or drive to parks to enjoy grass, trees, and the joys of nature. But we are grateful that KL provides these opportunities just short distance away from our home.”
Downtown KL vs. suburbs for kids
“I think that while you live in KL you should experience the city life here. There are many opportunities to meet other families at various indoor and outdoor playgrounds in the KLCC area. Suburbs can be isolating, and I feel that the prospect of having a garden or yard to play in is overrated: gardens are often full of mosquitoes, difficult to maintain, and have insufficient play spaces for children anyway. Most high-rises in KLCC have playgrounds and pools, and our condo even has a tennis court, outdoor yoga deck with water feature, ping pong room, and many other play spaces for bikes, scooters and skates.
We have enjoyed living in the middle of all the action particularly during holidays and festivities. We even watched the City Grand Prix and New Year’s fireworks from our balcony. We never have to worry about traffic because so many restaurants and activities are within walking distance. Our kids would miss much of the excitement and culture of the city if we lived in the suburbs.”
Thank you very much for sharing your beautiful home with us!
