Our Story
How Kortessa came to focus on short-stay interiors
Kortessa was started by a small group of interior designers who had spent several years working on both long-let residential projects and short-stay units across Kuala Lumpur. Over time, it became apparent that the two types of project required very different thinking — not just in material choices, but in how spaces are documented, specified, and prepared for handover.
Long-let residential work is often about the long term preferences of a single household. Short-stay work asks a different set of questions: how does this space read in a photograph taken on a wide-angle lens at dusk? Will this surface wear evenly after fifty guest turnovers? Will the lighting scene at the entrance feel welcoming to someone arriving at 11pm after a flight?
Kortessa was set up to address those questions specifically — not as a side project within a broader practice, but as its primary focus. We operate within the scope of non-regulated design practice: concept, planning, specification, visualization, sourcing, and on-site coordination.
Our Mission
Considered work for owners who take their units seriously
Our work sits at the intersection of design documentation and operational thinking. We produce written deliverables — notes, schedules, specifications — that owners can use with contractors, property managers, and photographers. We do not position ourselves as a full interior fit-out contractor; we are the designers and coordinators who help owners think clearly about what they want and how to get it done.
Malaysia's short-stay market, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, has matured considerably. Guests who book mid-range and premium short-stay units now expect a level of presentation that goes beyond basic furnishing. Owners who invest in thoughtful design documentation — even at the level of a single photography readiness note — tend to see measurable improvements in how their listings present and how their units hold up over time.
Kortessa is based in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, and works primarily across the Klang Valley, with occasional engagements in Penang, Langkawi, and other short-stay destinations in Malaysia.
The People
Who you will be working with
Amirah Norzaidi
Lead Designer & Founder
Amirah has spent eight years working on residential and short-stay interiors across Kuala Lumpur. She leads client engagements and produces all primary documentation.
Kelvin Tan
Sourcing & Coordination
Kelvin manages supplier relationships across the Klang Valley and coordinates installation-day visits. He works across both budget bands for sourcing engagements.
Siti Rahimah
Documentation & Specification
Siti produces furniture schedules, finish specifications, and guest-facing notes. Her background is in technical drawing and interior specification for the hospitality sector.
Standards
How we work and what we hold ourselves to
Scope clarity
We define and agree the scope of each engagement in writing before any on-site visit or documentation work begins. No scope creep, no vague deliverables.
Written deliverables
Every engagement produces a written document that the owner keeps. We do not rely on verbal handovers or informal communication as the primary output.
Confidentiality
We do not share client unit addresses, layout details, or documentation with third parties without the owner's consent. Client information is held securely.
Honest pricing
Prices are stated before any engagement begins. If a unit falls outside the typical scope for a given service tier, we say so before you commit.
On-site accuracy
All documentation is based on an on-site visit, not photographs or floor plans alone. We measure, observe, and record directly, not by inference.
Practical recommendations
Our notes and schedules reflect what is achievable and available in the Malaysian market. We do not specify items that are not practically sourceable at the relevant budget.
Our Approach
Interior design for short-stay units in Malaysia
Short-stay and holiday home interiors in Malaysia sit within a distinct part of the design landscape. Owners of units in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and other visitor destinations face a particular set of decisions about how to present their spaces — decisions that are different in kind from those facing long-let landlords or owner-occupiers.
The primary consideration for a short-stay unit is how it reads to a prospective guest looking at a listing on a platform. That experience is mediated almost entirely through photography. A unit that is pleasant to occupy but does not present well in a photograph will attract fewer bookings than a comparable unit that photographs clearly and warmly. This is not a superficial concern — it is central to the commercial viability of a short-stay property.
Alongside photography readiness, short-stay units require careful thinking about material durability. Surface finishes, upholstery, and flooring that are appropriate for an owner-occupier may not hold up well under the pattern of use that a short-stay unit experiences. A practical furniture schedule, prepared with turnover frequency in mind, can extend the effective life of a unit's interior considerably.
Kortessa's work covers three stages of this process: an initial review and note on photography readiness, full interior documentation for units undergoing significant changes, and a sourcing and guest-ready walkthrough for owners who want the unit operationally prepared for arrival. Each engagement is scoped to the stage that is relevant to the owner's situation.
We work in English across all documentation and client communication. Our practice is based in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, and our sourcing knowledge covers the main furniture and materials suppliers operating in the Klang Valley.
Work with us
Start with a conversation
If you have a short-stay unit in Malaysia and want to discuss what stage of design work makes sense for your situation, we are happy to talk it through before any commitment is made.
Get in Touch