Blurring the lines between work & play in a luxury event space, Colony’s The Rooms in KL

While Colony might be best known for its coworking spaces, it has also established itself as a provider of photogenic and luxurious event spaces. Just recently, our team was able to visit Castra by Colony, a rooftop glamping spot in the heart of KL. 

Located in the same Star Boulevard KLCC building are The Rooms by Colony, another one of the brand’s event spaces. 

The Rooms consist of The Tea Room and The Drawing Room. As described by Colony’s website, the space features two rooms—namely, The Tea Room and The Drawing Room—with flipped stories. 

The entrance to The Drawing Room is in the form of a secret passage, referencing the speakeasy theme found within.

The Tea Room, on the other hand, is a modern retelling of a British colonial tea room. The former room has more of a masculine style, whereas the latter has a feminine aura. 

Launched last year, the idea for The Rooms came about when Colony received enquiries for a place to hold team meetings or brainstorming sessions in a casual setting, more laidback than a formal boardroom.

“They wanted to work but also wanted their team to relax and have fun at the same time,” explained Trina Phua, Colony’s performance marketing specialist. “So that was how the first Room, The Drawing Room, was conceptualised.”

Drawn into the Drawing Room

Found through a discreet entrance, The Drawing Room stands as a mixing chamber meant to foster curiosity and discussions among entrepreneurs, creatives, and really just about any individual from all walks of life. 

To be a space where you can get work done as well as kick back and relax, The Drawing Room was designed to have the dual purpose of work and play. 

“For instance, the long table functions for dining or for sit-down meetings, while the TV and sofa seating can be used for presentations or karaoke sessions,” Trina shared. “We even included the bar area for drinks to chill out after a hard day’s work.”

Did you know: A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and a historical term for what would now, in the US, be called a living room.

To achieve a grand aesthetic, the team incorporated antique-looking pieces and vintage prints and textures. The use of leather also adds to the posh, bar-like feel of the space.

“The masculine temperament of the brand portrayed in The Drawing Room entices guests to dance the night away behind our hidden doorway to seek freedom in the idea of the unknown,” Trina described. 

With 2,000 square feet of space, The Drawing Room seats about 40 people at a time for a reception equipped with high-definition television and complimentary high-speed WiFi. The pricing for The Drawing Room starts from RM 4,500 for half a day.

A time and place for tea 

As mentioned earlier, the team designed The Tea Room to be antithetical to The Drawing Room as a feminine counterpart to it.

“We had a lot of fun putting in all the pastel colours and the delicate prints on the floors and walls,” Trina said. “Where The Drawing Room exudes the masculine, heavy vibes, The Tea Room is all about lightness.”

This is reflected not just in the colour palette but also in the actual lighting of the space and even the furniture. The rattan chairs and velvet couches further emphasise the aesthetic. 

According to Trina, Colony’s ballroom is popular for weddings, so The Tea Room can often act as a bridal suite. With its high-tea concept, it also serves as a space for guests to gather around and wait for the lovely bride to appear. 

Other than bridal projects, guests can arrange sophisticated birthdays, elegant baby showers, bachelorette parties, or bring to life fancy tea parties depicted by fairytales.

Starting at RM2,500 for half a day, The Tea Room is around 1,000 square feet that can fit up to 25 pax.

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As more events are taking place, The Rooms make for great multipurpose spaces to host said events. 

On top of the Instagram-worthy interior design, there are plenty of other amenities available from a projector and audiovisual systems to karaoke sets and portable stages. You can also cater food to the venue or engage with Colony’s partner vendors with additional charges. 

While they haven’t had many extravagant requests for The Rooms yet, the team aims to always be able to cater to guests’ needs. For example, a team member once played an actor in a surprise proposal video shoot.

“Given Colony’s first-class hospitality, it is our motto that no request is ever too great and this very much applies to all our office and event spaces,” Trina said. 

Featured Image Credit: The Rooms by Colony