Feel the Ambiance

Driving down a country lane and happening across a fantastic farm shop selling free-range produce and delicious home-made goods that few know about is always a delight. And although there are no chickens running about or pots of jam, walking up the driveway into Jim’s place really does give you this same sense of discovery. It’s quite simply an Aladdin’s Cave of beautiful things for the home: Chinese furniture, jewellery, paintings, stools, ceramics, ornamental birdcages and much, much more. Very much an expat institution, each visit feels special, personal, an invitation into a collector’s private space except that everything has a price tag, and an affordable one at that.

Owned and run by Scottish expat Jim Moore and Malaysian Jason Long, this great team now also have three Ambiance stores which over-flow with beautiful, and often unique, items. When visiting do allow plenty of time though, as there are many hidden gems to behold. The stores are located in Bangsar Shopping Centre (since 2009),  more recently 1 Mont Kiara Mall and now, as I discovered yesterday, in the newly finished Publika Solaris Dutamas.

This blog post is certainly not a sales pitch, after all, when something is this special why would you want to share it? It was more about sharing my experience of finding a peaceful corner within a bustling city where modern is everything, malls are everywhere and the unusual is becoming harder to find.

It is a place you can feel welcome and inspired. A place where you’re able to surround yourself by wonderful hand-selected items originating from fascinating places. And for me personally, a place which triggers memories of my backpacking days traveling the Trans-Siberian from Russia, Mongolia and down to China. So, thank you Jim and Jason. What an absolute pleasure and see you again soon.