Sha-May Home Interview
Welcome back to another installment of our Creator Series—where we step inside the homes and minds of creators who inspire us to live with more intention, beauty, and creativity. Today, we’re excited to introduce Sha-May, the thoughtful force behind Cosy Minimal. Her world is a blend of sentiment, simplicity, and slow living—rooted in minimalism, shaped by meaningful objects, and elevated by her eye for vintage design. Through her content, she invites others into a home that feels warm, intentional, and deeply personal.
Who is Cosy Minimal?
At the heart of Cosy Minimal is a creator whose journey has been shaped by movement, memory, and a lifelong connection to creativity. “I’ve always had a creative side from a young age” she shares, remembering the countless hours she spent sketching still-life scenes—often interiors and buildings that quietly captured her imagination long before she understood why. That early curiosity only deepened in high school, where her dream of pursuing design began to form. “I had a big folder on my laptop filled with stock images of houses, everything from elaborate cliff residences to tiny home cabins.” She initially enrolled in an architecture degree after graduating, but life shifted, leading her into the healthcare field, where she has now spent several years working as a physiotherapist. Even so, the creative pull never left. “There’s always been a longing to return to art and design in some form” she explains—a longing she now honors through her evolving creative work.
Her understanding of home has been deeply shaped by her own story—moving from Malaysia to Australia and living in multiple houses growing up. Each space, no matter how temporary, held a meaningful chapter of her life. “To me, home is more of a feeling than a place, I’ve asked myself at different points in time, ‘What is home?’ and over the past few years I’ve come to understand that home means rest—not just where I sleep, but where I feel truly at ease.” That philosophy is woven into every corner of Cosy Minimal. What started as a quiet creative outlet has grown into a thoughtful visual journal—a space where she explores light, texture, memory, and emotion. She describes it as “a curation of memories and scenes… a blend of my love for photography and capturing images that evoked feeling and creativity.” The name itself embodies her approach: Cosy for the warmth she gravitates toward, and Minimal for the clarity and calm that come from intentionally designed spaces. “Rest should be mentally clutter-free,” she shares, “for me, it helps if my physical surroundings reflect the same.”
Today, her life is a balance of part-time physiotherapy and part-time content creation for home and lifestyle brands—two worlds that offer unexpected harmony. She appreciates the stability of her clinical work, while also feeling grateful to reconnect with design in a way that feels natural and fulfilling. “Having both sides helps keep my creative brain ever-learning and ever-growing,” she says.
Her Journey in Home Design
For Sha-May, the journey of designing her home began long before she and her husband moved into their first place together—it started with a deep love for vintage treasures, thoughtful collecting, and an early interest in minimalism. “I’ve always loved vintage finds and thrifting, yet at the same time the concept of minimalism.” Blending those influences felt instinctive once they began building a life under one roof. Many of the pieces that fill their space have been carefully chosen. “A lot of the furniture pieces in our home have been thoughtfully sourced second-hand or passed down from my family” she explains, noting that each item is something she truly intends to keep. Minimalism then guides how she styles it all, helping her prioritize timelessness and pieces she genuinely loves.
Having a connection to her pieces plays an equally meaningful role in how she approaches design. “To me, a house feels like home when there’s an element of sentiment and meaning in it” she reflects. After a forest-meets-rustic wedding, she found joy in weaving small pieces of that day into their new home. At the center of their living room sits the very rug they said their vows on—a grounding detail rich with memory. In one corner rests a personalized mirror created by a dear friend, something she cherishes not only for its design, but for the story behind it.
Designing a small home came with challenges, but she embraced them with creativity. Their one-bedroom apartment, complete with an open-plan living area, offered simplicity but limited layout possibilities. Still, Sha-May saw opportunity instead of restriction. “It did mean there were only so many ways we could arrange furniture” she admits, “but I love a good challenge and have enjoyed multi-purposing my furniture and playing house tetris!”.
Inspirations from Travels
Travel has played a meaningful role in shaping the way Sha-May approaches design, with each trip offering new ideas that find their way back into her home. “We’ve had a big year of travel and stayed in so many amazing places this year” she shares. One of the most influential destinations was Japan—a country she has now visited three times, and one she says she could keep going back to. Japanese interiors, in particular, continue to leave a strong impression on her. “I love their efficient use of space” she explains, noting her long-standing fascination with small-home living. What resonates most is the philosophy behind it: “When I think of Japanese interiors, the concept of less is more stands out—not only because it helps with physical clutter and cleaning, but because it makes decision-making for what to do with physical items so much easier.” For her, living with fewer, more meaningful objects creates space for what truly matters.
Looking ahead, another recent trip has sparked an entirely new wave of inspiration. During a stay in Thailand, Sha-May found herself unexpectedly drawn to the aesthetic of the hotels and restaurants she visited. “I wasn’t expecting their hotels and restaurants to be so characterized by the stone wash and wood industrial design” she says. The combination of textured surfaces, natural materials, and understated industrial tones left a lasting impression. It’s a style she’s excited to bring into her next space, hinting that “you’ll definitely be seeing more of this soon.”
Cosy Minimal the Content Creator
Sha-May’s content creation journey began in the most organic way—by simply wanting to document her new-home experience. “It all started when I made an Instagram account to start posting my new-home journey” she shares. Just days after sharing her first posts, an unexpected opportunity arrived: a lighting company reached out asking if she would create content in exchange for their products. “I had little to no understanding of social media marketing and was so surprised” she laughs. That moment became a turning point. She dove into learning everything she could about UGC, even enrolling in a mentorship program led by @lorraemarketing. From there, she slowly began building her portfolio as a paid creator—one thoughtful collaboration at a time. “It’s been so fun to do this part-time, and I really do thank God!” she says. As for inspiration, she gravitates toward accounts with clean, expressive aesthetics like @mimiennes.home, @toshikoshek, and @kanchanalle—each one offering something unique that she feels drawn to incorporate into her own style.
Today, her work spans home and wellness brands, where she creates videos primarily used for paid advertising. Some projects fall outside her comfort zone, but she welcomes the challenge. “Some of these products fall outside of my niche, so I’m definitely learning on the go!” she admits. Beyond interiors, Sha-May has also partnered with emerging jewelry and fashion brands—something that has felt like a natural extension of her personal style. “I ventured into this niche because of my love for gold jewelry and wearing timeless pieces that match everything” she explains. Minimalism shapes not only her home but her wardrobe as well. She jokes that her husband’s side of the closet is nearly double the size of hers. “I’m a believer that personal style should transcend seasonal trends and fads” she says. “I don’t buy many expensive things, but when I do, I love and keep them for a lifetime.”
Looking ahead, Sha-May has a clear vision of what “Cosy Minimal” could look like in an ideal world—one rooted in presence, balance, and creative freedom. “In a perfect world, Cosy Minimal would wake up, go for a walk or jog and grab a morning coffee, come home to a slow morning, and settle into work for the day,” she reflects. The flexibility of content creation is something she deeply values. She loves being able to meet a friend midday, work from a café, or take breaks that align with her own rhythm. It’s the kind of lifestyle that prioritizes both creativity and calm. And while her journey is still evolving, her aspirations are already taking shape. She hopes to collaborate with more home brands in the future and continue expanding her presence across platforms.
Inside the Home
Inside her home, it is the natural result of Sha-May’s love for minimalism, vintage finds, and meaningful storytelling through objects. For her, every piece must have both a purpose and a soul. “Most of my furniture pieces have a functional purpose, as well as a story or meaning behind them” she explains. One of the first pieces that welcomes guests into their home is a charming telephone table from the 70s—a second-hand treasure she purchased from a woman whose husband had been a carpenter. The seller walked her through a home filled with his handmade creations, making the piece feel all the more special. Now, it sits by the front door as their daily “landing zone” carrying keys, bags, and other items that move in and out with them each day.
That sense of history continues into the lounge room, where one of her most cherished items lives: a dark wood and glass coffee table built by her grandfather stating “It was passed down to me and is a piece I’ll treasure forever” she says. She styles it with a thoughtful mix of modern touches, like their Marshall speaker and an Ozarke lamp, bridging past and present in a way that feels effortless. Another example of this balance is their TV cabinet-without-a-TV. “As people who barely watch TV, we decided not to get one” she explains. Instead, she repurposed the second-hand cabinet into a unique bookshelf—a less traditional display for her growing collection. The drawers serve as hidden storage, making it both beautiful and practical.
One of her favorite pieces, though, is the little dining bar table—compact, multi-use, and filled with memories. Passed down from her mother, it’s a piece that has followed her through many homes. “It serves as an all-in-one space, with a compact form that opens out to host dinner parties” she shares. It’s the kind of furniture that carries not just function, but years of shared meals, conversations, and moments she now continues in her own space with her husband.
Minimalism remains a guiding principle, though never in the rigid, monochromatic sense. For Sha-May, it’s about intention, not austerity. She practices a “one-in-one-out rule”: She continues “If I purchase a new item that I already have, I try to replace an existing one for it” she explains. This approach helps her stay mindful of what truly belongs in her home and prevents decisions driven more by impulse than love. At the same time, she views interior decor as a living, evolving form of art. “I don’t hold rigidly to the stigma that everything should be black and white, neutral only, or worst of all, boring!”. While her home began with vintage pieces and meaningful items from her wedding, she fully expects it to grow and shift over time.
And that evolution is already in motion—because Cosy Minimal has officially moved. Sha-May and her husband will be relocating to a 1960s home with more living space, wooden floors, white walls, and plenty of greenery outside. Coming from a one-bedroom apartment, she loved how easy the upkeep was and plans to maintain that simplicity in the larger space. Her vision blends her minimalist lifestyle with the industrial design inspiration she fell in love with in Thailand. “Think concrete and chrome surfaces weaved into wood and softer textures, paired with warm low lights to keep our iconic cozy atmosphere” she shares. It’s a new chapter filled with ideas, creativity, and intention. And even in the midst of planning, she reminds herself to slow down and savor the process—“just like my favourite framed poster reminds me!”
Advice to You!
When it comes to beginning your home decor journey, Sha-May’s first piece of advice is simple: don’t get caught up in trends. “Trends will come and go; personal style is timeless” she says. She encourages readers to choose pieces they genuinely love—items that embody what home means to them. Whether those pieces are currently in style or not shouldn’t matter. “They’ll probably come back in ten, twenty, thirty years’ time” she laughs. But if you happen to love something that’s trending? “Go all out!” The heart of her message: honor your own taste first.
For those craving an interior upgrade, she suggests beginning with self-reflection. “Ask yourself: What does home mean to you? What would you like to come home to every day? How do you want people to feel when they walk into your home?” Once you’ve answered those questions, the practical decisions become much easier. From there, she recommends considering the size, layout, and needs of your space. Do you require multi-purpose furniture to maximize functionality? Does an open-plan layout feel empty without thoughtful placement? “Will placement of couches and seating—such as angling them inward—help evoke warmth and connection?” she asks. Texture and lighting also play a powerful role, especially if your home lacks natural light. Warm lamps, layered textiles, and organic materials like wood, stone, or greenery can transform a space instantly. No matter where you start, her biggest reminder is the same: enjoy the process.
On the content creation side, Sha-May offers equally grounded insight. Early in her journey, she received a piece of advice that shaped her entire approach: have a clear goal. “Do you want to create content to monetize, or do you want to create content for influence?” she explains. It’s difficult to do both at the beginning, and trying to juggle them may dilute the impact of your efforts. Once you’ve identified your focus, consistency becomes everything. “More often than not, brand deals don’t come as inbounds” she shares. Sha-May encourages aspiring creators to pitch often—and without fear. Research the industry, invest in a trustworthy course, refine your skills, and above all, stay committed to learning.
As we close this installment of our Creator Series, it’s clear that Sha-May’s approach to home and creativity is rooted in intention, sentiment, and a deep appreciation for the stories objects can hold. Her journey reminds us that thoughtful design isn’t about perfection—it’s about meaning, evolution, and crafting a space that feels undeniably yours. From her love of vintage pieces to her evolving vision for Cosy Minimal’s next chapter, she invites us all to slow down, be present, and truly enjoy the process of making a house a home. We’re so grateful to Sha-May for sharing her heart, her home, and her wisdom with us. Until next time, thank you for reading—and stay tuned for the next creator who inspires us to see our spaces through a new lens!
