Home for a growing family

 

		Sun, Apr 17, 2011 The Star/Asia News Network
By Annie Ooi This house was designed for contemporary living yet it reflects a distinctive Indian identity of the owners who prefer a simple layout that offers plenty of room for the growing family. Their dream home Click on thumbnail to view With a land area of 1,080q m (12,000sq ft), the couple could have opted for much more built-up space, but they decided to keep it simple and manageable, building a one-and-a-half-storey detached house. "We are able to keep an eye on the children as everyone is on the same floor," says Lavinia, the lady of the house. Her businessman husband is of the same mind, as he looks to the future when the children will be teenagers and likely to closet themselves in their rooms. At least this way, they may be out of sight, but not out of earshot. The couple sought the help of Solidreams SM Sdn Bhd interior designer Murugan Beno Krishnan (who prefers to be known as Vinod) to realise their dream home. "The homeowners asked for a simple and contemporary look," says Vinod, who is also the contractor for the house. A consultant, Somu Krishnan, was approached on architectural matters. The concept features minimal furniture set against beige walls and off-white marble flooring, accented with antiques from India, as Lavinia brought back many such items from there. From the outside, the property looks simple and not the least bit ostentatious. In fact, the house blends with the low-key atmosphere of this well-established residential area. It is strategically built in the middle of the plot with lots of space around. As the property owners prefer a grey-and-white colour scheme, the grey roof shingles and white-washed walls reflect this look. Relatively large windows, black English style wrought iron grilles and the spaciousness of the building reminds one of Australian style homes, says Vinod. The main door of nyatoh (local hardwood) is broad and high, "welcoming to visitors, as well as (facilitate) the flow of wealth," according to Vinod. A brass bench is placed here, while a pair of richly carved teak temple doors from Myanmar is hung on the wall, adding a sense of "divine protection". Family shrine The ground floor space of 630sq m (7,000sq ft) is separated into three distinct areas. In the centre, as one enters the front door, a living area leads to a pool at the back. The section comprising the dining space, audio-visual room and kitchens, are located to the right, and the bedrooms to the left. The prayer room, accessed through another intricately carved door, is tucked away between the kitchen and the audio-visual room, at the end of a corridor with a vaulted ceiling. A pair of majestic wooden pillars - reminiscent of the grand homes in colonial India - erected at the corridor portal, adds another distinct achitectural detail to the house. In the AV room, the sleek and black technological gadgets are matched with a feature wall covered with wallpaper of a modern design and a black, sofa bed from Harvey Norman. The powder room is designed to "transport" guests back to nature. The wall and flooring material are of granite, slate and natural stone to evoke a feeling of a jungle-like resort. Outside on the patio, a spiral staircase near the bar leads to the 90sq m (1,000sq ft) gymnasium which takes up the entire half storey. This is a rather steep climb for the master of the house. And it could serve as a warm-up before he hits the treadmill. The couple bought the property for RM1 million (S$411,750) a few years ago and spent another RM1.6 million on the construction of their new house and furnishing it with all the necessary modern fittings including electrical appliances and furniture. The family moved into their beautiful home last August. The task of putting everything together was time-consuming and exhausting, says Lavinia, and it is unlikely she will be doing such a chore again. Her favourite place, the dry kitchen, was outfitted by Bofi. With ample space for a breakfast table and dining table, this special spot should lead to years of family bonding and enough pictures to fill their photograph albums. But for the man of the house, his favourite feature of the property is underwater. That's because the the emblem of his favourite British football club, Arsenal, is embedded at the bottom of the pool.