A striking three-storey modern classic house situated in the elite neighbourhood of Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, fulfils the needs of its owners, culinary entrepreneur Aang Sabirin, wife Eva Sahara and their children. It is a place to rest as much as it is a place to work and socialise, wrapped in luxurious aesthetics.
A house can have many rooms and facilities, but the most important factor is whether everything functions well and allows the occupants to live there to their heart’s content. The brief from the couple to Piter Gan Architect was simple: they wanted a comfortable house with five bedrooms for the family, a gym, and a swimming pool. Alongside the usual facilities found in a place of residence, one requirement was for the rooms and gardens to be spacious. This house is all of those combined.
The unique front door with Toraja carving detailing makes for a charming main entrance. Upon entry a guest reception area impresses with a rare Azul Bahia granite wall from Tuscany Marbles and grey marble floor, which offsets a vintage credenza by Ralph Lauren and other elegant furniture pieces. The space functions more as a foyer because, as Eva explained, “Nowadays we rarely sit with guests in the reception room because they are mostly our friends, family or business partners – people we know well – so we prefer to converse in the living room or at the dining table.”
The three-metre-long dining wooden table is hugged by 10 comfortable chairs, making a crowd-friendly setting that’s fit for the homeowners’ penchant to entertain. Two chandeliers hang above the table add drama to the room.
This dining space, together with the pantry, makes up the open concept living area that’s become the heart of the house. The pantry was finely built by Stella Mobili, who also constructed the main kitchen and all the wardrobes in the bedrooms.
Glass partition doors running along one side of the living area can be slid open to access the swimming pool and garden. The architraves – built with reinforced concrete using modern technology – are used to mark the transition from the indoors to the pool area.Like architraves, wall panels are a popular element in classical design. Their use here imparts elegance. They’ve been proportionally accentuated in certain spots, such as framing Azul Bahia granite behind the television. To provide a sense of spaciousness and contrasting mood, bronze glass is used as the focal point of the dining area. The lighting design, by PT Galaxindo, contributes to the welcoming and comfortable atmosphere of the house as well as energy efficiency. Lighting plays a key role in the success of an interior, not only in function or to emphasise furniture, artworks or other materials; it determines the way one interacts within the space, connecting exterior and interior.
Opposite the living room is the master bedroom, furnished with a graceful Fendi bed and spacious seating area, a karaoke set and a covetable walk-in closet next to the lavish marble bathroom. “During the designing phase, my only request was proper storage for my bags and shoes inside the room, that’s all,” Eva said.
Being the most frequent user of the swimming pool, the bedroom has a side entrance that connects directly to the pool. Next to the master bedroom, with a balcony that faces the street, is a classic styled guest bedroom.
Anda lift is installed beside the stairs to provide easy access to all the floors. The marble flooring continues up the stairs and throughout the indoor part of the top floor. The mezzanine, which connects both spaces, is embellished and secured with classic metal railings. As someone who loves details, Eva likes her trinkets and crystal collection on display. Part of her collection sits beside the mezzanine in shelves that were customised by Deco Home.
The top floor has three bedrooms, living quarters, a gym and a semi-outdoor service area. The gym is an attention grabber that stands out from the rest of the house thanks to its dome and all-black lantern-shaped façade. With a clear view to the sky above and the pool below, a workout session here couldn’t be more fun.
Perfection applies even to areas that guests don’t visit. The service area on the ground floor is delightfully spacious for the housekeepers to work and rest. Next to it is a garage that fits a whopping total of 10 cars. On the same floor, a prayer room is provided for guests. The predominantly turquoise interior gives a soothing effect that’s expected of a prayer room.
The 2,200 sqm building may seem to have been tough to design and build for Piter Gan Architect. But at the end of the day, what every designer loves to hear is none other than what Eva stated with a wide smile: “The house exceeds our expectation. It is built even better than how it was portrayed on paper.”