Touring a private residence in Central Java that’s all about nature, Javanese elements and serenity.
In 2015, Architect Frans Gondo and interior designer Valdy Wijaya worked together on a private residence located in Klaten, Central Java that took two years in the construction. The house occupies a total area of 874 square metres and it adopts a tropical house design.
Looking up, the roof of the house is similar to that of the traditional Javanese house Limasan, a four-sided trapezoidal roof made of ceramic roof tiles. The entrance area starts with a 12-step stairs made of black granite that leads to a terrace next to the Japanese garden. This small garden is decorated with a barrel, bonsai trees, white sand and a lattice window in the background.
Meanwhile, a landscape area in the back of the house still has a garden element to it, but the main stars in this part of the house are the swimming pool and fish pond surrounded by medium-sized trees.
In the entrance area, there’s a 3D panel along with a modern credenza and chandelier. From the entrance, the path leads to the guest room and family room that still pertain to the tropical and natural setting through an open space concept using clear floor-to-ceiling windows with aluminium frames, a two-metre marble in forest black colour that stretches from indoor to outdoor areas overlooking the swimming pool. Some of the windows that are not directly led to the pools are covered using wooden blinds to create a more tropical vibe inside the house.
Great air circulation is important for this type of house, indeed. There are two openings located on each side of the house that allow for fresh natural air to come in without lowering the house’s temperature and humidity.
A touch of black colour is found in different parts of the house and it continues to the second floor where the colour is visible on the wooden panel in the lounge room. The second floor also includes a corridor with its walls and ceilings painted in dark grey. Here, the windows are covered by wooden blinds, and there’s a huge wooden art piece located right at the end of the corridor that serves as the vocal point on of the upper floor.
All in all, the house is an ideal residence for such a location as Klaten, a regency that boasts the famed Prambanan Temple and is known for authentic Javanese culture and beautiful natural surroundings.