The beautiful box-shaped home

The three-storey house spans 7,000sq ft, sports a boxy look with white-washed walls, and was bought for its lush greenery and great location.

Tue, Jan 25, 2011
The Star/Asia News Network

By Melissa Ng

Upon entering the neighbourhood of Bukit Rahman Putra, Sungai Buloh, one certainly won't miss this house. Among the many conventional looking homes, this simple yet contemporary-looking home stands out from the rest.

Thinking outside the box Click on thumbnail to view

The three-storey house that spans 7,000sq ft, sports a boxy look with white-washed walls. The modern feel is further highlighted by the floor-to-ceiling windows and double-storey ceiling height. The owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, is a nature lover. He purchased the land because he was attracted to the lush greenery and the great location.

"The reason I chose to buy this land, apart from its beautiful surroundings is because I love to play golf. Now that my backyard is the golf course, I can just walk to and meet my golf kakis (friends) via my backyard. No need to drive out anymore! (Laughs) Also, my family can enjoy the facilities at the clubhouse nearby."

Modern simplicity
The homeowner was introduced to architect Choo Gim Wah by a mutual friend and the construction of the building took approximately twelve months to complete.

When asked about the concept of the home, the owner replies, "I'm a simple man. I like simple concepts, with lots of airiness and natural sunlight."

Understanding his client's needs, Choo designed the house with an emphasis on spatial clarity, courtyard and landscape.

"It's not maxed up to every inch. We still have landscape surrounding the house. In terms of ventilation, the water feature provides cool breeze and circulation," explains Choo.

Every part of the house reflects the owner's personal taste, as he is an avid collector of antiques and enjoys decorating the house with his individual touches.

"I wanted a big space, with a different and clever layout," he says.

The design of the house is basic and clear-cut. With seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, there's certainly ample space for the family. Once you enter through the main door of the house, a staircase leads you up to the main area of the house. The focal point is the water feature, where the koi pond is located at the center, and the living room, dining room, kitchen and the parents-in-law room open out to it. The koi pond currently has 33 fishes which is unintentionally similar to the house number.

It is built in such a way so that the family can entertain guests and enjoy the tranquil spaces while appreciating the calming effect of the water," says Choo.

Plenty of interesting features
A unique feature of this house is the corridor on the upper floor which leads to the bedrooms. It has sliding timber screens where you can open and look down at the pond.

As for the master bedroom, it boasts a spectacular view of the golf course on one side and the koi pond on the other. Instead of concrete walls, the home features full height sliding glass doors that can be opened, which provide all-round visibility, cross-ventilation as well as an avenue for sunlight to come in. A walk-in wardrobe has been incorporated into the master bedroom, which leads to the ensuite bathroom. The bathroom overlooks the golf course as well.

"With these glass windows, you get a perfect view but make sure you don't let the golfers see you," says Choo with a grin.

The flooring of the master bedroom is made of Merbau wood; easy to maintain and durable. The living and dining room, like the rest of the house, has simple, clean lines. The interior design and furniture of the house uses lots of earthy tones. There's also a television room where the children spend most of the time watching cartoons and surfing the Internet. A beautiful designer light hangs impressively from the second floor's ceiling to the first floor.

At a corner towards the back of the house, there's a washing cum-foot reflexology area, which features snooker balls given by his friend. The owner also collects antique pieces such as a wooden rack, a small outdoor dining table set with chairs and a bench which he bought from Malacca. A short flight of steps from the second floor leads to a flat rooftop, which will be the future rooftop garden.

"I am planning to make use of this spacious area to build a garden here in the near future," the homeowner says.

Just loving it
The dry kitchen is the homeowner's favourite part of the house, and that's where he usually has his tea while looking out at the koi pond.

"Oh, my favourite area is my dry kitchen. It is compact, practical and it looks out to the koi pond. Imagine coming back after a long day at work, you sit here and sip a cup of tea while enjoying the cool breeze and the soothing sound of water. Lovely, isn't it? It gives my home a resort-like feel," he says.