Bungalow made for gracious living

This house is built with the future, and the present, in mind.

It is designed and fitted out to be enjoyed for the present with its Swarovski chandeliers, da Vincci furnishings and branded kitchen; and the different areas put together with an eye on the future.

Says the hostess: “I imagine myself at 90, wheelchair bound living with my son and his family.

"I will not be able to climb the spiral marble stairway, which means I must have a room on this level.

"Limited mobility means limited access.

"So the bedroom, bathroom, small dining-cum-entertaining area and the TV room must be within reach.

"Doors and corridors must be wide enough for a wheelchair to turn around,” she says, as she recalls the designing process.

The cosy living area with a picturesque view of the double freeway as its main focal point
"And so she and her husband went about building their home in Tropicana Golf and Country Resort in Petaling Jaya, without a budget in mind.

"The result is that the cost went on ballooning.

“I was too busy to really shop around and when the sales and marketing people came, I chose the best, from the roof tiles to the kitchen cabinets and appliances, from the bathroom fittings right down to the door locks,” says the owner.

Man may plan, seldom do they have the last word.

After living here just four years, the family is now ready to move.

The formal dining area which seats eight
The children are abroad.

And five bedrooms seem too many.

Because the family had built the place with a view to stay, a lot of attention and foresight had gone into design, layout and detailing, right down to the tiled wash area for the mop “so that the domestic helpers need not have to carry the pail of water around.”

A long and broad driveway curves to the back of the house hiding prestigious cars from view.

The entire driveway is pebble-washed with drainage.

Branded cabinets and appliances in the dry kitchen area

The guest room, where the owner imagined she would be staying with her faithful wheelchair, overlooks the pool and front gate.

Beside it is a small area – “for my future meals and chatting with guests” – and across the corridor, wide enough for two wheelchairs to manoeuvre along, is the TV room.

She had planned this part of the house to be her domain, because after this come two flight of steps leading to the living area.

She even built a wall aquarium where a lone arowana now resides.

“It is expensive to have an aquarium set in a wall but I wanted to be able to see who is at the front gate when I am in this little area, without having to go to the front door.”

While much thought has gone into how this house will be used in the future, she is also enjoying the present.

The long driveway curves to the back of the house hiding cars from view

Because the house faces the double freeway of the Tropicana golf course, she has maximised the view of the greens.

As one passes the foyer entrance, skip two steps up passing the marble spiral staircase on to the living area, one is immediately drawn to the view of the golf course.

This is the focal point throughout this house, be it in the living area, upstairs in the master suite or downstairs in the lower ground pool-cum-entertaining area.

The manicured front garden with chengal fencing
A timber patio is adjacent to the living area, thereby continuing the scenic horizon.

Three of the four living room walls come with glass sliding doors.

The patio adds to the size of the living area while at the same time gives a dimension of variety and contrasts.

Timber eaves with red tiles and chengal flooring contrast with the cream Italian marble on the living room floor.

The spiral marble stairway with a Swarovski chandelier and louvered windows to bring in the light
The dry kitchen is located on the same floor with German branded kitchen cabinets and Bosch griller, hot plate and steamer all fitted onto an island top.

Adjacent to it is the wet kitchen and utilities corner.

The wash area is huge, with anti-slip tiles and secured with wrought iron “so that the domestic help can go about their chores safely, without having to go out to the gardens until the sun comes up.”

There is a third kitchen on the lower ground floor, next to the poolside entertaining area, for catering purposes.

The aquarium which is set into the wall, with a view of the front gate
This area overlooks the gardens and the golf course. Twenty tables, to accommodate 10 each, may be packed into this lower ground multi-purpose area, says the hostess.

“We have put up safety benches by the side to prevent children falling into the pool so these benches have dual roles,” she says.

This poolside entertaining area is separated from the driveway and parking area by an indoor courtyard.

Three cars can fit into the covered area and another six in an open area, which also overlooks the golf course.

The golf view continues on to the patio. Its timber flooring adds contrast to cream marble flooring of the living area, which is to the right
The family rooms, study and gym are located upstairs.

The study is strategically located, with windows that look out to the front gates as well as the pool.

“The study is the brain of the house.

"It is a room where one is able to know who has come or gone out of the house, or who is in the pool,” says the hostess.

Upstairs, a second set of security door is located at the top of the stairs.

The master suite door offers a third tier of security.

“We really have thought of everything.

"And we have not factored all this into the price of the house,” says the hostess.