Armed with a concept & a list of things to avoid, Anni & Mel chose Balinese architect Ketut Arthana. Internationally recognized, Ketut has a reputation for optimizing & managing space. ''He instantly understood what we wanted. He set the ceilings high, like a barn's, but added variety to the roof-line by slightly lowering the kitchen roof & using typically Balinese cross-hatched exposed rafters. He wasn't afraid to recommend tile over thatch for its strength & ease of maintenance, & we found that by lining the under-side of the tile with basket-colored woven rattan, we could achieve the soft, natural effect from inside that you get with thatch, but without the problems. Ketut placed giant sliding glass doors & windows around the perimeters of the entire house, with slim rectangular windows above them for ventilation and stlye. The result is loads of light & ventilation during the day & an open-air feel, with the option of shutting out the bugs, water & dust at night & during storms.
Once complete, Ketut handed the drawings over and Anni and Mel took charge. ''Mel oversaw the entire building process, and I made all the design decisions. I didn't pay attention to rules and conventions. I was never focused on making the house fit into a category (rustic, modern, contemporary?). I just didwhat I found beautiful. The result is a huge mix of influences, combining primitive and modern, old and new, raw and finished. I was very relieved when, in the end, it did in fact all come together.''
Color is a major theme. The main living space has a soft cream terrazzo floor contrasting with two bold papaya-orange walls and another sailor blue wall. The ventilation windows hold circular coins of colored glass framed in teak, giving a warmth and funky flare to the entire space. The kitchen and bedroom floors are richly colored in traditional Dutch-style cement tiles. More color flows through the deep-set, vertical, and whimsically stained-glass windows along the stairs.
In contrast to the bright colors, raw materials ground the house in the natural & neutral, creating what architect Yew Kwan famously described as 'high-style primitive.' Raw teak trees frame the kitchen space & act as pillars on the terrace; Y-shaped stripped coffee balusters and teak banisters form the railings along the stairs & balcony; marble stones & large plates of slate form a mosaic on the master bathroom wall; & worn gray river stones provide drainage where house meets land.
Outside, the property is ringed with a mustard-yellow fence overflowing with pink, purple and yellow bougainvillea. A rice-terraced-shaped pool fills one corner, while palm and mango trees create an umbrella against the sun. Ocean breezes blow in from the east, cooling the land and house, even in the hottest season.
'We have put our souls into this house. We love it so, and want others to enjoy it too.'
