There are many fields where men seem to dominate, but one unmatched talent that only women possess is the ability to turn a house into a home. Nobody understands homemaking better than a woman does and exactly how to create the cozy comforts to make a family with children feel at home better than that special female touch. Providing the perfect balance between comfort and style is not easy as a glamorous lifestyle is far more hard work than what it appears to be at first glance.
PHOTOS BY: Bagus Tri Laksono
The apartment of the successful businesswoman and socialite, Vicky Supit, is a delightful home that not only has impeccable style but also has room for two growing boys. Vicky’s apartment in Dharmawangsa was skillfully designed by the talented interior designer Nada Lahlou of Design Desk Studio. As close friends Nada and Vicky understand the intimate details of each-others lives and tastes and the design duet of these two creative souls make lavish living look effortless and as flawless as the femme fatale from the glamorous era of the silver-screen that brought Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe to life.
The entrance to the Apartment, with the fainting couch and mirrors covered in a monogrammatic resin grid with custom tailored door handles resembling a Chinese temple and concealed storage cupboards, creates a mysterious impression of grandeur about what awaits inside this home. The entrance directs a clear walk way into the living space of the home with its crepuscular lighting. At the same time providing an almost obscured passage way to the more private areas - such as the three bedrooms to the left, and kitchen and servants’ quarters to the right. A large mirror in the hallway, on the way to the kitchen, frames the entrance to the guest’s powder room with its dainty sliding door.
It often happens when visiting a beautiful home that guests may use the excuse to ask “Where is the powder room” in order to get a sneak peak of the rest of the house. In the case of Vicky’s apartment this requested visit to the powder room will surprisingly turn the powder room, with its eloquent design, into the highlight of the tour! Nada understands just how to optimize limited space and give it striking design features with the utmost attention to finer details. The powder room’s basin is placed inside a cupboard with double glass-window doors that opens up and neatly closes again with all the storage needed for soaps, towels and other luxury necessities. The ambiance of the powder room reminds of a french boudoir, yet slightly more contemporary, where ladies can pamper themselves with luxuries surrounded with delicate decor.
The Living area of the home had to house two very important functions. Firstly it needed to accommodate two boys and secondly provide the necessary entertainment area for a mother that hosts many lavish private parties. To have enough space for this Nada innovatively enlarged the apartment by taking floor space form the original terraces and adding it to the indoor floor area. In order to do this in an apartment building’s structure she had to keep the original railing and extend with glass walls as to not influence the outside facade of the building too drastically. By doing this she added a significant amount of living space inside the apartment. Having an open plan living area also made the room very spacious with enough details to keep it very homey at the same time.
All the furnishings and fixtures in Vicky’s home are custom made from locally sourced materials. Vicky briefed Nada by showing her pictures from books and magazines of things that she simply adores and Nada skillfully combined all her desires into a blended and balanced interior. Asian, Moroccan and even African design elements live in harmony in an eclectic cosmopolitan apartment. Patterns and animal prints with colors ranging from red to turquoise blend seamlessly into a lavish display of modern living. Floral accents provide a feminine touch while added textures and wooden floors brings masculinity into the equation and a few “ooh lala” scatter cushions adds fun.
The placing of the furniture as well as the size of the coffee table and rounded edged teak dining table is very child friendly. No sharp edges and big areas to place valuable ornamental pieces safely, as well as the higher shelving for books, photos and fragile items keeps everything well displayed and safely out of the way at the same time. You can move around with ease as clutter is avoided and everything has its place. Even the televisions in the living area are concealed and can be neatly tucked away from sight. The ceilings (some mirrored and gridded) and sliding door to the television room makes the open plan easy to adjust into defined zones that provide privacy when required.
The flooring also creates a landscape inside the apartment, with an elevated sitting room and carpeted television room where the boys can play video games and sit on a spacious round couch. The original terrace areas are tiled and arranged into seating areas where a book can be read or a cup of tea enjoyed while day dreaming. The sitting room also has a perfect view of the apartments baseball court, swings and lawn where Vicky can relax while keeping an eye on her boys while they are playing outside.
Turning an apartment into a home requires good taste, style and knowledge and a certain je ne sais quois that only a woman understands. This apartment combines all the elements for a lavish lifestyle without compromising comfort and family values. In Vicky’s own words: ”Luxury is comfort”.