A House That Embodies The Perfect Eco-Friendly Gateway
By Shayor Islam Anan
A house that portrays the homeowner’s love of nature, openness and comfort is what makes that house a Fabulous House. Mr. Feroz and Mrs. Tania have created the eco-friendly theme of their home that resembles the calmness and beauty of resorts which can only be found in the outskirts of Dhaka. Mr. Feroz believes that their home should be comfortable and well-designed so that they find peaceful refuge inside the walls of their 2600 sqft house located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Today, we trail through the beautiful hallway of their home to discover the unique elements of nature that are present in every corner.
The outlines of a perfect hallway
The first distinct feature out of the many elements is the open hallway. To make the space feel more large, the hallway is intentionally kept open with no barriers. This naturally creates a feeling of togetherness and allows for much more breathing space. The living area is tastefully decorated, with several distinct aspects to mention. At the end of the hallway, you can spot the arc of the brick wall that creates a royal look for the entire space.This is the heart of the home, where the family members cherish sentiments and seek comfort that provides the house with a more special touch. From the hallway, we spot the entirety of the house but there are special corners and additions that are hidden away. The bricks create a greek theme whereas the muted tones of the off-white walls painted with Berger Easy Clean Paint create a soothing tone.
Living room as a nature retreat
The drawing room is a delight to behold, with contemporary decor and wooden accents. On one side of the space, some sofas sit beside towering windows that display the beautiful terrace. The red tones of the sofas go really well with the brick theme. To set the tone of the area, a warm glow emanates from behind the wooden frames on the wall. One word for this room would be ‘openness’. The adjacent balcony and window panel lets the natural breeze pass at all times.
Melodious music room
Every house has a corner that makes it a home. For Mr. Feroz and Mrs. Tania, it’s the music room adjacent to the beautifully decorated living room. At first glance, the main attention of this room seems to be the swing. A large swing hangs from the ceiling with a strong hold. On one side, there are instruments that are placed playfully. A keyboard, a harmonium and mics for music nights. But it’s the hidden detail that completes the look of the room. The elevated wooden floor is shaped like a piano. While giving us a house tour, Mr. Feroz said ‘Both of my daughters are really good singers, so to add a touch of that, we shaped the panel to be like a piano’. More often than not, the children sit on the swing and practice their melodious singing.
The antiquity of brick walls
As soon as you pass the glorious living room, you meet another set of astonishing brick work. The arc of the brick wall is perhaps the most satisfying scene to the eyes. Another element we noticed is the scintilla of greenery in the balconies, which are covered with green plants to give the impression of being in the wilderness in an urban neighborhood. The entire house has elements of red bricks that gives an earthy and majestic feel.
The uncovered brick walls drew our attention immediately, and the rawness of the matte reds blended in wonderfully to create a natural feel.
The hanging gardens
The show stopping element that is present throughout the entire house and perfects the resort-like vibe is the plethora of plants in every balcony. There are numerous plants in every corner of the balcony. The warm lights that hang from every balcony create a surreal look when the sun sets. It truly resembles a resort and the perfect getaway.
Mr. Feroz says that he feels a sense of serenity when he sits down for meals and looks towards the balcony full of plants from his dining table. Every balcony has a definitive feature, the balcony adjacent to the dining room has beautiful vines whereas the master bedroom balcony has orchid and rose corners filled with beautiful flowers.
Warm lights in the fairytale
The house was designed in such a way that the family members never realize the need of a gateway to a resort or destination spot to respire. The house is the fairytale resort that wipes away the tiredness of the bustling city. One of the key elements to create this resort-like vibe is the use of warm lights. Although the homeowners have white lights, they prefer the warm lights that match the wooden theme perfectly.
These warm lights are scattered generously that emit a soft glow from behind the wooden frames and panels. The dining table has the most perfect lighting fixture that creates a chandelier-like effect.
Painted with love
As you walk through the house, you will find paintings done by Mr A and Mrs B’s daughters. The whole house is beautifully littered with their drawings and paintings. It’s a personal touch that adds to the creativity and calmness of the house. They have embellished their walls with precious family pictures and paintings captured in frames.
This sets the tone of the house that a home is made with the love and offerings of every family member. Every shelf has an array of paintings that tell a different story. The vibe of each room matches the paintings in a sweet manner.
The minimalist master bedroom
The home of this delightful couple inspires both concepts and masterfully combines them together to produce the wonderful home, and spans from traditional to modern. A key part of this is the master bedroom and it embodies the overall theme of the house-openness.
The balcony of the master bedroom is designed in such a way that both sunrise and sunsets are visible. Mrs.Tania really enjoys watching sunsets and sunrises from the comfort of her bed. She says, ‘The moon is in different locations every few months, it’s really wonderful to see the moonlight from my room.’
The hidden gem
Hidden away in the farther side of the house is the children’s bedroom. As soon as you enter the room, you meet the galaxy theme with the ceiling full of stars. A fun addition to the room is definitely the bunk bed of Mr. Feroz and Mrs. Tania’s daughters. Bunk beds carry a sense of nostalgia that strengthens the bond of the sisters living together. Mrs. Tania says that they went for bunk beds because they think it definitely helps the duo to strengthen their sisterhood.
The well-lit ceiling has a blue and white ambience that overlaps with the calm theme of a starry night.
Perhaps the cutest touch of the entire room is how the sisters have saved every doll since their childhood and saved those memories in a shelf of their own.This notable feature is the doll corner in the room where every doll from the sisters’ childhood is stored as a happy memory.
Like every other room, the children’s room also has an interesting extension. Next to their room, is a small balcony, again filled to the brim with green plants but the hidden gem here is the big bird house. Pairs of colorful lovebirds live in the bird house and give a rightful nod to the coop that most rural households have. This room perfectly blends the beautiful decor of contemporary art with the vintage theme of countryside yards.
The art of bamboo and beautiful tidbits
What makes this house different from the others is the use of bamboo binders instead of traditional curtains in different corners of the house. Bamboo binders or materials made from bamboo shoots make the curtains and subtly elevate the villa theme of the house. It’s a detail you notice as soon as you enter the house and are bound to be fascinated about.
The red sofas complement the green and brown-ish color palette to create harmony in the various rooms of the house. Other than this, there’s a lot of glass and vintage themed items, showpieces that contrast the wooden or brick themes but does not overpower it.
There is a hint of traditionality in every corner, whether it’s the antique clocks or the jute like hanging pieces. It’s a perfect blend of taking countryside items and modernizing them to fit the taste of the urban life but still staying true to the roots.
The multi-purpose room
Many houses have got that one room that complements the color palette and vibe of the entire house. For this beautiful abode, it’s the room next to the kids room. Mr. Feroz says that his younger child often comes here to study as her study room. This room is also testament to the memories of the spouses’ parents. It has muted lighting with adorable paintings on walls.
The value of our roots and the memories associated with them is sometimes overlooked by the new crowd.But, by combining the love of nature and modernity, we no longer need to soul search for a place of respite.This fabulous house teaches us that with the correct use of natural elements, we can recreate nature at its best inside the four walls of our abode.
