By Annie Ooi | Oct 19, 2010
Photographs by Sam Tham
Hot seat
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| A handsome piece: This designer piece by Mathias Hoffman features brown cross-stitches and leather-based feet. |
When you have built a house in Gita Bayu, a gated community in Kuala Lumpur, you can’t just pick up any sofa from the neighbourhood furniture shop.
Says one such house owner, Andi K: "I came across this particular sofa in an article in a local newspaper last year and fell in love with its shape."
The shape he is talking about is described as "organic and natural" and now this RM200,000 de Sede sofa from Switzerland sits in his lounge.
"For this expenditure, I am not getting just one settee," says Andi, "as the back rests can be moved around to result in different configurations." While this flexibility is definitely useful, an idea of its additional appeal lies in the fact that it was used as a prop in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.
Lounge
The lounge in this house has off-white walls, white marble floor slabs and with the cigarillo brown of the leather sofa, the contrast of colours is pleasant.
In a corner of the well-lit lounge near oversized windows overlooking greenery in the garden is another handsome piece, a lounger in white leather. This RM70,000 designer piece by Mathias Hoffman, features interesting details with brown cross-stitches and leather-based feet.
The sofas are brought in by Chester Collections. Its manager Jane Lui says of this corner of the lounge: "This whole concept of a white lounger and a background of greenery matches well.
"While this corner of the lounge provides a soothing ambience and an air of subtlety, the main brown de Sede sofa in the centre provides the ‘wow’ factor."
W. Schillig
Just off the lounge is the TV room, where a German W. Schillig RM50,000 sofa and ottoman named "Famous" provide hours of comfort. Upholstered with top quality Nappa leather, the backrest and armrest are height adjustable too.
Up on the first floor, the Rio lounger from Fasem of Italy sits near the semi-indoor pool complete with underwater jets. The seat, in black leather, and designed by 102-year-old architect Oscar Niemeyer, is placed on green floor tiles. Juxtaposed against the blue of the pool and sky, one feels compelled to dress appropriately and in the right colours to do justice to the scene.
The master bedroom lounge set features a RM40,000 leather sofa which the house owners can sink into and relax. Also of Nappa leather, it is a Machalke from Germany, a product line just brought in recently by Chesters.
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| From left to right:The Wagner chair in nappa leather is suitable for all; A Black Wagner chair in the son's room; This RM70,000 Mathias Hoffman sofa has a soft and graceful design; Bent ashwood for the legs and black leather for the cushion and neck roll define the sensuous curves of the Rio lounger; A glorious W. Schillig red sofa for the son's room. |
Says Andi: "This is a private area, which is warm and cosy, with an air of domesticity," as he points out the cockerels in the painting by local artist Lee Weng Fatt hanging on the wall. The leather sofa does not look out of place, and it does indeed add to the air of cosiness.
The homeowner’s study is his "inspiration room" where a RM10,000 Wagner chair in red leather ensures he sits in the correct position and that he won’t suffer from any backache sitting here. The view of the surrounding greenery seen though expansive glass windows can only be described as "inspiring". According to Jane, the extraordinary chair has been "medically tested" to relieve back pain.
The son’s room features a RM25,000 sofa, which again gives a degree of flexibility as the backrest can be moved. This W. Schillig model is in glorious red, and coupled with a Wagner chair in black, the total look here is definitely young.
While such pricey figures are mind-boggling to the average homeowner, Jane believes that, "Three things are important to your health: your bed, your chair and your shoes."
Andi has taken this advice to heart, while his entire house has its charms, his choice of seating is second to none.
"When you have upgraded your sofa set, everything else moves up, to keep to the standard set," says the discerning owner.
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