By Willy Wilson | May 14, 2010
Dhanya Nambiar’s country escape
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| Stunning: Model, TV presenter and actress Dhanya Nambiar, photographed by Yong Keen Keong |
A mother-and-daughter combo decided to embark on a one-year project to give their family’s weekend house a facelift. What comes out of it is a beautiful weekend house that offers a great selection of indoor and outdoor living.
The mother, Mrs. Letha Madhavan, is an avid design and décor buff. The daughter, Dhanya Nambiar, is a model, TV presenter and budding actress. StarProperty.my spent an afternoon with this dynamic duo at their weekend house in Country Heights Kajang.
Mother & daughter project
The Madhavan family’s weekend house is, to say the least, magnificent. Sitting on a 17,000sq ft piece of land, the 2-storey house has a built-up area of 7,000sq ft. The ground floor has an urban feel to it, made obvious by the sleek breakfast table, black-and-white interior items and uncluttered spatial arrangement.
Go to the second floor, and you would think that you are in a five-star resort. The second floor, which consists of four bedrooms and a sitting area, is coated in warm colours like brown, yellow and maroon. Adding to the warmness is various Spanish oil paintings, laminated floor and wooden furniture.
Each room has a different colour palette. The master bedroom sees a range of maroon and brown, while Dhanya’s room is coated in a darker shade of yellow and brick. Meanwhile, two other rooms are coated in green and blue respectively.
A swimming pool surrounded by a well-trimmed Balinese garden can be found at the back of the house. The backyard, which consists of three cascading layers of gardens, offers a perfect setting for an intimate gathering. In the daytime, this garden serves as a magnificent backdrop for the glass-encased house. At night, the garden is truly a feast to the eyes, thanks to the thoughtful lighting arrangement.
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| Black and white: Basic colours and low-key lighting arrangements are key to achieving a contemporary look |
“A resort in Bali where I stayed has this beautiful garden, and I told my mother about it,” says Dhanya. Coincidentally, Dhanya’s mother had been planning to renovate the house.
“Especially the garden! My husband had been complaining about the bushy garden that looked rather creepy,” adds her mother.
Dhanya's father, Mr. Madhavan, mans Countrywide Properties, a real estate agency that handles luuxry homes in Country Heights. "That's how we found this house," Dhanya enthuses.
When asked about the different concepts employed in the design and décor of the house, the duo admits that they wanted to offer different experiences to their guests. “Although the concept for each floor is totally different, we agree that both floors must not be cluttered,” the duo quips, adding that lighting arrangement play a big part in their work.
Dhanya credits her mother for the stunning weekend house, “This renovation is literally a work of art. My mother is a natural talent when it comes to interior design.” Mrs. Madhavan reckons neutral colours such as white is perfect for walls and floors if you desire a spacious feel to your house. She also advises that renovation could be as simple as changing the doors, windows and trimming your garden, “And you will be surprised of what you will see!”
You can’t argue with the lady if you see the house for yourself. Dhanya’s close friends, including noted blogger Joyce Wong (of www.kinkybluefairy.com), have coined a name for this holiday house - Koh Penyu. “There is a Penyu (turtle) sketch in the centre of the swimming pool,” Dhanya says with a laugh, “When my friends and I are too broke to take a holiday to Koh Samui, we head to Koh Penyu!”
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| Elegant: A long dining table is set against the backdrop of a beautiful Balinese garden |
There’s something about Dhanya
With a disarming character and a striking look to boot, Dhanya Nambiar broke into Malaysia’s entertainment industry 10 years ago as a model. Thanks to her confidence and engaging personality, she was soon offered a TV presenting job.
Her TV presenting credentials include TV2’s Ala Carte, Hitz.tv, Champion Youth Cup 2007 on Astro SuperSport and Le Tour de Langkawi on ESPN. Simply put, Dhanya Nambiar is not a new player in the entertainment industry. But when it comes to acting, the 27-year-old admits that she is a rookie. Her breakthrough role as Lakshmi in Dimensions, Malaysia's first made-for-mobile sci-fi thriller produced by Maxis Bhd and Astro All Asia Networks plc, marked her arrival in the acting field.
“Working with a BAFTA-winning director (in Dimensions) had given me a glimpse of how it feels like to appreciate acting as an art beyond its commercial qualities,” she quips.
The 11-episode show has just ended a few months ago, and there have been rumours of a sequel. But Dhanya graciously declines to jump the gun, saying that it is too early to tell. She, however, admits that she is proud to be involved in the project.
Of the fact that there are not many ethnic Indian faces in the industry, Dhanya nods in approval. But she is quick to add that she would not take just any acting role that might come her way. “The work that you do says a lot about you. You are not your work but your work is you," she reasons, "And I would not take any role offered just because the project requires an Indian talent"
Dhanya, who has a black belt in Karate, is no stranger to the industry’s infamous harshness when it comes to colour. She admits that there have been several occasions when she was told that she would otherwise be perfect for a job, if it wasn’t for her skin colour.
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| Entrance: The foyer, hallway and chic furnishings from various angles |
“But it has made me stronger, if anything,” she comments, adding that as the local entertainment industry is growing fast, such prejudice has become less relevant. She is optimistic that in the near future, skin colour will not impede someone from expressing his or her artistic talent.
The Communication and Psychology graduate recently tried her hand at real estate with her dad, which affords her the luxury to wait for the next good role in acting. And we shall wait for yet another impressive performance by this gorgeous lady.
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