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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

House Construction 14

The Husband's Study



Half the Master Bedroom



Stairs up to the Second Floor



Here are some photos of the house. Now that the walls are in, the rooms look bigger than when there were no walls. I guess everything looks smaller under the expanse of the blue sky. When walls come in, one cannot compare man's creation with God's grandeur and so man can convince himself of his own grandeur.

The ceilings look high and the staircase seems to stretch upwards forever. I left a huge hole right beside the stairwell. From there one can stand and look up to the 3rd floor. We lose some floor space but it's worth it just to feel the vertigo as well gazes upwards toward the roof. It kinda looks like an eagle could nest up there. But we all know that it isn't the case. After all, which eagle roosts in a 3-storey house eh? It just looks to be so. Bats might nest there though... if we had left the space dark and inviting.

But we did not.

Instead, we broke the roof with a skylight and left a huge gaping window on the 3rd floor staircase landing so that light could burst into that space and break up into golden droplets that would fall in a shower through the hole in the middle of the house. Apart from the bedrooms, the house will have no curtains at all. We will use plants to temper The Sun's enthousiasm and hide the antics of our crazy family.

I left a huge hole in at the top of the staircase where the man in yellow shirt is standing. For that space, I commissioned a huge wrought iron panel of Daisies. Instead of a proper painting at the staircase landing, I will have a "painting" made of black wrought iron stems and leaves... and Daisies painted gold. This "painting" will stand against a background of golden sunlight. In time, I will let creepers climb up there to drink up the sun and embrace the "painting".

The house is of humble material - heavy duty porcelain tiles, no parquet at all, wrought iron for safety and security. Most design features are adapted around practical considerations. The "Daisy painting" is there because we needed to leave a hole in the stair well for light and air flow. All ground floor windows will have wrought iron grilles too because these are vulnerable to break-ins.

2nd floor windows will give a clear and unobstructed view because the 2 points of possible entry to the 2nd floor from the neighbour's roof, will be protected by the height of the 2nd floor. My 2nd floor towers at 1.8m above my neighbour's roof, and with the added smooth glass panels of another 1.8m, any intruder would need to scale 3.6m of air and glass wall to get up to my 2nd floor. For added security, we're placing a quarter circle of iron spikes between their roof and my house. Because, who knows, the neighbour may decide to build upwards too eh?

Kiasu right?

9 comments:

Blur Ting said...

Wow, it's taking shape. It's going to be bright. I like!

Malar said...

Sounds like a magnificent house! I just can't wait to see the outcome!

Petunia Lee said...

Ting - Yup! Yup! It's starting to look like a house now.

Petunia Lee said...

Malar - No lah... not magnificent. It's just a very plain house with very humble finishings but filled with light and air. I too can't wait to see the outcome.

My Sinfonia said...

Love the skylight idea...and the wrought iron...good job Petunia...all your ideas I presume? Looking grand already!

Open Kitchen Concept said...

Wah.. it's really taking shape! Looks HUGGGGEEEE!! Can't wait :)

Petunia Lee said...

Sinfonia - Necessity is the mother of invention. I am a design klutz but I do know I am claustrophobic. So I bugged the architect to open holes wherever possible. I had no idea it was gonna turn out this way but I do very much like it.

Petunia Lee said...

OKC - Yup! It is rather large for a family of 4.

Petunia Lee said...

Plus Milo