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Pantulan
News
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| A
Simple Home in Bali |
A
Place of Reflection |
An
Environment in Harmony |
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| Villa
Pantulan A Simple Home in Bali |
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When the phone rang I
was not ready for the question my husband
would ask. “How
would you like to build a house in Bali”
I had been in Bali with him for only
two weeks, celebrating my 50th birthday,
and like many people I had fallen in
love with its beauty, its creativity
and the wonderful people. I was disappointed
to leave, and envious that he could
continue to enjoy this island paradise.
It sounded like a frivolous remark.
Standing in my small bathroom in Paris,
listening to the sound of silence, I
was deafened. Where did nature go? There
were no frogs croaking, birds chirping,
roosters crowing, cicadas buzzing, dogs
barking. I longed to return to the vibrant
life I had just left behind.
I thought about it for about 20 seconds.
“Are you
serious?” I responded.
“No, we can
do this,” my husband Martin
said, excitedly. “Tony
and Marita will do the drawings and
we have Wayan who can do the construction.
It will be easy.”
“How
much will it cost us?”
“It’s
not bad, It won’t cost us a fortune.”
he said sounding very confident. “It
will be something simple.”
 Our
friend, international artist-architect
Tony Gwilliam was developing his own
style of houses called T-houses in quiet
village on the south side of Ubud.
T-Houses are inspired by meditation
pavilions and the traditional Japanese
tea house adapted for western needs.
His partner, Marita Vidal had been the
architect of our house in Pacific Palisades,
California. A stunning house of contemporary
design in limestone and glass, overlooking
Topanga State Park, the Pacific Ocean
and Santa Monica. We had worked closely
with her during the entire creative
process and had loved being part of
the design of both house and interiors.
We were deeply satisfied with the final
result. When we moved to Paris from
California several years ago, we reluctantly
sold the house and never thought we
would build again.
“Okay,”
I said slowly. “If
you think we can do this. Does this
mean we get to live in Bali eventually?”
I asked.
“We’ll
see,” was his non-committal
response. “We
can’t go there yet. There is lots
to be done.”
We contracted twenty arar (about 2,400
sq.meters) of coconut grove that eventually
expanded to twenty-four, and began clearing
it to make a humble family home overlooking
the stunning rice fields of Lodtunduh,
near the artistic capital of Ubud.
 As
Marita began work on the drawings, we
researched architectural and design
books on Bali including Bali
Style by Barbara Walker and Rio
Helmi, and decided we wanted a Balinese
style compound but it would have a more
contemporary look. We would join the
different buildings with a covered walkway
because I could not imagine running
from building to building when it was
pouring rain. We would also limit the
amount of walls in the house, thus exposing
us to the sounds and feel of nature
that I had adored so much on my first
visit. It would also allow the cool
mountain air to circulate with help
from ceiling fans. We put sliding glass
doors in each of the bedrooms and louver
the walls to allow maximum air flow
and since Ubud is much cooler than the
beach, there was no issue with air conditioning.
We simply did not need it. Even on the
hottest days fans are sufficient, although
we did make an exception with the television
room. It is the only fully enclosed
space in the house and thus air-conditioned.
With two teenage daughters they needed
somewhere they could hide!
Tony came up with the idea of using
water as a prominent feature of the
landscape. After all the rice fields
were regularly flooded throughout the
year, and it would be a natural extension
of our design. We used a system of recycled
water from a man-made waterfall on one
side of the property to a shallow stream
that flowed around several water features
including a reflection pond, a lily
pond, a lotus pond and a catch basin
for the swimming pool run-off. We would
also incorporate a 25 meter swimming
pool into the equation using the three
images of reflection pond, lotus pond
and swimming pool as counterpoint to
the lush, green rice fields beyond.
We kept some of the coconut trees and
used them to retain the flavor of what
was once there, incorporating one into
the structure of the house. Tony developed
a biological drainage and filtration
system and we dug a well 30 meters deep
to supply us with fresh water.
Our family came three months after the
construction began and found an entire
village clearing trees, digging holes
and carting dirt out in plastic buckets
on their heads. Wooden stakes and strings
were suspended everywhere, and as we
walked through Marita and Tony’s
imaginative rooms, we shook our heads
at this fantasy we were creating together.
It would be the biggest house Tony and
Marita had built in Bali and a little
complicated because building houses
in foreign countries cannot be done
without a very good core group on the
ground who know the territory and can
negotiate with local landowners and
suppliers. We were very fortunate to
have Wayan Nama, a construction supervisor
who had worked with Tony on his T-house
development to supervise and control
all aspects of the building procedures.
Through e-mails, visits to Los Angeles
and phone calls, we met with Marita
and Tony to discuss architectural details,
deciding on building materials, and
generally improving upon the original
design. Each visit to Bali the pavilions
became more detailed and the roofs were
put on, and quickly we began to see
that we had not only created a family
home, but we were in the process of
creating something magical.
It had become a labor of love, not only
for us and for our friends the architects,
but for the village and the construction
supervisor. Everyone wanted only the
best outcome for this property. Nothing
like it had been built in this part
of Lodtunduh, and certainly there was
nothing within at least five miles that
compared. The greatest care was taken
with all details, and while many of
the villagers working on the house had
no previous experience of building a
luxury villa, they were all willing
to learn. That meant some things had
to be done again, and again, until they
reached the right degree of expertise.
Patience was needed, especially around
the swimming pool construction. Deals
had to be made between Balinese workers
and Javanese workers. There are notorious
disagreements that take place between
the two cultures and traditions had
to be respected. To our great surprise,
an accord was reached and the work progressed
smoothly. We also brought in workers
from Lombok to lay the terrazzo floors
and counter tops, which took months
to complete.
Having searched all over the island
for decent lighting that was elegant
and subdued, we could find nothing,
so on subsequent visits we imported
Italian lighting for the bathrooms and
the bedrooms from Europe. On one occasion,
we brought a standing lamp that was
hard to disguise in our luggage. The
customs officer wanted to know if I
was taking it home with me again. It
was hard to say yes!
Being an avid cook and great entertainers,
we needed a good size dining table.
Tony suggested one made from solid wood.
We said it had to be long, the longer
the better. Wayan found us a solid piece
of mirbau measuring 5 meters! Getting
it finished correctly became a mission.
The staining had to be just right. It
took three tries before it was done
correctly. Then the trouble began with
chairs. We wanted to see the table,
not ten chairs lined up on the side.
We looked everywhere including Jakarta,
but nothing was right. Eventually, after
two years of looking, we found an ideal
chair made by a local artisan and had
our friend Dek’s Wood Studio in
Ubud modify it and produce twenty. With
ten chairs on either side, the chairs
and the table look stunning together.
It was essential to create a western
style kitchen. As a well-trained amateur
chef, I wanted to cook the way I was
used to, and I also wanted to teach
our Balinese kitchen staff who had no
previous experience of in-house dining
or restaurants. We brought in chefs
with European background and kitchen
equipment from Europe and found local
merchants who could supply us with the
best ingredients on the island. A local
ceramicist supplied us with glassware
and ceramic dishes, and introduced us
to a friend in Java who made exquisite
Japanese-style ceramic bowls. Seiki,
a Japanese glass designer living in
Bali, supplied us with stunning glass
presentation plates and glasses and
we brought flatware from Europe to complete
our tablewear.
We worked with Anneke van Waesberghe
of Esprit Nomad in Ubud, on the interior
design ideas for several areas of the
house, including our sumptious off-white
bedding and beautiful cotton and silk
curtains in the master bedroom. She
worked with us to create a transluscent,
billowing, romantic experience . Eventually,
we began working directly with Anneke’s
local design company Sama Sama who continued
with her design ideas and I chose the
colors.. The textiles at the house,
including all the beds and cushions
are made from Balinese cotton made in
the province of Klung Kung. Deep blues,
tropical greens, dark reds, chocolate
browns, marine blue and subtle gray
formed the color schemes in each room.
Sama Sama expertly created every cushion,
curtain, blind and sheet in the house,
marrying the colors to our specifications
resulting in a stunning palette of tropical
colors blending harmoniously with the
exterior. With no walls the marriage
of inside and out merged together seamlessly.
We needed a name for the house. Everywhere
we looked there was reflection. From
the water, from the sun, bouncing off
the walls, off the glass, off the rice
fields. The house was also a place of
reflection, a place to think, to calm
the mind and let the spirit soar. We
asked our Indonesian friends what the
word for reflection was. They told us
there was only shadow, reflection was
not in their vocabulary. I didn’t
believe it, so I asked some more. Eventually,
someone said “pantulan”
means reflection and the name of the
villa was born. Villa
Pantulan. House of Reflection.
By this time, it was clear we were not
just building a family home. Like many
creative projects, it had taken a life
of its own. Half through the process,
I told Martin, we are in business. Our
initial costs were much higher than
we had anticipated. A brief two years
into construction we had created a house
to be proud of; an extraordinary jewel
on the landscape and it would be a crime
not to share it with the rest of the
world. We could not be there for more
than three to four months a year because
our daughter’s school schedule,
so it made sense we would have to rent
it out. The staff were by now fully
trained by excellent managers, able
to cook at a high standard and beginning
to understand the fine details of luxury
villa care. Our pool staff and gardening
staff had been trained by professionals
and on all levels, the standards of
the villa were on a par with some of
the best in Ubud. We had taken on the
task of training and educating fourteen
people in luxury villa standards, and
we were well on our way to seeing a
dream we never thought we’d have,
come to fruition. Our kitchen is fast
becoming one of the best in Ubud and
we entertain frequently when we are
there. But still we were not finished.
There were some details missing. We
have always been surrounded by wonderful
art pieces in our homes, and this would
be no exception. We were introduced
to some wonderful dealers in local art
and quickly amassed a wonderful collection
of Javanese and Balinese art that transformed
the villa from elegant to magnificent.
Echoes of my husband saying ‘it
won’t cost us a fortune’
were getting fainter each month, but
it didn’t matter.
With a full time staff of sixteen, the
villa is kept in pristine condition.
In a short time, there has been an amazing
transformation of both land and people
as a result of our being here. Everyone
has much they can be proud of. Together
with Tony’s T-house communities,
Lodtunduh is one of the best kept secrets
in the Ubud region. We are all happy
to share it with the world.
The Balinese religion is Hinduism. In
their tradition there is a great belief
in spirits both good and bad. We were
delighted when a holy man pronounced
there were good spirits living on our
land that were happy with what we had
done, and we would be happy living there.
In our belief system, all good omens
are gratefully received.
We now have what is called ‘the
Wow! Factor’. When someone
comes through our front door they always
say “WOW!” The designer
and style writer, Barbara Walker, co-author
of ‘Bali Style’ came to
look last summer and fell in love immediately.
Villa Pantulan
is featured in her upcoming book ‘GATHERING
PLACES'. Balinese Architecture,
A Spiritual and Spatial Orientation
by Barbara Walker and Jay Graham. Times
Editions/Marshall Cavendish PTE.Ltd.,
Singapore to be published July 2005.
Villa Pantulan
is an exceptional property and we hope
for many years to share it with discerning
travelers from around the world. We
invite you to come enjoy the magic,
the luxury and the tranquility of our
wonderful home in Bali.
We are now in the dry season of the
year and the rice fields in front of
Villa Pantulan
are green with adolescent shoots standing
tall. White cranes swoop down to feed
on the grain but the farmer claps his
hands and yells to make them leave.
Undeterred, they move, but always return
further down the fields. In the lily
pond, small birds that look like sparrows,
are tearing strands from the papyrus
plant to build nests. The papyrus is
starting to look ragged and I suspect
the nest is becoming quite cozy because
of it. As I write, a woman tends the
corner of the rice field with offerings
to the gods. This is Bali and all things
are sacred.
Our lovely cook, Kadek, is about to
leave us to have a baby, due at the
end of May, and will not return until
September. We wish her all the best
and look forward to her return knowing
we will miss her wonderful cooking.
There is a major festival in the village
of Pengosekan, which is right next door
to Lodtunduh, which will culminate in
a major procession on June 1. It is
called Karya Pedudusan
Agung which happens every eight
years and is a major event. All of the
villagers have been involved in the
preparations and there are two giant
man and woman effigies at the entrance
and exit to the village, which are a
little difficult to maneuver around
with the car, but festive to look at.
They create an aura of sacred space
as you drive through the village en
route to Ubud. We are looking forward
to the day so we can celebrate with
them.
There is lots of activity in Ubud with
new shops and restaurants opening almost
weekly. Old places are getting new faces
and although my favorite place to eat
is still at home, there is much to entice
me out if only I could be bothered to
leave this patch of paradise called
Villa Pantulan.
I have been here for two weeks and have
two more to go before I have to return
to Amsterdam. It is always hard to leave
but the pleasure in knowing I can return
whenever I can find the time, more than
makes up for it. |
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We hope you can come
and join us at Villa
Pantulan soon.
In friendly greetings
JacquelineWales |
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