A flair for tradition in an old Menteng house

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A well-maintained old house with a beautiful garden is a rare sight in Jakarta. If they have not fallen victim to the wrecker's ball to make way for garish palaces, the homes are likely to have fallen into disrepair.

But one on Jl. Teuku Cik Di Tiro in Menteng, Central Jakarta, has survived the advances of the modern age, boasting a glorious garden that never fails to make passerby take a second look to savor its beauty.

Owner Mrs. Shudiono has transformed her garden into a profusion of colors with bougainvillea, canna, marigold, roses and hibiscus.

"I intentionally plant the flowers in a disorganized way. I believe that a garden that is too neatly arranged isn't really that interesting," she said.

All through the year, most of her plants are in flower although she also periodically changes those that have started dying out, such as marigolds.

Apart from the flowers, the presence of doves in the garden completes the serene pastoral scene, clearly visible through the high surrounding fence.

"I'm glad I have something to share with others. I also have new friends thanks to this house and the front garden that I enjoy taking care of. Personally, I think people should not hide their front gardens behind solid or fully covered fences."

Some passersby are so intrigued by the garden that they want to know more.

"There were people who, attracted by the garden, knocked on my door to ask to see the house interior as well. They said that an old house with a garden like this must have an antique-style interior as well," said the member of Warga Peduli Bangunan Tua, an association of residents concerned about the preservation of old houses and buildings.

Mrs. Shudiono and her husband moved into the house in 1958 and made no major changes to the original structure and features of the building, dating back to the 1930s.

Minor changes were made to the original ventilation on the upper walls, which they sealed off years ago.

"After my husband passed away, I decided to have the cemented vents chipped away to restore them to their original form. I was lucky -- the original ones were only sealed off and not damaged," she said.

Other changes included the removal of tiles in the old- fashioned wet bathroom and a swinging door that used to separate the living room from the family room.

"The bathroom walls were covered with old, dark gray tiles but we removed the tiles and changed them into ceramic tiles for easy maintenance and to give the bathroom a lighter look," said the mother of four, who lives in the house with one of her children.

Other details -- like jati (teak) doors, door handles, ceiling, flooring and talang (duct) -- are original and well maintained. There is also an old but still functioning Homann stove in the kitchen.

For her conscientiousness in maintaining the house's character, Mrs. Shudiono was awarded a medal and certificate by then Jakarta governor Soerjadi Soedirja in the early 1990s. The house and its flower garden have also been featured in several magazines, a house and garden book and even appeared in a local television series.

It is furnished with antique items the owner inherited from her mother as well as second-hand items that she bought from pushcart vendors that used to pass through the neighborhood.

"Many of the items in the house do not come in a set. I just mixed and matched different collections of secondhand things I bought from vendors or even in the Pasar Rumput area. Back then Jl. Surabaya didn't exist," she explained, referring to the popular Menteng flea market.

Her decorating taste is strongly influenced by her mother's simple philosophy: Trust your heart.

"I always want to have a long-lasting interior arrangement because, to tell you the truth, I cannot afford to (regularly) change the decor," she said.

Decorative plates adorn most of the house's walls, like in the kitchen, while her collection of antique kinangan -- a set of small containers to keep ingredients to clean teeth -- also make lovely ornaments in the family room.

Huge windows in the living room allow optimal sunlight exposure, as well as providing a view of the colorful front garden.

Vases and old bowls in the living and family rooms hold fresh- cut flowers and leaves taken from the garden.

"I remember my mother once said that, although you live in a humble house, do what you can to make your simple home lovelier than others ..." she said.