Indonesian elite build their own palaces

JAKARTA (JP): The lucky inheritors of Indonesia's post- independence development riches are fitting nicely into the trend to "import everything". The insatiable craving for Western status symbols adds yet another feather to the cap of luxury goods importers. Houses now top the assortment of clothing, jewelry and cars imported for Indonesia's affluent.

Despite nervous tremors remaining from Jakarta's earthquake earlier this year, the Indonesian home is no replica of the simple wooden Japanese earthquake-proof models. Forget about safety concerns as imported construction materials and sumptuous interior decoration are what sell.

The list is long. Ceramics, granite floors, fashioned faucets and locks, paintings, rugs, carpeting, furniture, even cutlery indubitably bear the prestigious import stamp. The arty architect and contemporary interior designer sometimes come with foreign accents.

Ambitious yuppies clambering up the ladder of success have their own code of the "5Cs" of having made it -- cash, credit card, car, cellular and condo. Add a single "H" for home for the even more established.

This has replaced the old days of brandname good domination, when any Indonesian money monger worth his or her Gucci would never stray from Orchard Road, Singapore.

"Nowadays, the allure of brand names are lost on people, especially since we can get almost everything in our own country," noted interior designer and architect Aditya Indradjaya. He added that today's stand symbols of the rich are the car, diamonds and, most importantly, the home.

Companies are vying to fulfill every wish and whim of these status seekers in creating their miniature Versailles.

No longer cowering under the apprehension of "affordable" imports, the wealthy are going for exclusive tastes, trend- setting material and quality brands. No expense is spared. From small intricacies to basic commodities, almost every house prepared, furnished and finished by Aditya is a wall-to-wall import extravaganza. Foreign human resources are hunted down, as only special touches and quality count.

Local products have not always delivered as promised, and after-sales service is virtually unknown. Indonesia is witnessing the quantum leap in demand for imported goods. Jakarta Design Center president Eddy W. Utoyo agrees that the center is no longer the showplace for promoting new interior designs, but more a one-stop shopping location for the leisure class.

"Time changes, and local products are replaced by imports," he said.

Purchasing imported products is more about the sales-oriented marketing concept, literally buying an image, than anything else. Aditya noted that priority is given to quality. "Imported goods have their own stamp of recognition sought after by anybody who is somebody, its like the added bonus," he said.

Social activist Conny Arya and entrepreneurs Adrie Subono and Rachmat Mochtan share a penchant for exclusive tastes distinguished by their individual whimsy. Conny Arya has monogrammed living room carpets, front door and the walls of her pool.

Adrie Subono insisted that every bit of work on his house be done by imported hands, and Rachmat Mochtan's home in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, would not be out of place in a rustic English or French setting.

The craftsman builds the dream, but paying the steep price could be a nightmare for the financially strapped. Aditya knows people who have forked out as much as Rp 10 billion for their homes.

The expensive mix usually comes with the usual thousand square meters, two storys, ceramic bathrooms, polished with the touches of Pierre Cardin or the like, the colossal kitchen set, faucets by Grohe, Hans Grohe or Germany's Klude, even Kohler from America. The gold-plaited faucets alone could cost between Rp 2 and Rp 5 million a set. "When the shopping is done for bathroom selections, approximately Rp 30 million goes into it," says Suhandi from Grohe.

Some even ask foreign architects to design their house, but Aditya warned that homes erected in foreign architectural styles were sometimes incongruous in Indonesia. "This is because the architects seem to have their own cultural background in mind. They have little knowledge of our culture. Nevertheless, it is still something to be proud of."

Years of experience have allowed the designer to see the other side of the coin as well. "Curtains and installing facilities for electricity are best imported. However, ceramics, bolts, door handles and keys are done very well locally. Since production was discontinued, finding the material is not only hard, it is non- existent for export purposes."

Crystal, that shimmering sign of aristocracy, is part of the ballroom chandeliers. Radio host Ida Arimurti has crystal lamps in almost every room of her home.

Some people have custom made their homes for their concerns. Farid Abidin and his spouse, for example, have a special room on the ground floor for entertaining. Three times a month, their relatives come to dinner, and they eat accompanied by live music on the piano or other high-tech entertainment. Guests are allowed to wander freely through the vast grounds and rooms except the bedroom.

A home is the ultimate status symbol, and owners of the house grab every opportunity to invite and exhibit. "It is no wonder that they have open houses. Houses are made to be seen by people," Aditya says.

The house tour is a performance in itself. The owner rattles off the names of the exterior and interior designers, the history behind the pink, green and blue rooms, and their paintings, sculptures and other items in the domain.

"The house could be a showroom of crystal, and the owners are always on edge if anyone so much as brushes against it," Aditya says.

An overflowing bank account does not necessarily come with sophistication. Horror stories abound, from a painting worth millions of rupiah ending up as a carpet display (the owners thought it looked better that way), to a sumptuous bathroom remaining forlorn as the traditional Indonesian bath of scooping water with a small pail was preferred.

Just as a palace needs its guards, the sprawling mansions of Jakarta would not be complete without security retinues. The homes and their occupants are protected by a posse of security guards and, occasionally, several vicious German Shepherds. Imported, of course.

The above is an excerpt from Tiara. The complete article with sidebars will appear in the lifestyle biweekly when it goes on sale Tuesday. It is printed here courtesy of the publication.