Psychologist designs interiors that make for homey homes
Psychologist designs interiors that make for homey homes
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A Room to Breathe: A Refreshing Look to Modern Space
Marlene Tabalujan Setiyadi
PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Jakarta, 2005
p.136
"Sometimes, people need to be alone, stay away from the
office, colleagues and even family. They need a place to
breathe," said Marlene Tabalujan Setiyadi at the recent launch of
her book A Room to Breathe: A Refreshing Look to Modern Space.
She was responding to resporters as to her thoughts in
choosing this particular title.
Rather than filled with text from cover to cover, A Room to
Breathe presents numerous magnificent images featuring Marlene's
interior creations.
Her intention to write a book, she said, was inspired by her
own experience in helping customers to find the right furniture
and accessories at her furniture gallery Graha Toorak in Kemang,
South Jakarta.
Marlene, who started her creative business 15 years ago, has
made a name for herself in interior design. Prior to the launch
of A Room to Breathe, some of her work were compiled in a book on
interior design that was published overseas in 2004.
"People in other countries see Indonesia as a failed state. I
hope this book will help to promote Indonesia. People should know
that Indonesia could produce artistic work," said Marlene, who is
a trained psychologist.
Marlene said, she wrote the 136-page book with a belief that
even ordinary people, like herself, are able to create and
develop a delightful, personal environment in working with
decorative ideas.
The book is meant to inspire and to guide readers in designing
their own private spaces and homes.
"Readers will find themselves creating wonders by applying
small changes, like setting the right colors and themes, even
with small budget and limited space," Marlene writes in the
introduction.
Marlene divides her creative designs into six sub-sections:
Small Spaces, East Meets West, A Room to Breathe, Classical
versus Contemporary, Theme Houses and Modern Indonesian.
In Small Spaces, Marlene emphasizes that the important thing
is the right choice of color and furniture in order to create a
feeling of spaciousness, by highlighting the potential of small
rooms.
Meanwhile, in East Meets West, she does not simply adopt an
East-West cultural fusion. Instead, she adapts designs to
accommodate the local lifestyle and climate to suit a tropical
country.
In A Room to Breathe, Marlene emphasizes the harmony of colors
to create a feeling of peace. For this purpose, Marlene suggests
the use of primary colors paired with neutral shades like white
and cream to create a calming environment.
The room should also provide supply of fresh air and natural
light through open windows.
Marlene's interiors are intriguing in themselves, so that
graphic designer Praba Aristyawan said he only made small touch-
ups on the design and layout of the book.
"Everything is beautiful," said Praba.
The launch of A Room to Breathe is special with regard to two
aspects. First, the book will function as a reference and give
guidance to those wishing to create a comfortable home.
Second, it is the first book to be published by publishing
giant PT Gramedia in English, which means this book may, in the
end, realize Marlene's hopes to grab the international market and
promote Indonesia's commercial artsts and art.