This one is a single storey house, but do not let that fool you, there is a lot happening under that one long roof. The whole building sits low and wide, with a deep clay-tiled roof sweeping generously over the verandah on all sides, timber louvred shutters doing most of the work keeping the sun and rain out while still letting the breeze come through — an old trick, but it still works better than anything modern half the time.
The real surprise is tucked inside. A red brick lattice screen wraps around a small courtyard where a tree grows right up through an opening in the roof, teal steel framing holding the whole thing together and letting light filter through the brick pattern in a way that changes through the day. Just off this courtyard, a narrow dining passage runs alongside the lattice wall, and a spiral stair climbs up quietly to a small rooftop deck above. Along one side of the house, a shallow lily pond and a little rock garden give the family a peaceful corner to sit with, tucked under the deep roof overhang.
Kitchen is generous and practical, finished in warm timber with a proper U-shaped counter, twin windows bringing in good light over the sink. Inside, the living spaces stay simple and uncluttered, letting the brick screen and the courtyard tree do the talking.
A quiet house, honestly, the kind that grows on you slowly rather than announcing itself all at once.
Design: Tropic Yard Design Studio, inspired by Archt. Kavilan Retnavel