From outside, it looks like a fortified bunker but, CHIN MUI YOON discovers, the facade conceals a tranquil haven.

Only a fortress-like boundary wall and rooftops can be seen from the outside of Baan Tara. A wide car porch fronts the entrance. 

AS the chief executive officer of The Fullerton, one of Singapore’s grandest hotels, you would think that Daniel Desbaillets' idea of comfort would be lots of marble and sophisticated gadgets.  

But to Desbaillets and his wife, Eleanor, the simplicity of feeling grass beneath their feet is the ultimate luxury. So when the couple chose to build their dream home in Johor under Malaysia’s My Second Home programme, they ensured that the property revolves around the concept of “land is luxury.”  

They came across the exclusive gated enclave of Leisure Farm, 10 minutes away from the Second Link, and decided to buy land here. Its concept of borderless, exquisitely designed homes is similar to Sierramas in Kuala Lumpur.  

Only a fortress-like boundary wall and rooftops can be seen from the outside of Baan Tara. A wide car porch fronts the entrance.

“We have been working and living in Asia for 25 years. We fell in love with the land in Leisure Farm and decided that this is where we would like to retire,” Desbaillets tells StarMag.  

The Desbaillets called their home Baan Tara, which, in Thai, means Water House. This reflects the home’s unique floating feeling, created by having an abundance of water around the four individual pavilions. 

“We wanted a house on water designed around Chinese feng shui elements. At the same time, we desired a streamlined view with straight, uncomplicated lines with a magnitude of land.” 

The Desbaillets commissioned Razin Mahmood of Razin Architect in Johor Baru to handle the project.  

“When I met the Desbaillets for the first time and they showed me a hand-drawn draft of their dream home, I was delighted!” says Razin. 

“You don’t meet this kind of client every day. This is a couple who has travelled over the world and has chosen Malaysia as their retreat and retirement home. They appreciate everything we take for granted – the land, grass, sky and weather!” 

Rubble stones staircases flank the car porch, each leading up to separate doorways into the compound.

Razin perfected the Desbaillets’ vision of a home. The plan shows a green circle in the centre of an empty plot of land that branches out into individual spaces for sleeping, working, exercising and resting. The plan manifested last November into a surreal home spread across 1,862square metres.  

Only a fortress-like boundary wall and rooftops can be sighted from the outside, ensuring complete privacy for the owners.  

A wide car porch fronts the entrance while rubble stones staircases flank the car porch, each leading up to separate doorways into the compound. 

Within the walls lies the Desbaillets’ private haven. It’s a home that seemingly floats and appears to be suspended between land and sky, thanks to the still, reflecting waters.  

The water cascades down a 60cm high black slate wall onto edges of smooth river pebbles to emulate an effect of rice fields. Giant 1.6m burnished gold urns from Chiangmai, in northern Thailand, calmly gurgles out water as they seemingly sit above the water, as if in contemplation. A wispy frame of bamboo and palms add softness to the walls.  

A sala or Thai floating pavilion crafted from hardy Chengal wood rests beside the wall with the entrances at both ends. It is perfect for reading and contemplation.  

“Baan Tara is merely pavilions surrounding a circle of green, simple as that!” says Razin. 

“Water is the connection between the spaces. It also imparts a zen-like tranquility to the place. Alignment is an important factor when designing this space. That was why the entrance is not in the centre of the wall, as that would mean a lack of privacy for the owners’ sleeping quarters that directly overlook the lawn and sala. Even the lone frangipani tree is planted to a side so it doesn’t obstruct the view.” 

Often, it’s the hidden details that make a beautiful home. For instance, the wiring is completely concealed. And, while the water seems still, a hidden underwater nozzle ensures the water is not stagnant.  

Natural materials enhance the house’s unity with nature. Chengal hardwood is used for the sala and timber terraces, which contain over 10,000 screws concealed by dowels. Workmen have painstakingly patched every hole drilled for screws with the same wood to ensure a seamless finish.  

The Desbaillets showed a remarkable restraint and taste in their selection of furnishings. More often than not, Asian-themed homes have the tendency to become miniature Asian antique stores or museums! Instead, the couple chose to display selected pieces to reflect their fondness of Thai and Buddhist cultures. 

The living room and home office are fitted in Egyptian yellow marble that imparts a casual elegance while the bedroom flooring is of Thai teak with an uneven finishing for a rustic look. 

Giant urns from Chiangmai in northern Thailand gurgle out water.

The muslin-draped four-poster bed is a must, of course, for dreamy nights! It faces a sophisticated flat-screen plasma TV that is hidden atop a console, which only rises from a custom-made recess in the ground upon command from a remote control. 

Teakwood sofas scattered with vibrant red and orange silk cushions surround another television in the living room.  

Lotus-shaped candleholders and bronze statues of Buddha’s head hint at the Desbaillets’ embrace of Buddhism.  

Even the doors are not typical ones; these are crafted from antique solid wood, complete with studs and intricate carvings hauled all the way from northern Thailand. 

“It was important that the home doesn’t have any elements that are out of space and out of time,” Razin explains.  

“For example, the giant-sized terracotta sculpture of Buddha resting in the middle of the wall facing the sala is placed on a modern concrete frame. I could’ve copied those intricate old walls from Ayuthya or Angkor Wat, but it would have been out of place here in Johor Baru.” 

“To me, luxury is a lifestyle, something without monetary value and that can be enjoyed,” says Desbaillets.  

“We have the best of both worlds by having a home in Johor, which we can return to every weekend. We love the colours and culture of Malaysia and coupled with Singapore’s sleek, hassle-free working environment, we have a dream come true.”