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Above: A koi pond butts up against the wall of the house, creating rippling patterns of light and shade in the room behind. Right: The fully glazed stairwell also overlooks the koi pond and surrounding tropical planting. The columns supporting the overhang feature the same textural granite that appears at the front of the house. Although the house sits close to the boundary on three sides, the greenery creates a private oasis. 108 as well, and helps to define the different living spaces.” Francis says that although the owners wanted a clean-lined, modern house, it needed to reflect a tropical vernacular. “Many of the contemporary houses built in the neighbourhood are all glass and steel. That wasn’t the look they wanted – the house needed to feel warm.” For this reason, a natural, textural granite was introduced to the exterior. This forms the columns and a large wall that slices through the entry to the inside. search | save | share at my.trendsideas.com