Lady of the House
A large painting covers most of the wall behind Ruby Rahardjo as she tells the story of how Rumah Dharmawangsa came about. From her establishment in Jogjakarta, to her passion and previous projects, the cheerful owner of Jakarta’s newest ‘party house’ tel
ff in a quiet corner of one of Jakarta’s premium housing estates lies a semidetached house with spotless light-grey walls. As the front gate rolls away, a second identical house comes into view. It is here in this second house where Jakarta’s most glamorous parties will be held in the future. This is Rumah Dharmawangsa.
Ruby Rahardjo is the mastermind behind Jakarta’s newest “party house”: a landed property that can be rented out for events ranging from birthday parties to weddings. The past decade has seen a rise in people’s preference to hold parties at such properties. Party houses offer more flexibility than traditional events venues, while also providing a much more intimate environment.
While on the lookout for a new property, Ruby stumbled onto a pair of houses that were built on the same piece of land. Instead of leaving the second house empty, Ruby decided to turn it into a party house. While the finding of the property was a lucky coincidence, the savoir-faire required to host parties certainly is not.
It was in Jogjakarta where Ruby first honed her party-hosting skills. Thirteen years ago, along with her husband, Ruby came up with the idea for Ndalem Notoraharjan, which comprises several buildings in the style of traditional Javanese architecture. They stand on a 1.5-hectare piece of land and include living quarters, banquet halls and other facilities. The property was initially built as a centre for the preservation of Javanese culture.
However, the couple saw the potential of the property to develop and within five years, they had turned it into Jogjakarta’s premier wedding and party location. The vast open space was highly appealing for couples looking to have outdoor weddings.
This self-proclaimed foodie is also very passionate about interior design—that’s why all design decisions for Rumah Dharmawangsa are made single-handedly by the lady-incharge. Ruby is through-and-through an autodidact. Without any formal training, she picked up the fundamentals of interior design by herself and the fruits of her labour first bloomed in the form of a small furniture shop in which she also provides insights on interior design.
Rumah Dharmawangsa brings together classic and ethnic design styles. Each room in the house welcomes guests with a different design theme. Large paintings by local artists depicting scenes of folks in simpler times add to the serenity of the house. An exquisite chandelier hangs over each room, each one handpicked by Ruby on her travels. Ruby has a fond appreciation of European décor, especially from London. Various purple orchids, Ruby’s favourite flower, strategically placed around the house, add a welcome pop of colour. Armed with her never-say-die attitude and her eye for the finer things in life, Ruby is now all set to host the most lavish parties Jakarta has ever seen.
While on the lookout for a new property, Ruby stumbled onto a pair of houses that were built on the same piece of land.
May & June
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