HOW should the appearance of a house express the life of its owner? I got my answer when I visited the four-level house of an engineer in Nichol Avenue in Mayangone township.

“Your house is part of your life, and should reflect your nature,” said U Moe Than Chit, creator of the house and founder of Club 18 Home Design. His 5000-square-foot house makes clear his affection for traditional Myanmar art.

The brickwork shaping the driveway and garden-path approaching the entrance of the house recalls the structures of ancient Bagan. The decking area around the lounge, which overlooks the panoramic view, complements the water-lily pond in its hollowed-out tree trunk, and a profusion of Myanmar traditional artworks and musical instruments enliven every living space.

“I collected most of these objects from Shan, Mandalay and Bagan,” he said.

Golden Myanmar Orchestra in the living room greets the guest and the paintings on the wall engage the emotions.

“I like to display Myanmar traditional artwork in my house. It is my hobby and I like to show how beautiful they are. Usually you have to go to a hotel to see the beauty of these works on display.

“And I think using traditional art objects for decoration supports the development of our art industry,” he said.

Guests sit on the wooden floor by a low table, an arrangement rare in modern city living. A narrow staircase rises to the next floor flanked with restrained antique sculptures in gold under a gentle golden light.

The unique display in the airy shrine room presents its different aspects as the natural light shifts.

“I modelled my shrine display on the positioning of the images of the Buddha in the Shwe Dagon Pagoda. Every space needs to have appropriate decoration,” he said.

Three family bedrooms in upstairs show awareness of the natural environment and utilise every corner of their space.

The dining room on the third level of the floor is also enriched with traditional decorative artwork. White walls set off the sculpture, paintings, and furniture. Two bedrooms exit off the third level, which goes on to house storerooms and a servant area.

U Moe Than Chit said he took seven month to create his dream house and he is satisfied with a tranquil family home which, for him, will never be out of date.