Just What the Doctors Ordered

In the spotlight: Drs. Chan and Quynh Kieu of Santa Ana. Chan Kieu, is an anesthesiologist; Quynh Kieu, is a pediatrician. Both have practices in Fountain Valley and are affiliated with Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.

The couple have lived for 11 years in a 5,000-square-foot home known as the Maharajah’s House. The imposing white stucco residence--situated on an acre of land--was built in 1938 by a maharajah who had fled civil unrest in India.

The wealthy maharajah fortified the house with bullet-proof glass and kept bodyguards on the premises to protect his small daughter. He feared his child might be kidnapped like the Lindbergh baby.

Lifestyle: Nightly tea in the Art Deco-style living room, strolls through the Zen and bonsai gardens, gazing at the moon from a balcony--these are the ways the Kieus enjoy their six-bedroom, seven-bath haven.

They also delight at living among a collection of rare Vietnamese ceramics and artifacts that are displayed in nearly every room.

Being surrounded by such treasures “brings another dimension to our life,” says Quynh Kieu, who, with her husband, came to Orange County in 1975 to escape the Communist takeover in Vietnam. “It is with these things that we are able to be in communication with the soul of our culture.”

The home they wanted: After living with their three children in a waterfront home they designed and built in Huntington Harbour, the Kieus decided they wanted a larger property, off-water.

“We had a standard-size lot and one very adventurous daughter,” Quynh Kieu explained. “One day, when she was about 4, we found her walking along the boat-slip area. That was dangerous. We decided to move inland.”

They began to drive “around the off-water Orange County neighborhoods we loved,” Quynh Kieu said.

Chan Kieu was immediately drawn to the Maharajah House in Santa Ana. “All my life, I’ve appreciated things that are very old,” he said. “So, when I saw this house with its historic value, I jumped in right away and bought it.”

The home and its vast backyard reminded them of Vietnam. “In the ‘40s and ‘50s, the Vietnamese built a lot of concrete houses with balconies,” said Chan Kieu, 56. “Vietnam is a tropical country; we always have balconies so we can get fresh air and look at the moon in the evening.”

Quynh Kieu, 49, was drawn to the bougainvillea she saw “softly swinging in the breeze,” she said. “And I could hear the cicadas singing. It went straight to my heart. This was Vietnam! I thought: We have to come here.”

A cultural oasis: Members of the Fellows support group of the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana recently attended a reception in the Kieu home.

“We frequently open our house to cultural activities,” said Quynh Kieu, as she sat in her treasure-filled living room. “We like to share our culture with others.”

On view: Everything from a collection of rare Vietnamese ceramic wine decanters to a miniature clay replica--created in 200 BC--of a Vietnamese farmhouse and watchtower.

“This is a very good example of what people lived in during those days,” Quynh Kieu said. “The landowner who had vast holdings would have a dwelling that was both farmhouse and fortress. Our country is small; we are near a very powerful neighbor. For centuries we have struggled with China. We still do.”

The heart of the home: Collecting Vietnamese artifacts has become a mission for the couple, Quynh Kieu said. “A lot of Vietnamese Americans--such as my children--have a hard time identifying with the Vietnamese culture. Having treasures that they come to recognize gives them an appreciation for their ancestors. For that, we are very grateful.”

Ann Conway can be reached at (714) 966-5952 or ann.conway@latimes.com