This pristine mountain retreat at Khao Yai, Nakhon Ratchasima evokes a flashback of Safari scenes in the 1985 film “Out of Africa.” It consists of a group of buildings that merges into the lush green contours of geography and topography of the area. A stream runs through it. The relaxing sounds of a babbling brook are soothing to the mind as it moves under the canopy of tall trees into a larger tributary somewhere far away.
The first building, nicknamed the Clubhouse, serves a dual purpose as a welcome area and common room open to everyone. Its funky yellow façade is adorned with reclaimed timber recycled from an old ship hull, evoking pleasant memories of an installation art show.
“I like being by the sea. Mountains are not my kind of place. But this location changes everything. It’s different from other places. There’s a small stream flowing through it. The gentle rush of water flowing enlivens the entire natural surroundings,” said homeowner Piset Chungyaempin, who is executive chairman at Piko (Thailand) Public Company Limited.
Here, ecosystem health takes precedence. To transform his property into a perfect holiday home, Piset avoided cutting down trees the best he possibly could. He has a plan. With a smile, he said: “The house is a holiday retreat for now, but in the future we can live here long term.”
The kitchen inside the Clubhouse has a rustic country flair. The walls in shades of orange characteristic of Fresco architecture add the charm of a Tuscan village to the atmosphere. The kitchen island is crafted of pinewood in light hues to bring out the superb natural wood grain that whispers a soft rustic appeal.“The kitchen is probably the most expensive part of the house,” said Piset. “It’s designed to look as if it had been around for some 50 years. The cooking range, for example, is a new technology remade to imitate the Retro styles in times past. It stands in perfect harmony with a relaxing vintage ambience.”
In sync with the rhythms of nature, the house plan twists and turns around the existing trees. The homeowner made a choice from a range of possibilities. Instead of one big house in the woods, he chose a design consisting of three smaller buildings. The result is a charming trio that’s comfortable, warm and welcoming, plus a sense of space and privacy.
“This room is affectionately called the Aquarium although people live in it,” said Piset. Spectacular views of hillside landscapes can be seen from here. It’s a glass-enclosed living room with a typical Safari feel to it. Furniture pieces strike the right balance between old wood, leather, and vernacular style upholstery.The dining area boasts a Mexican-style teak table from the Crossroad, a Chiangmai furniture store. Upholstered wooden chairs with genuine leather backrests came from the Netherlands.
The first building has two levels, which Piset nicknamed “The Clubhouse.” It serves a dual function, as a welcome area for entertaining guests and a common room for use by anyone at any time. There is a mid-sized kitchen with a hint of cool country vibes on the first floor.
The second building holds a rustic home living space by the water. At present, it’s a living room setting. When needed, it can easily sleep up to four people. Piset’s favorite nook is the front porch overlooking a carp fishpond and a small stream nearby. He plays the guitar and does his hobby projects here sometimes.
The building that houses Piset’s private residence has turns and angles intended to avoid cutting down trees on the property. The floor plan allows for nature to permeate the living spaces to the max.
The ground floor of the private residence can be rearranged to accommodate visiting house guests. The room in Safari style is adorned with area rugs, throw pillows, and upholstered chairs crafted of vernacular fabrics. The ceilings, floors, door panels, and cabinets feature beautiful wood grain in natural shades.The master bedroom is spacious with a bed made of old wood in it. “Like a fortunate stroke of serendipity, it’s by chance that I came across old railroad ties listed for sale. They were very heavy and needed seven to eight people to transport them up here,” said Piset.The front porch overlooking a carp fishpond is Piset’s favorite nook, where he likes to play the guitar, or just relaxes in the comfort of a wicker chair that he brought over from his old house.
Piset named the third building “Tarzan’s house.” His son lives here. It’s a one-bedroom house on stilts designed to look like a treehouse.
There is a small pantry for making simple meals and a balcony that doubles as a lookout post. Its most interesting feature is the hydraulic powered staircase that’s neatly stowed away when not in use. It’s like he’s actually living somewhere up there in the treetop.
[Left] A bathroom countertop crafted of reclaimed wood brings out the beauty of raw natural textured finishes. / [Right] An old bookshelf speaks volumes for the homeowner’s personal interests. It’s filled with publications on guitars, boats, and Safari style decor. All things considered, it is a small world embracing Safari themes and colors that Piset has come to love. It is a living space rich in spirits of adventure and memories of enchanting experiences.
Taken as a whole, it’s a group of three buildings that differ greatly from one to the other. Nonetheless, they share a few common characteristics — a mix of Moorish, Safari, and rustic country styles. Decorating items for the most part reveal a taste for the beauty of raw textured finishes, while furniture comes in the Antique style.
The bedroom inside “Tarzan’s house” showcases Spanish-style antique cabinetry bought from a Chiang Mai furniture store. To give it a vernacular touch, the walls and ceilings are made of woven bamboo paneling mixed with OSB boards.[Left] A spacious bathroom feels very relaxed. Piset said: “It’s designed to eliminate fear of a confined space.” / [Right] A countertop is made to look as if it were floating. Wooden parts in muted colors imitate antique wood finishes, while a mix of brassware and marble adds a touch of class to the interior space.
Marketing/Advertising Cookies – used to remember and process the relevance to your website visit in order to personalize contents shown including optimization of commercial advertising placements. For instances, we use this type of cookies to display commercial advertisements related to user’s attributes and interests as well as to limit how many times should a user see repeated advertisement in order to optimize and measure marketing activities. อ่านเพิ่มเติม
![[Left] A bathroom countertop crafted of reclaimed wood brings out the beauty of raw natural textured finishes. [Right] An old bookshelf speaks volumes for the homeowner’s personal interests. It’s filled with publications on guitars, boats, and Safari style decor. All things considered, it is a small world embracing Safari themes and colors that Piset has come to love. It is a living space rich in spirits of adventure and memories of enchanting experiences.](https://livingasean.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/012-8-1024x730.jpg)
กลมกลืนกับธรรมชาติใน สไตล์คันทรีซาฟารี
