BANGKOK / EasternGlass Manufacturer, the city’s oldest handmade glassware company, has transformed one of its buildings into a café amid the beauty of an industrial loft space. Interestingly, it’s blessed with the power of storytelling. The new coffee destination is located just off of Phet Kasem Road inbound between Soi 76/1 and Soi 76 in Bangkhae District.
The coffee shop called EasternGlass Café nestles in the front building that formerly housed factory offices. It’s a complete makeover that strikes the right balance between the chic organic style and the rawness of industrial style décor. The coffee room is connected to a warehouse, so you can shop around for the best deal on glassware made the old-fashioned way by skilled glass masters.
For more than 70 years, EasternGlass Manufacturer has excelled in the glassmaking industry mostly for exports to Europe including Scandinavian countries. The company now in the hands of the third generation is widely renowned for its cool and creative products ranging from glass light shades to articles for hotel, restaurant, and home décor. Suddenly faced with disruptions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, it has had to diversify into new business sooner than anticipated.
Led by Peter Chongussayakul, the company made remarkable progress by expanding into domestic markets instead, and hence a café on an industrial site where products and other paraphernalia are displayed. He said: “We have seen a new trend in consumer behavior of late. More people have taken an interest in home decorating ideas, while designers are looking for props that are great works of handicraft. So it’s time we presented our products for the Thai people to see. Since there were no new orders coming in, the company temporarily closed the factory to allow for renovation to take place.
“Parts of the factory office have been converted into an industrial style café showcasing miscellaneous tools and equipment. It’s a loft space designed to give information on the glassmaking industry. People who are interested can learn how hand blown glass products are made and what tools are used.”
The coffee shop décor includes pumps, cutting tools, tongs for holding the workpiece, blowpipes, and molds used to give shape to hot or molten glass. They are exhibited against bare concrete walls, weathered wood, and exposed building systems characteristic of industrial chic. There’s an entire wall that’s dedicated to a display of all kinds of glassmaking molds. Together, they showcase the factory history and play a part in educating the public.
Right next to the industrial style café, a large warehouse is filled with awe-inspiring collections of artisanal articles made from glass. Every single piece is original in its own special way depending on the colors, design, and air bubbles that happen in the process. From an artistic point of view, it’s beauty in the imperfections caused by dust and air flow inside the factory that makes each one of them perfectly unique. Plus, it’s the allure of glass art that’s another determining factor in its value.
Location:
The café is on a private road just off of Phet Kasem Road inbound between Soi 76/1 and Soi 76, Khwaeng Bangkhae Nua, Bangkhae District, Bangkok
Open daily from 08.00 to 17.00 Hrs.
Tel. 09-2240-4141
See more: https://www.facebook.com/Easternglass
Story: Phattaraphon Yodnakornjong
Photographs: Nantiya
The cube shape and flat roof gives an air of modern comfort and calmness to this white home on the outskirts of Bangkok. Designed for a hot, humid climate, it is thoughtfully devised to provide physical ease and relaxation without air conditioning.
The home’s contemporary style belies the traditional Thai way of life that’s central to its existence and character. Plus, it shows great attention to detail that makes the house feel warm and welcoming.
Amazing as it may seem, the cube-shaped modern home is built on a piece of land with a small waterway and public walk along the left side of it. In such situation, the homeowner has to forfeit three meters of land along the waterfront to make room for public access as required by law.
The result is a property with narrow frontage abutting on the street. And that’s where the design team from Office Architect9Kampanad came in to create a place that’s light and airy yet relying little on air conditioning. The homeowner lives with her elderly mother; hence the design must be capable of answering their specific lifestyle needs.
For the most part, wood is the building material of choice. Despite its ultramodern architecture, the house plan is the most perfect example of the Thai way of life in former times.
The side of the house that looks out over the public walk gets plenty of fresh air and natural daylight. But it’s also facing west, which means the afternoon sun is much harsher and brighter.
To solve this problem, the design team puts in a perforated metal façade that doubles as an outer shell keeping the house cool during the daytime. The external envelope crafted of steel is painted white to harmonize in color and texture with the nearby boundary fence. It’s a simple yet effective way to overcome a challenge on site.
By design, the home is well-lighted and well-ventilated thanks to open-concept floor plans both in front and at the rear of the building. There’s nothing to block the winds from the north or the south.
Wood stairs with no risers between the treads allow fresh air to enter and circulate in the interior. They also illuminate the stairwell and nearby areas with natural daylight.
The structure is a hybrid of steel beams and joists supported by concrete piles and arranged in an orderly way like traditional Thai architecture in times past. Plus, solid hardwood flooring looks very nice and makes the interior cooler in the summer.
To create warm, beautiful environments, the house floor is made of hardwood on all three levels. As a natural building material, wood evokes positive responses. It also has a substantial impact on the wellbeing of humans in ways that tiles and concrete floors cannot.
Meantime, pieces of furniture from the old family home are given a new lease on life. They are adapted for use in a different purpose and given a fresh coat of paint that proves a perfect complement to white home decorating ideas.
Showing attention to detail, the design team ensures the house plan is right for the elderly mother who lives here. To make it easy for her to walk up a flight of stairs, each riser is reduced to just 15 cm from the average 17 to 18 cm.
As a precaution against slip and fall accidents, each stair tread is made deeper than average, thanks to angled risers that provide extra space.
The house fence is made of air bricks painted white. They have holes in them to create an air flow between the property and the public walkway on the other side. The masonry wall has no see-through gaps in it, which offers privacy and protection from unwanted prying eyes.
Taken as a whole, it’s an oasis of calm on the outskirts of the city thanks to additional green spaces along the fence line adorned with shrubbery that thrives in the understory of tall trees.
The farthest end leads to a vegetable garden where Mom spends most of her free time preparing the soil, planting a crop, and nurturing the plants. Backyard vegetable gardening is an ingenious way to live a salubrious life. It not only puts fresh food on the table, but also speaks volumes for their determination to preserve the Thai way of life in this modern home.
Cherishing fond memories of the good old days, Chatchawan and Punjama Lertbutsayanukul recently had their grandma and grandpa’s house restored to its former glory. They sought advice from Jun Sekino of Jun Sekino A+D, who turned it into a beautifully crafted home with added personality and character known as “Nobita House.”
Jun Sekino, sharing his renovation ideas, said: “After having talked with the homeowners, we were determined to keep the front-gable house plan very much intact. Several inspection visits in the ensuing days also gave me some ideas to do it right. It was like a journey back in time to preserve all its 1940’s splendor.”
Flashback: The picture of the old house before renovation. / Courtesy Jun Sekino A+D
The 80-year-old house soon transformed into a new home that’s more warm and inviting. It’s aptly named “Nobita House” after the much-loved, fictional boy character in the 1970’s cartoon series “Doraemon”. In the fewest possible words, it’s about rebuilding for a better future.
Restoring the old house to a good state of repair, the architect made sure the original framework was not damaged or impaired in any way. Thanks to collaboration with a team of structural engineers, the carport was reinforced to make it capable of accommodating two vehicles side by side.
The front façade was built of reclaimed timber from the old house installed vertically with protective finishes over the top to protect it from the elements.
The gable roof was improved using new material and sloping at an angle that’s proper under the weather conditions prevailing in this region. To make room for a higher ceiling, the second floor was built 1.50 meters taller than the original plan.
On the ground floor, suspended panels were removed to reveal awesome ceilings with exposed wood beams. At the same time, wood windows and extra units of construction were added on to increase the floor space from 100 to 300 square meters.
Where appropriate a system of micro-piles, aka root piles, was installed to carry an additional load. The covered shelter in front of the entrance was enlarged, while the side of the house reserved for shoe storage now connected conveniently to the carport.
Meantime, fully open layouts translated into better natural light and ample space for social cohesiveness. On one side, the exterior glass wall looks out over a backyard garden. On another lies a corridor leading to a small courtyard at the rear.
Thanks to open floor plans, the interior living spaces are easy on the eye. White walls with stained wood trim paired with natural light streaming in through the overhead transom create the illusion of a larger space.
Nearby, white screens and Terrazzo floors combine to add vintage touches to home décor. At the same time, structural components made of steel, if any, are painted white to blend harmoniously with light backgrounds.
Climb a flight of stairs, and you come to the second floor containing workspace with wood windows that evoke pleasant memories of years past. Wall paneling is flush with adjoining post and beam construction.
The door frame with overhead transom is glazed using patterned glass. Not far away lies the restful master bedroom that’s furnished in a simple style. The old living quarters for house workers accessible by a mosaic walkway remain intact. It’s separated from a nearby outdoor laundry room by steel railing along the edge.
There is a challenge to overcome though. Tall buildings rise nearby, while the house ground level is lower than the street. To effectively drain rainwater from the yard, decorative landscaping gravel is used. This is where garden designer Premrudee Cheewakoseth comes into play and turns the ground into beautiful Japanese rock gardens.
Trees that are planted for shade include Jackfruit and bamboo, while Mini Mondo Grass or Sneak Beard provides a lush ground covering. To avoid looking too Japanese, small terraces with a garden path are put in. Overall, the house boasts certain appeal similar to that of the house of “Nobita”, the much-loved, fictional boy character in the famous cartoon series “Doraemon”.
BANGKOK / Designed to improve the quality of life, SCOPE Promsri sits on a prime residential lot in the heart of Sukhumvit, one of Bangkok’s vibrant cosmopolitan areas. Among its most outstanding features is the integration of the high-end contemporary furniture brand Ligne Roset of France with the overall design of every room and common area. A nexus between well thought-out design, best appliances brands and urban lifestyle conveniences, the 1.35-billion-Baht eight-story condo comes complete with a security system that exceeds standards for residential property management.
SCOPE Promsri is conveniently situated on Soi Promsri, a prime street that connects with three famous city thoroughfares; namely Soi Prompong (Sukhumvit 39), Soi Klang (Sukhumvit 49), and Soi Thonglor (Sukhunvit 55). The intention is to become a premium residential project capable of providing its residents with a world class service.
What makes SCOPE Promsri exceptionally good is the overall interior design paired with matching contemporary furniture by Ligne Roset, a high end brand that has been around for more than 160 years. Founded in 1860, Ligne Roset grew from humble beginnings and transformed itself into a successful furnishings outfit with branches across the globe. Over time, modern luxury furniture and decorative accessories have earned the company a reputation as experts in design and innovative manufacturing processes. The secret to its success lies in strict quality control that culminates in unique products that are not only handsome and comfortable, but also a profusion of elegance and value characteristic of French design.
Yongyuth Chaipromprasith is creative expert in real estate development and CEO of the SCOPE Co, Ltd, which specializes in homes at the international premium level. He said: “We commit ourselves to providing quality and innovative design that has been our signature from day one. Every project that we’ve accomplished are the product of collaborations between us and other experts in the field, including world famous brands. When it comes to home furnishings, it’s not about selecting products from catalogs. Rather, it’s an act of working with others who have comprehensive knowledge and skill in a bid to create products that are evidence of quality and best express our ideas.”
By this is meant that SCOPE Promsri places great emphasis on the individual’s privacy and freedom from being disturbed by others. Hence, there are only two business units, compared to 146 residential condominium units on the premises. First and foremost, it’s designed to raise the quality of life and improve safety for the project’s residents. This is evident in the installation of water sprinklers in the ceiling of every room, despite it not being required by law governing eight-story buildings.
That’s not all. At SCOPE Promsri every condominium comes complete with modern conveniences and household appliances that comply with standards. They include electrical kitchen appliances by the MIELE brand of Germany, plus built-in combinations consisting of a microwave oven, induction cook top, kitchen exhaust fan, and built-in Liebherr brand refrigerator, as well as wall-mounted washlets by Kohler, Germany.
Apart from the full complement of world class equipment, every condo unit receives a great deal on decoration known as “Promsri Edition Fully Furnished Package”, an 890,000-Baht value that includes, among other things, a Prado sofa by Christian Werner. Customers are allowed to choose more than one color for the sofa. Plus, there’s a special edition table code named “Promsri Table”, which is manufactured exclusively by Ligne Roset for this project only. And that’s not all. The list also includes a built-in console that comes with a 75-inch TV set, bed with headboard decorating ideas and mattress by Simmons, the world class brand that’s used by six star hotels across the globe.
Strictly speaking, the Promsri Edition is more than just a list of household equipment or furniture. Rather, it opens the door to a new lifestyle evolving around feeling good and living better ideas. It’s about nurturing quality thoughts that culminate in good design for homes at the international premium level.
Yongyuth added: “SCOPE Promsri has invested a lot of money to create a good first impression with the project’s exterior design. But the quality that pleases the aesthetic senses alone isn’t enough. That’s why we also place great emphasis on long term durability and ease of maintenance. This is evident in the use of reflective glass acoustic film that not only protects resident privacy, but also reduces heat transfer from outside, thereby saving on energy consumption. Plus, it doubles as sound barrier that reduces street noise by as much as 30%, a feature that’s further enhanced by motorized blackout blinds for added indoor thermal comfort. It’s designed to achieve total darkness in the room, especially for customers in the young international premium group who requires the highest quality of rest. This is particularly important for the so-called work-hard, high-income group.”
“SCOPE gives good living conditions the highest priority. For this reason, it provides a variety of services including safe transport of food items and cleaning service. It’s a luxury condo that not only allows pets, but also is truly pet friendly. By enforcing carefully thought-out rules and regulations, it ensures that pet owners and non-pet owners can live together in harmony.”
SCOPE Promsri condos complete with the “Promsri Edition Fully Furnished Package” are on sale now for 6.3 million Baht apiece. The scheduled finish date is around November 2022. Unit reservation has begun as of 12 March 2021. Register now at www.scopepromsri.com
The coffee shop name got its inspiration from “Fly Me to the Moon”, one of Frank Sinatra’s all-time greatest hits. A brainchild of the Bangkok-based studio Embassy of Design Territory, the serene café serving coffee and refreshments is nestled among lush tropical gardens in the heart of the city’s Lad Phrao District.
Drawing on his experience and a remarkable aptitude for organizing events, the designer transformed an ordinary co-creating office space into a coffee shop ensconced among the trees and shrubs. The café on the ground floor is characterized by a relaxing cozy atmosphere that gives off good vibes. Vertical gardens come in handy to fulfill a dream that one day humans will be able to grow them on the Moon.
Design ideas: The outside part of the shop is made of steel scaffolds with platforms or shelves, upon which gardens of luxuriant foliage thrive. The café interior built of plywood affords ample space, while exterior glass walls protect it from the elements, let natural light shine through and increase aesthetic appeal. Wood furniture, vintage décor and garden plants have positive effects on the atmosphere and good mental health. There’s a picture of Leon: The Professional, a 1994 action thriller film, starkly juxtaposed with lush green surroundings. If you’re shopping for plant containers, there are plenty of them to buy.
Why we love it: Like an oasis tucked away in a city neighborhood, “Plant Me on the Moon” is a perfect rendezvous to share good times with friends and loved ones. The atmosphere is just right for life, and coffee smells like fresh ground heaven, plus a collection of soothing garden music. Drop in for a nice cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy the calm and peaceful greenhouse view!
A modern duplex house by EAST Architects makes use of natural light, sun and airflow to provide indoor thermal comfort that’s the hallmark of the ultimate Tropical design.
One wing holds a semi-outdoor living space roofed over with flat terracotta tiles in a timeless shade of gray. It’s built almost entirely of wood with a balcony and a “tai thun”, or the underfloor space high enough for many different uses.
The other wing boasts the style, experience and flexible realities characteristic of postmodernism. To get enough natural light, the building is enclosed by exterior glass wall systems. Upstairs, a straight passageway connecting individual spaces leads to a cantilevered room that extends 6 meters supported by a rigid V-shaped steel frame – an unusual approach to lightweight modern house design.
The upper covering of the ultramodern wing is a steel-reinforced concrete slab. The high pitched gable roof that rises above it is topped with corrugated aluminum panels to allow light to pass through. This keeps the home well-lit by day and glowing with light and color by night, which explains why it’s named “Baan Hing Hoi”, literally translated as “Fireflies House”.
A piece of architecture representing the nexus between Eastern and Western ideas, the Fireflies House is a design that merges Modern and Traditional values into one Tropical-style home. The house plan doesn’t sit parallel to the road in front of it. Neither does it align with property boundary lines. Rather, it’s designed to respond to wind direction and the sun’s path across the sky for the perfect indoor thermal comfort.
That pretty much summarizes the design concept embraced by two assistant professors, Pirast Pacharaswate and Sayanee Virochrut, of EAST Architects. The design duo prides themselves on being the “architects of Tropical rainforests”.
Together they turned a family’s wish into reality. The homeowner, Thanawat Yongsanguanchai, wanted a modern, warm and welcoming place where his family could spend more time together outdoors.
He was looking for a bright and breezy design, one that’s comfortable without air conditioning. And the architect duo was on hand to deliver exactly that by making natural ingredients pretty much an integral part of the plan.
The result was a well-thought-out modern house that included a part intended be perceived as if it were a tunnel leading to another world beautifully ensconced in the rear of the property.
“In essence, it’s a design takes into account basic human needs for relaxation and the culture in which people live. Simply put, the relationship between culture and climate is one of the inevitabilities of life. It’s for this reason that the house is built with knowledge of the climate in mind,” said architect Pirast Pacharaswate.
“We think up contradictory thoughts when designing the duplex house plan. The kids belong to a new generation, but their living wing boasts certain features and comforts that are symbolic of Thai-style houses in former times. In juxtaposition, it’s strikingly different from the design of the parents wing, which is evidence of a new language of architecture.
“The parents wing sits under a high pitched gable roof that glows with light and color, which conveys a great deal about the postmodern school of thought. The real upper covering that functions as the roof in a practical sense is a steel-reinforced concrete slab that lies underneath it. In other words, the gable is there to make a statement about postmodern philosophy.”
Pirast explained: “It’s our intention to present a feature characteristic of traditional gable roof houses, something considered old-fashioned. And to create a welcome contrast, we roof it over with modern building materials instead.
“The result is a modern house topped with a gable that shimmers in the sunlight. It’s covered with corrugated aluminum panels that’s lightweight and very noticeable, creating an entirely new perception.”
“We found out that the homeowner preferred white to other colors, so we responded with a choice of cool-toned whites for the parents wing. For contrast and comparison, the children’s wing gives a powerful impression of being Thai. It’s roofed over with flat terracotta tiles in a nice shade gray.
“Wood is the main building material here. For strength and durability, the truss or framework supporting the roof is made of metal, but the skill and craftsmanship are Thai style. The two wings are linked by a roofed platform along the outside of the house.”
The children’s wing is semi-outdoor by design, thanks to the veranda and spacious traditional-style underfloor spaces. It differs greatly from the parents wing that’s enclosed by exterior glass wall systems, a great way to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside. Go straight down the corridor, and you come to individual rooms and functional areas with modern conveniences.
The ground floor holds a pantry and dining area with a sitting room nearby. It’s dominated by a long dining table that’s custom-made. The upper floor contains Mom and Dad’s bedroom that projects horizontally into space.
Glass walls pour natural light into the room that’s embraced by nature. There’s a multi-purpose room with wood décor ideas. An array of alternating plain and hand-carved wood cabinets ooze the charm and poise of Thai-style residential architecture.
Upstairs, the bedroom projects 6 meters into space supported by a rigid V-shaped steel frame for a lightweight look. Floor-to-ceiling glass wall systems afford views of the landscape.
Proceed to the children’s wing, and you discover not all ceilings are horizontal. Their bedrooms boast beautiful ceilings that slope in agreement with the gable roof. The vertical siding under the gable is open to bring natural brightness inside, while accent wall ideas behind the headboard fill the room in style.
There’s something quintessentially Thai in the bedroom where the platform bed frame is wider than the mattress, an easy hack to create space for wedge pillows and the triangle pillow that’s unique to Thai culture.
The architect said: “To make a positive first impression, it’s good to be a noticeable new phenomenon. Like so, the garden pathway is strategically built in such a way that people recognize the unique roof design as they approach the house from various distances and directions, each resulting in a different point of view.
“Psychologically, humans and architecture interact with each other all the time. Circulation, or human movement in and around a piece of architecture, constitutes an interaction. It’s an experience that creates an awareness and evokes admiration of architectural beauty,” Pirast wrapped it up nicely.
All told, the gable roof duplex evokes respect and warm approval through outstanding design and the power of storytelling that combines traditional values, longing for nature, and great aesthetic pleasure into one coherent whole.
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
To have more space for his three children, M.L. Varudh Varavarn (Vin) of Vin Varavarn Architectsbuilt this modern house amid a garden on a quarter-acre property in the heart of Bangkok’s ChidlomDistrict.
“Children need a place with trees to run and play,” was Vin’s first thought in keeping all the original trees for the garden. Each room looks out on this great play area.
“When we built the place we’d just come back from living abroad in a town house. There wasn’t really enough space for the kids there, so we made this home more about the kids than ourselves,” he told LivingASEAN.
The house, the balcony, and the garden are simple components of a tropical house. Although porous from wood borer beetles, these folding doors are perfectly functional. The decorative garden stones were dug up from the property.
One primary building material was 20-year-old teakwood from Vin’s mother’s plantation in Kamphaeng Phet, much of which had been eaten hollow by wood boring beetles and couldn’t be sold to a lumber yard.
“We figured wood like this might give an interesting look. Talking with The Jam Factory contractor Subhashok gave us some ideas.
“We wanted something that didn’t look too slick, but had unique character and was durable. Wood, concrete, and steel were our main building materials.”
With porous teak, it’s best to cut the wood into narrow boards, sort out the more porous ones, then use the different types in different parts of the house.
Wood with no holes is used for flooring. Even though you can see into the sapwood on some, porous wood panels can be used for latticework, folding doors/windows, and ceilings, which are not usually touched by people, and they can be patched where called for.
The wall separating the stairwell from the living room displays a rough concrete surface.
By the stair to the 2nd floor, natural light shines into the front hall indoor courtyard. The living room is behind the wall on the right.
This steel-frame box-shaped house uses cement walls as artifice: for instance, the wall of rough concrete next to the parking area creates a vertical play of light and shadow on garden stone surfaces.
Meantime, the living room’s big brick walls are surfaced with concrete poured in different concentrations, creating gray stripes in gentle contrast to the rough harshness of the concrete itself.
The house plan visually connects interior and outdoor spaces in a number of places: coming in the door, we first encounter an interior court with a tree, then walk around into the living area, dining space, and large open-plan pantry flanked on both sides by gardens, seeming to switch character back and forth between being indoors and outdoors.
By the tree court is a latticed staircase of wood and steel leading to the 2nd floor, where we find a living area, children’s activity room, and all the bedrooms.
The living room with a big sofa for family socializing. To save building expense the steel frame is light as possible, which also gives the house a light, open look.
Folding doors filter light and give security and privacy. Adding to the green, plants grow along the wall by the neighboring house.
Close by the open living area is a dining table where Vin does a little work most mornings. Furthest in is a long, narrow pantry-style kitchen also used for informal eating.
On the 2nd floor is a children’s activity room, the surrounding glass adding openness and drawing natural light from both the interior court and the side facing the house next door.
On the 2nd floor is a children’s activity room, the surrounding glass adding openness and drawing natural light from both the interior court and the side facing the house next door.
“The kids have been happy here, and feel more like staying at home, so we’ve achieved a nice level of success,” added M.L. Varudh. Before the evening came we got to see all 3 of Vin’s children as they got back from school to run, play, climb, and have fun, laughing and smiling, sometimes in the children’s activity room.
Time and budget allowing, it’s not hard to find a Chao Phraya riverside hotel in Bangkok for a night’s stay. What’s harder is to find a place rich with art and an atmosphere that makes you feel at home while taking you back in time to an earlier age in the river’s history.
This 10-room contemporary hotel with a taste of “Thainess” stands on 100 square meters in a tiny alley just off Chiang Mai Street, in the same neighborhood as the fascinating tourist destination Lhong 1919. “Amdaeng,” the hotel’s name, belonged to a fabled woman from the past and was suggested by the “Amdaengkhlee” on a former owner’s land deed from the Rama V era.
All the main architectural elements inside and out are painted vermilion: posts, beams, floors, walls, ceilings, so that looking from the other side of the river it stands out clearly from its surroundings. Coming in from the other side you approach the entrance through a maze of alleyways, as the scene gradually opens up to reveal a red building that seems to be composed of separate sculptures joined together to become one grand form in which the architect envisioned people living.
Inside is a restaurant with a quiet calm feeling, lowering the dial on the red, and also more masculine: The feminine “Amdaeng” calls for some male balance, so the restaurant is named “Nye,” meaning “mister” in Thai. The restaurant materials and décor are simple and straightforward but rich with art, bringing to mind the phrase “blue and white,” for the indigo-patterned tile of China favored by Chinese social clubs and found everywhere in old China. Up above is a fabulous roof deck with a sort of “grandstand” for viewing the river rising upwards in tiered circles like the chedi of a Thai temple. In the future this area will be a nighttime bar.
Guest room décor shows a mix of styles reflecting Thai as well as other cultures: Chinese, European, Indian. To recall an earlier era when the dominant cultures were mixing in a formative way, aging techniques are used to alter the look of the glass, the floor tile is dimmed with a charcoal color, antique furniture is used, and remodeling has added beauty and refinement to an atmosphere of bygone days so as to live up to the catchphrase, “The most romantic hotel in Bangkok.”
/ Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /
A renovation done right turns this 40-year-old house into a minimalist home that oozes charm and character. It’s spacious with all mod cons. The original frame of the house is retained, but important interventions are added to improve structural integrity, enhance indoor comfort and boost curb appeal. Among them, an array of vertical blades provides vital sun shading integrated into the façade.
Before renovation: The old house looks a bit tired and out of date.
After renovation: The beautifully remodeled façade after a complete transformation. The house’s original structure is preserved while cool, clean lines give it a distinctive character.
Condominium living is awesome for young adults and families without kids. But as their family grew, Prem and Wasinee Chatmanop soon found it unfit to answer their lifestyle needs.
That was reason enough to go searching for a house to buy starting from their familiar neighborhood. Call it serendipity. It wasn’t long before the couple found a fixer-upper located on a 40-year-old housing development in Choke Chai 4 area.
The house was in poor condition and had to be completely renovated. A lot had to be demolished, from the floors to walls to ceilings that had fallen into decay. Only the beams, poles and gable roof trusses that were part of the original load-bearing structure were preserved.
The open concept floor plan excludes interior walls and doors, which gives it the feeling of larger, more comfortable space. Off-white walls paired with wood accents add warmth to the living room and create dimension.
Out with the old, in with the new
“I went out and looked at several houses. In the end, I was really pleased that I chose this one.
“The old house sat on nice square shape land 100 square wah in extent that was characteristic of housing estates in the past. I had a team of building engineers do a structural integrity assessment to determine it was good to buy.
“The house’s interior was old and in disrepair. So we left the renovation project in the good hands of architect Sitthichai Chompooh of the Perspective design studio. We specifically chose to have him do it after having seen his work in ‘The Renovation’, a BaanLaeSuan TV program. It happened to be the style that I liked,” said Prem.
At first, the architect was a bit concerned since the old house was built on a slope below the street level. In spite of that, he was attracted by the gable roof that was the popular appeal in the old days. This made it possible to create an open concept floor plan that seamlessly merged with a lush green side garden. The result was a complete transformation that offered 287 square meters of living spaces.
Sharing his experience, Sitthichai said: “The ground floor was further elevated by 30 centimeters to prevent groundwater flooding. Then, the old false ceiling suspended from the structure above was removed to create more headroom. Next, everything that had been added to the existing construction was demolished to make room for a new open floor plan.
“This included taking out the old floors, walls and extensions that were damaged over a long period of time.”
The focal point of the house is the interior that interconnects with the outdoor environment. The side yard offers a relaxing space and brightens up the living room with the glow of natural light.
There are plenty of good reasons for floating a sofa in the middle of the room. It makes for a perfectly welcoming multi-use space.
A counter for preparing food and drinks runs parallel to a pantry dedicated to storage. The open floor plan makes it easy to connect with nearby dining room and living room.
Combined bathroom and dressing room design
Light colored wood proves a perfect complement to white walls with a gray tinge. Wet and dry areas in the bathroom are clearly separated to make cleaning so much easier.
Off-white walls make the bedroom feel more spacious, while light fine wood floors are perfect for every room.
Higher floor, more windows, and continuous flow
The renovation project started with further elevating the ground floor to put it higher than street level. Then, the entire floor plan was reorganized and the exterior redesigned. This results in bigger windows that allow for natural daylighting and the interconnectedness between spaces.
The highlight of his design is a spacious interior that brings indoor and outdoor rooms together to form a larger whole. Plus, the atmosphere is relaxing, thanks to side garden ideas that bring the benefits of natural light into the interior.
All of this is achieved without making changes to the original framework of the house. Where appropriate, unnecessary details are reduced and important units of construction added to enhance structural integrity. In the meantime, green spaces are integrated in the design for indoor thermal comfort, while simple clean lines create a warm and inviting place to unwind after a long day at work.
Taking everything into account, it’s an amazing house makeover, one that transforms an old-fashioned fixer-upper into a modern minimalist home that reflects the personality of the people living in it.
Properly situated, large windows provide adequate natural illumination while connecting indoor and outdoor living spaces.
Positioned to catch the sun, a projecting platform creates a canopy for the ground floor and a balcony for the second. It also provides privacy and physical protection.
A vertical wooden fin façade gives the wall a clean and modern look while providing a layer of heat insulation. It’s painted off-white to create color harmony with the solid load bearing wall behind it.
Vertical solar shading integrated in the façade protects the bedroom from harmful UV rays. The blades are made of lightweight materials, covered with plaster, and painted off-white to enhance the house’s distinctive character.
A cool and restful home close to nature
Slightly off-white walls go best with wood accents. The gray tinge is a winner with soft, weathered wood trim. It’s a contemporary calming color scheme just right for an open floor plan that extends from the living room to dining room to pantry.
That way a feeling of continuous flow is created, and it makes perfect sense to float a sofa in the middle of a large room. From the inside, the living room is enclosed by glass window walls that look out over a lush green side garden, a visual of the design that makes the homeowner couple very happy.
Sharing her experience, Wasinee said: “We spend the most time here in this area, unlike at the condo where the kitchen was isolated from the rest of the interior. The floor plan layout contains a variety of functions separated from one another by furniture rather than being enclosed by walls.
“It’s an open concept design that promotes social interactions. Prem sits here at his desk. I can see the kid playing on the sofa while preparing a meal in the kitchen nearby. It’s a flexible layout that’s easy to update. For the time being, the more space, the better. The child is growing up fast, and more furniture will be added in future.”
A concrete beam spanning an opening part of the house finds a new purpose as outdoor bench encouraging social interactions.
A sundeck patio adjoining the dining room affords a private and protected outdoor living area in the garden.
The renovation project benefits from large openings in the wall that let natural light stream into the interior living spaces. In the meantime, privacy is very important and needs to be protected. This explains why only the side of the house facing the solid wall of an adjacent townhouse is open for daylighting and connecting seamlessly with a side garden.
Commenting on the renovation plan, the architect said:
“We put in a sundeck patio that’s easily accessible from the dining room. It serves multiple purposes. Where appropriate, vertical fin facades are erected to shield the house from the sun while allowing natural ventilation and daylight. The upright structure also doubles as outdoor privacy wall.”
Family time creates happy memories that will last a lifetime.
Taken as a whole, the ground floor is very well thought out. To prevent the living room from smelling like food, an enclosed kitchen is built at the rear of the house that’s devoted to Thai cooking.
The back of the house also has a bedroom kept out of sight in one of the quietest locations. The second floor has three bedrooms, the largest of which affords a garden view from above.
In a few words, the renovation project brings new ideas and energy to an old house after it was vacant for many years. Done right, the old-fashioned gable roof house completely transforms into an awesome minimalist home oozing with charm.
Simple, clean lines give the house its character as well as beauty. Above all, it’s a piece of architecture that connects past, present, and future.
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Here is a cozy, modern lake home set amid beautiful countryside. It takes advantage of the natural features of a tropical climate to ensure cool and comfort all year round. Built for having fun and enjoying life, the house comes complete with a slide into the living room, a cat house, courtyard waterfalls, and a much-loved Japanese-style room.
The U-shaped house sits above a large water body that formerly was a farm pond for water, fish and livelihoods. A beautiful center courtyard separates the two wings. Bedrooms are on the second floor of the two-story modern house plan.
Serene courtyard waterfalls can do so much to enrich life and provide a private outdoor space.
From an old farm pond to a beautiful lake home
This delightful modern lake home belongs to Sakdrin Sadlae, owner of a traveling Muslim prayer webpage. It sits on land that he receives from his mother. The parcel of land formerly was a part of the family farm in Bangkok’s Pattanakarn area.
Back in the day, his grandfather built ponds here for water, fish and agriculture. Sakdrin can still recall growing up in the wetlands. Free time in the past was spent playing kid games, in which he confronted a crocodile played by his father.
Over the years, the wetlands ecology has given him inspiration. His dream house is one that’s surrounded by water. To do that, an area fronting the lake was filled with layers of earth to create a strong building foundation.
To keep within budget, he invited building dismantlers and construction projects in the neighborhood to dump unwanted earth and concrete debris on his property.
It was a win-win solution both for him and for construction businesses in search of dumping sites. He then sought advice from architect Khomsaan Kamsawas, while his wife Apaporn Mitnoy chipped in with many great ideas that led to the family making informed decisions. The result is a house plan that fits the bill, is suitable for a tropical climate, and comfortable to live in.
A red slide offers a fun way to enter to the living room, while the open floor plan gives the impression of more space and great reasons to float the furniture.
A fiberglass slide resembling the spiral of fried potato snacks is suitable for use in small spaces. Because the slide is dry, it’s a good idea to wash and wax the surface to minimize friction and allow smooth movement.
Multipurpose furniture is capable of adapting to many different functions, from dining room to sitting room with a view. The wooden panel wall to the left and hidden storage spaces are inspired by Apple store interior design.
A bathroom is neatly concealed behind wood paneled walls in natural shades. Decorative wood paneling is inexpensive yet attractive.
Coffee corner and color scheme inspired by Apple store design
While construction was underway, the couple went out to look at many coffeehouses in search of decorating ideas.
They wanted the kind of interior that would create a conducive home office environment. Later, they visited an Apple store and came away impressed by its simple, clean design that made visual merchandising really stand out.
Together, white, gray and black proved a perfect complement to wood panel walls in natural shades. The cool color scheme was adapted to give their modern lake home a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The cat house comes complete with bridges, claw sharpeners nd perches in a tree.
Aesthetically, a center courtyard with waterfalls makes perfect sense with the U-shaped house plan. It affords beautiful views and makes the interior living space feel more comfortable.
Healthy, green spaces improve air quality and control sunlight filtering through trees. Plus, they create peaceful moods and encourage people to spend more time outdoors.
Sakdrin asked for the tropical plant Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) for his garden because he liked eating rice porridge flavored with fragrant leaves. At one time, he even kept giant freshwater prawns by the waterfalls for food, but later stopped eating them due to emotional attachment.
A flap door lets kitties come and go freely between the cat house and the litter box located in an open-air laundry area.
Water slide, cat house, and Japanese room
The furniture, fittings and other decorative accessories say a lot about this active family.
Sakdrin is full of energy and enthusiasm, the likes of which are obvious in his daughter. Even at this young age, the little girl enjoys sliding down into the living room by herself, apparently happy and content.
Meantime, his wife Aphaphon is equally pleased to spend time with and take care of her cuddly feline.
The Japanese room looks out on the center courtyard and a ready-made swimming pool.
Sakdrin said that when he and his wife first met, the only places they went on a date were cat cafés in the city. Now that they had a house of their own, it made perfect sense to create a room just for cats.
For the love of Japanese architecture, they built a Japanese-style room in the opposite wing. Inside it, the floor is covered in traditional tatami straw mats, while bamboo lines parts of the exterior.
Long story short, it’s an opportunity to experience the allure of the Japanese countryside. Only this time, it’s tucked away in a peaceful rural setting off Pattanakarn Road in Bangkok.
Interior design and decorative accessories boast charming simplicity that’s unique to Japan. Nearby, bamboo lines parts of the exterior walls. The serene hangout place is sometimes used as a bedroom.
The Japanese room reveals an affinity for traditional residential architecture. It’s little wonder that he often visits Japan for inspiration.
The importance of correct building orientation
The U-shaped house plan projects into a large water body formerly used in aquaculture for fish farming. The lake that lies to the west provides a buffer against warm air currents as sunlight travels straight down to Earth.
Westerly wind over the water surface produces a tremendous cooling effect, resulting in thermal comfort in the center courtyard and interior living spaces. The kitchen is separate from the living room to avoid lingering kitchen smells.
The homeowner rows his dinghy past drooping branches of a Lampoo or cork tree (Sonneratia caseolaris L. Engl.) The lake is home to many carp that he has raised since they were young. He sometimes catches snakehead fish for food.
By design, this modern lake home makes a great first impression. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the front façade afford beautiful panoramic views of the lake and surrounding landscape.
Meantime, the center courtyard with artificial waterfalls brings down the ambient temperature and controls sunlight filtering through trees.
Further away, drooping branches of Lampoo or cork trees (Sonneratia caseolaris L. Engl.) line the lakeshore. All things considered, it’s a house built for comfort, where every day is a picture-perfect summer day.
Nothing beats relaxing in a hammock on a carefree day at the lake. Priceless!
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