/ Story: Wuthikorn Suthiapa / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Many have dreamt of owning a beach house on a beautiful island. The owners of this property have made their dream come true with style and grace.
The pier at Ko Pha-Ngan (Pha-Ngan Island) is always bustling with activity as tourists keep coming in droves, looking forward to the party. But the island on the Gulf of Thailand is also known for its fine collection of tranquil beaches, especially the one on Hin Kong Bay, where this charming beach house is located.
The casually cool house sits embraced by a circle of trees that gives it a tropical touch and camouflages it from the busy streets. The wide open design ensures every part of the stilt house is easily accessible wherever you may be, from the room at the rear to the front porch to the infinity pool that connects to the ocean beyond.
The house with a twist features a tree trunk that continues to grow through the floorboard. A clever design element, the tree had been there long before the owners decided to put in a home.
Not wanting to cut it down, they built their home around the tree and let it keep on growing. They are just happy to live and let live despite having to adjust the floorboard and roofing from time to time.
Almost all the furniture in the house is made of wood, a personal preference that fits in well with the kind of home they live in. The interior living space is bedecked with ornaments and souvenirs from a lifetime of journeys as well as stunning found objects that were washed ashore.
Both the first and second floors feature long corridors that provide easy access to every part of the house. The owners have wanted their beach house to be a seaside resort designed for relaxation and good times with family and friends.
“While I am here, every day is a holiday,” said the owner with a smile.
“I love to just lie down in the living room and gaze out into the sea. Every now and then, friends come over for a visit, and we throw a barbeque party. My husband usually spends his time in the garden taking care of plants and things.”
One last word. If you haven’t thought of owning a beach house before, this picturesque house on a paradise island will make you want to have one.
/ Story: Ottomaan / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sungwan Phratem /
If relaxing on the seafront is your idea of paradise, here’s a house overlooking a quiet stretch of sand away from the crowds. It is not often that we come across a home perched on a pristine hillside. This captivating house on the rock stands out amid lush greenery in Samui, a popular resort island in the Gulf of Thailand.
A well-rounded balcony juts out from the master bedroom and comes to rest on a big boulder in complementary shape.
The house sits tight on a slope just shy of an acre in extent, hemmed by huge rock faces and views of exuberant vegetation. From afar, it’s hard to tell the shape of the building as it’s situated at a lower level than the road in front of it.
The landscape strewn with large boulders forces the home to be built in multiple separate units, each anchored to a rock face to secure its place. Overall, it’s a crisp, clean and modern design, with neat exteriors under a shed roof.
Because of conditions that cannot be changed, asymmetrical shapes are used, while the typical rectangular shapes are avoided so as to achieve the form, color and texture that blend well with the natural surroundings.
The second floor connects to a sundeck with al fresco dining room and panoramic ocean views.The main entryway appears light and airy. Where appropriate, the walls are made of strips of timber evenly spaced to allow light and ventilation.
The separate units of construction are set at slightly different levels depending on ground conditions. The shed roof above the main villa creates a wide open façade looking out over the ocean. To arouse visual interest, diagonal lines are applied to the exteriors, a clever hack that gives the home a friendly, warm and welcoming appeal.
The semi-outdoor sitting room holds a modern sectional sofa with wood and upholstered furniture in complementary colors.The dining room boasts the beauty of a long dining table crafted of slab timber resting on tree stumps. A zebra graphic pattern at the far end adds a touch of nature to the interior.
The main villa has two levels. The upstairs living room is bright and breezy with panoramic ocean views. For indoor thermal comfort, the exterior walls are covered in timber strips evenly spaced to create gaps in between for air passing through.
Where appropriate, parts of the building envelope are built of bricks covered with plaster for a neat appearance, while windows are glazed using transparent glass to get a better view. The upper floor also extends to connect with a spacious sundeck used as al fresco dining room.
A manicured garden with stepping-stone pathway connects three buildings. To the left, patches of greenery paired with a building façade made of timber strips in earth-toned color help soften the harsh appearance of nearby cliff faces.
The ground floor connects to a lush lawn, with trees and foliage plants growing luxuriantly on one side. Nearby, floor-to-ceiling windows fill the home with light and remove anything standing in the way between indoors and outdoors. There’s also a lounge where people can sit and relax a short distance away from a semi-formal dining room and contemporary-style pantry.
Viewed from the opposite side of the lawn, the main villa boasts the beauty of striking trapezoidal roof design.
Opposite from the main villa stand two outbuildings accessible via a stepping-stone garden pathway. One is a single-story unit holding a bedroom with a semi-outdoor bathroom en suite, while the other sits slightly lower than the rest. At a glance, the floor plans and general appearances are reminiscent of sundecks on a cruise ship.
An open-concept floor plan gives more natural light, better traffic flow and flexible use of space.The master bedroom lies in a smaller building, separated from the main villa.
The master bedroom is comfortably ensconced in the smaller building anchored to a huge boulder. The edge of the building can be seen projecting outward to soak up the sea view.
For safe walking from one building to the other, areas with uneven ground are smoothed out to make room for a lawn with garden pathway. With the passage of time, nature gives the large boulder and nearby rocks the perfect weather-beaten faces that blend with the house and surrounding landscapes.
In another building, another bedroom quietly enjoys the soothing glow of soft, natural light.
Taken as a whole, it’s an intriguing amalgam of natural touches and well-thought-out planning that makes this house on the rock a perfect place to be.
Lacy shades provided by overhanging trees keep the open-plan bathroom and shower room nice and dry all day long.
/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Peacefully ensconced in a coconut grove by the sea, “Baan Somjai” is both a vacation destination and private residence located on beautiful Pha-Ngan Island. Everything goes by slowly on this side of the world, so slow it feels like time is standing still.
Nature’s A/C system at work. A water pond runs the entire stretch of the building, lowering indoor temperatures as winds carry water vapor into the room.
The seaside resort is the brainchild of Nattawut Piriyaprakob, of the architectural practice NPDA Studio. He’s both the designer and son of landowners Banjob and Somjai Piriyaprakob. The property on Pha-Ngan Island is an inheritance from Nattawut’s grandmother.
Back in the day, it was nothing but a family-owned coconut orchard. Nattawut could still recall traveling back and forth often to tend trees on the property. Nowadays travel to and from Pha-Ngan has become more convenient. That’s reason enough for the family to put in a home here.
A wide-open hall used for public gatherings has movable furniture for ease of care and flexible uses of space.
As Nattawut put it: “Mom and Dad had worked in other provinces for a period of time. They returned home to Pha-Ngan after retirement and started out with a homestay called Coconut and Noom Resort.
“The hospitality business had welcomed all kinds of tourists, from backpackers attending the famous Full Moon Party, to well-to-do European families looking for peace and quiet on an island paradise. As luck would have it, Mom and Dad decided to put in a permanent home here, and the rest was history. They enjoyed meeting new people every day.”
Vertical fins and roof lines fixed at a tilted angle work in tandem to protect the porches and guest rooms from the sun.
Diagonal plaster stripes in glossy red contrast with the brick foundation in flat finish, adding visual interest to the exterior wall.
Nattawut said that he designed the buildings on Pha-Ngan Island from experience, memories and knowledge of indigenous building materials. “The homes are built by local builders using local materials and wisdom. Together, they culminate in a unique design that stands out.
“Take for example eco-friendly bamboo items and paneling that are easy to find. The walls are crafted of red brick and flooring is made of polished concrete finishes.”
The designer intentionally added vivid colors into the work. He said: “As you can see, I chose bold colors for the building, such as the bright external envelope. The shadow cast by coconut trees makes the landscape even more interesting.”
The sundeck that is Banjob’s vantage point offers a 360-degree view of the coconut grove and the sea to the further side.
Benefiting from the sea breeze, the rooms are nice and cozy. Solid walls facing west shield them from the afternoon sun, while the cooling pond helps disperse the heat. Together, they go to work creating a light and airy atmosphere even when the weather is hot.
Remembered for its good design, warmth and southern hospitality, Baan Somjai Seaside Resort on Pha-Ngan is welcoming visitors to their home. It’s not only the home to the Piriyaprakob family. It’s also a dream destination for travelers from across the globe
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