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A Quaint Country Home amid the Rice Fields of Chiang Mai

By livingasean
May 16, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

This attractive, old-fashioned country home stands in the middle of huge swaths of paddies in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District. The upper floor, all bedrooms, is built of wood. Downstairs the many open walls convey a great deal about the traditional Thai house with a “tai thun” (the open underfloor space) that’s spacious, bright and airy. It holds a living room, dining room, and coffee nook with a natural breeze providing cool comfort all day long.

The rural house built of reclaimed timber looks the epitome of a local tradition. Its design is the brainchild of Prakij Kanha of the Bangkok-based atelier Studio Miti Co., Ltd.

Overall, the building is impressive in its austere simplicity. But at the same time, the external envelope made of weather-beaten wood adds rustic charm to the home. The recycled building materials used in the project were taken from five old houses at various locations around Chiang Mai.

The house has a small courtyard along its length, a channel for natural breezes to blow that adds to an overall sense of relaxed informality.

There is a small courtyard enclosed by the walls of the house, creating a channel for natural breezes that go to work making the simple interior cozy and comfortable. Limitations on the amount of wood meant that a few downstairs walls had to be mortared in place. Where cladding boards were too short, sheet metal was used to cover the unfilled spaces.

The house was roofed over with Onduline, a kind of eco-friendly corrugated roofing sheets made of strong natural fibers. They are lightweight and suitable as insulation materials, and hence no need to install a ceiling.

For roof decking installations, oriented strand boards, or OSB, are used. OSB is a type of engineered wood similar to plywood. To keep the sun baked rooms cool during the day, gypsum boards are used to add a layer of built-in insulation.

There is a mix of tall windows and glass walls, and a central corridor connecting to every room in the house. It also doubles as air circulation channel.

Even the bathroom looks out on nature. The master bedroom has views of both Doi Saket, a mountain in the eastern part of Chiang Mai, and morning mists over the Ping River. On the opposite side, night after night you can watch the moon wax and wane.

The country house’s easy and chic interior décor is a mix of furniture and antiques almost entirely taken from the homeowner’s old place of abode.

The small mezzanine, where we see a post-World War II vintage bicycle, is traversed by a steel walkway. Photos on the wall give the air of a private gallery. — A small mezzanine made of steel mesh flooring is home to objects of interest to collectors, including a post-World War II vintage bicycle, while photos on the wall give the air of a private gallery.

On one side of the hall is a staircase. Note the mix of unfinished wood, brick, cement, steel, and glass. — On one side of the hall is a staircase made attractive by a mix of unfinished surfaces of wood, brick, cement, steel and glass.

Wood House Amid the Rice Fields — This is a homestay for nature lovers: the four guest rooms all have wooden furniture, stressing simplicity and panoramic views of the landscape.

Public electricity doesn’t reach out this far, so solar cells are used, and per-day energy use has to be carefully figured. There is no air conditioning, but the natural breezes here are deeply cooling.

On the whole, it’s a beautiful wood house set amid rice fields, a perfect place to get the peace and quiet. The sky can’t be clearer. The night is totally dark and tranquil. What could be better than that?

Owner: Anisaa and Apichai Wangtragul

Architect: Studio Miti (www.facebook.com/studiomitidesign)

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4 SMALL HOUSE UNITS IN TRANQUIL TROPICAL LIVING

The Beauty of Simplicity in a Single-Story Home

By livingasean
July 11, 2018
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ang Thong, Thailand /

/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul / Styling: Somboon Kringkrai /

Right in the middle of a field in Ang Thong Province stands a single-story house that has become a community point of interest.

Owner Chamnan Chatchawalyangkul says, “At my age, I really needed to make this happen while I was still strong enough to get around.

“I don’t want to be a burden on my kids when I’m not so capable anymore, living in a cramped room with them worrying about me all the time.

“I needed to plan in advance to have a house where I can take care of myself. And the house will eventually belong to the kids anyhow.”

Chamnan’s design is spare and open, with excellent ventilation. With everything on the same level, each room is accessible by wheelchair.

One special place is a karaoke room for him and his friends. Architect Jim (Teerachai) Leesuraplanon tells us:

“Chamnan said he’d always lived in a rowhouse, a limited, safe space. Some people might want a house in the middle of an open lot to be open all around, but I think about safety, too.

“This is why we put the brick wall in front, and the iron bars, barriers that still allow light and air to pass through. I’d summarize the design I had in mind with the three words ‘balance,’ ‘blend,’ and ‘believe,’ expressing a balanced life, cause and effect, and faith.”

Standing in a rural field with a road in front, the house opens out on a rubber tree orchard in the rear.

Simplicity is the foundation of the design: a balance between vertical and horizontal lines and surfaces, no nooks or ridges to collect dust, and elemental materials such as concrete, wood, metal, brick, and gravel.

A metal frame lifts the roof at an angle to break the force of the wind. The floor is raised above the ground, facilitating maintenance work on utility systems beneath.

The front wall is a striking display of BPK brick, a local Ang Thong material, laid in a unique arrangement to create beautiful patterns of light and shade, with an additional layer of sliding glass windows for safety.

Around the house is laid a path of river gravel, so someone in the house can easily hear a person walking outside.

The big central living room is a great place to relax, but the real heart of this single-story house is the big porch.

When the folding doors are opened, the room opens up, and it’s much like an old-time Thai house, with the added benefit of a great view of the gorgeous rubber forest, just as the original design envisioned.

Owner: Chamnan Chatchawalyangkul

Architect: Teerachai Leesuraplanon

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บ้านชั้นเดียวบนพื้นฐานความเรียบง่าย

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Baan Home Boon: A Modern House in Khon Kaen’s Tranquil Surroundings

By livingasean
May 12, 2018
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Khon Kaen, Thailand /

/ Story: Ektida N. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

This one-story wood house in Khon Kaen brings the best of the old Northeastern lifestyle into the contemporary world. Strikingly modern with its steep gable roof, it features a spacious adaptation of the Traditional Thai house verandah where relatives and neighbors come together, hang out and shoot the breeze.

The house is located in the peaceful countryside of Si Chompu District, Khon Kaen Province. Wathinee Sudta calls her dwelling place “Baan Home Boon,” a portmanteau coined by combining “Baan” meaning a place of abode, “Home” a verb in the Northeastern dialect meaning to come together, and “Boon” which is Thai for good deeds or merits.

Put them together, and you get something like a home of good fortune.

Originally, Wathinee wanted the designers at S Pace Studio simply to renovate her two-story house making it more livable. The old family home had cement flooring at ground level and the upstairs built entirely of wood.

After a full assessment of materials and building frame, though, it became clear that a completely new house was the way to go.

The first step was to raise the foundation above road level with landfill to reduce the risk of flooding.

Eventually, they took advantage of the large property size to bring all the functionality of the former two stories into a thoroughly modern single level house with the added bonus of not requiring an aging grandma to climb stairs anymore.

The new Baan Home Boon has 190 square meters of floor space with enough functionality to completely meet the needs of five family members.

The rear section of the house has a high gable roof, which overlaps the lower gabled front that’s covered with translucent corrugated roofing. This allows natural daylight to shine in, an effective way to keep the 9-meter-deep verandah light and cheerful.

Another unique feature is the placement of the kitchen at the front of the house, with the thought that family members will tend to enjoy most sit-down meals together on the verandah.

The kitchen is fully enclosed, and the walls have grooves etched and painted to resemble wood grain, all giving a clean, proportionate look to a highly practical design.

The wood used to build the house is mostly – 90% or more – real wood taken from the old house.

This saved on the budget, and only the high-quality, strong wood was used, but the marks on its surface speak of character, faithful service over time, and add charm, keeping lifetimes of family memories alive and shining into modern times.

Owner: Wathinee Sudta

Architect: S Pace Studio (www.facebook.com/spacestudiodesign)

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บ้านบุญโฮม บ้านไม้ชั้นเดียวท่ามกลางความเงียบสงบของชนบทแท้

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Modern House with a Thai Flavor

Compact House in a Rubber Forest in Phatthalung

By livingasean
March 5, 2018
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Phatthalung, Thailand /

/ Story: Ajchara Jeen., Trairat Songpao / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Tanakitt Khum-on /

The tree-filled beauty of the great outdoors makes for a relaxing place to live, which is why so many want this. Among these is the Norateedilok family, who made the dream a reality with this single-story compact house in a verdant forest of rubber trees.

Architect/Owner Nat (Rakchai Norateedilok) built this house for his mother, who wanted to be near her grandparents in Phatthalung. Here is a place near the rubber orchards she loves which she can call home, and where she can socialize with friends of her generation.

Compact House in a Rubber Forest — Nat with his older brother (right)

“There used to be a rice storehouse here,” said Nat.

“The rubber orchard was planted later, and the trees had grown big and beautiful, so we decided to build the house here.

“Also, the front area is near the original main house kitchen, so there was no need to build a new kitchen. Stucco walls and a slanted black steel roof give it a smooth, simple look. The house’s 43 square meters hold a bedroom, bathroom, and living room.

“This compact house is on a ‘footing-style’ foundation. I put free-standing, unattached posts in the earth before adding floor beams and posts; this helps create good airflow.

“I pretty much left the interior planning to Mom’s preferences, so the design is for simplicity and ease of use.”

The location, in a rubber plantation, made choice of construction materials an important consideration.

Nat primarily used concrete and real wood to give the house a look to match the surrounding environment. Synthetic wood was used where necessary, which also helped with the budget.

Construction was done by local builders in only 4-5 months, so Nat was able to supervise the work himself and ensure the budget did not exceed 700,000 baht.

Nat’s mother was in charge of the interior décor. In selecting furniture she kept the number of pieces to a minimum, just what was necessary to be able to relax in a clean, orderly place and feel close to nature.

The resulting house is wonderfully livable and comfortable.

Owner/Architect: Rakchai Norateedilok

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A BAMBOO HOUSE EMBRACED BY NATURE

BRICK HOUSE FOR A TROPICAL CLIMATE

1.618 Khaoyai Residence: Modern Houses in Sync with the Rhythm of Nature

By livingasean
February 24, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand /

/ Story: Wanoi / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn, Nantiya / Styling: Prapaiwadee /

A lot is happening in the retail real estate market, and many interesting projects are in the making in the immediate vicinity of Khao Yai in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The scenic area of countryside known for its lush mountain landscape has emerged as a favorite holiday destination and site for property development. It’s preferred before all others of the same kind, the reason being it’s only a little over an hour’s drive from Bangkok.

Khao Yai modern houses — A stepping stone garden path with a view of the mountain landscape.

One of them is a housing development with a name that will capture your imagination. Known as 1.618 Khaoyai Residence, the project takes its name from the golden ratio commonly used in modern designs.

It promises modern houses that sync with the rhythms of the mountains and valleys of Khao Yai, and its front-and-center concern is about supporting human health and the natural environment in which it’s located.

Embracing an eco-conscious approach to residential development, 1.618 Khaoyai Residence seeks to integrate natural and built environments into one whole typically to the advantage of both. This line of thought is evident in the way it treats mountain scenery like paintings on canvas, into which modern pieces of architecture blend, creating a harmony between human and nature.

The Veranda model, one of seven house types on offer by 1.618 Khaoyai Residence.

The project offers seven house types, among them the “Veranda” which has received warm approval for its roofline that emulates the delightful contours of the wooded, lush landscape. To make the roof appear lightweight and blend with the surroundings, the project engineer chose wood shingles over terracotta or ceramic tiles not only for the top covering, but also for the building’s external envelope, particularly the front facades. The result is a house plan with pleasing uniformity in design.

On the whole, it’s house-on-stilts design that combines form with function to create a cozy living space for the Veranda model. To this effect, all the rooms are easily accessible from the 23-square-meter semi-outdoor room. It’s a good spot for family gathering, chilling out and soaking up the beautiful hillside ambience. Being not too far from Bangkok, the location is equally good either as a mountain escape or a family residence. Either way this Khao Yai modern houses project looks to be a win-win.

Architect: Archive Studio (www.archivestudio.org)

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Country Villa Breathes in the Energy of Nature A House Under the Pines in Vietnam

A Chiang Mai Country Home with Breathtaking Mountain Views

By livingasean
February 20, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Atta Otto / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Sungwan Phratep, Sitthisak Namkham /

Perched on top of a wooded hillside, a country home of outstanding vernacular beauty is a metamorphosis of purpose. The twisting and spiral road between Hang Dong and Samoeng districts winds among some of the most beautiful mountains and valleys of Chiang Mai. Understandably, the owner need look no further than this bucolic setting to build his dream home. His is a rustic mountain abode with delightful views of undulating countryside. It’s built of reclaimed timber from old rice granaries that have undergone incredible transformations.

Built on an L-shaped house plan, it’s seen as quite a departure from the kind of homes typical of northern Thailand. It’s because the two grain storage buildings he purchased had been set that way, and a complete teardown was not an option.

So the homeowner had no choice but to focus on remodeling the existing structures instead. The result is a country home among the trees that retains much of old-world charm and an idyllic life of peace unique to the Region.

At the time of purchase, the old granaries were raised on piles to protect their precious cargo. There wasn’t enough headroom under them to begin with. So the buildings had to be elevated to a level suitable for human habitation and good living conditions.

There were a number of modifications to the buildings. First, they were lifted off their foundations, and then granite block footings had to be installed under the timber posts to give the entire structures a new lease on life. The expedient solution not only protects the house posts from humidity damage, but also creates plenty of room for living, dining, and food preparation in the open lower floor space.

Timber house posts set upright on granite block footings create more headroom in the open lower floor space, plus no humidity issues.

Building on uneven ground is a challenge even for experienced builders. Here, steeply-sloped terrain dictates that every step is neatly planned. For safety and convenience, a guest carport is built at lower elevation in the foothills, while the main garage lies halfway up the hilltop. Its roof doubles as a cozy terrace for relaxation.

The interior living space features teakwood paneling in dark hues that provides a welcome contrast to the lively color and feel of upholstered furniture. Elsewhere, home décor items and accessories strike the right balance that adds a rustic appeal to the house on the hill.

Without a doubt, the panoramic mountain view is breathtaking. It’s a perfectly secluded place to call home, a journey to get away from it all and appreciate the beautiful works of nature.

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Leaning House: An Out-of-the-Box House Design

By livingasean
January 12, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Nutt / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Nantiya, Jirasak / Styling: Praphaiwadee /

This leaning out-of-the-box house design may make you feel dizzy. But you will feel better if you see the inside and know the story behind it.

“The property itself was an odd shape, four sides, but not with equal lengths, so it wasn’t expensive,” said Sirisak Thammasiri, the owner and designer of this slanting house.

“But it had charm, a nice natural look, and I designed it with terrain features in mind.”

First floor: big open space with light and air. Cool metal stairway. Feeling free. — The image of the first floor presents big open space with a light and cool metal stairway.

When Sirisak was little, his run and play space was the dikes separating flooded rice paddies with mountains in the backdrop.

So he designed his house as one big box popping up out of the ground, bringing a feeling and memory of the mountains to mind.

There’s also a grass lawn in the front yard to remind him of the good old days running in the fields.

The stairs, walls, and roofing are designed with inclined surfaces and diagonal lines. He got the idea from the bicycle frame and was struck by the strength of diagonals.

Sirisak has found a challenge in designing unconventionally and drawing on concepts from the outside of textbook architecture.

Beams extend outwards seven meters at an angle to the ground. Clever design makes the drainage plane of the wall a part of the roof.

In the meantime, the roof also doubles as the exterior wall. The house sits facing south, so the front facade is surfaced with wood to protect the house from afternoon sun.

The interior living space gives the feeling of airy comfort. Windows abound, which helps with ventilation and openness. They allow natural light in and save electricity.

Downstairs, the living room connects seamlessly to the pantry, and through it to the split-level kitchen.

Not far, a set of stairs crafted of bent steel plates leads to bedrooms above. The second floor boasts beautiful glass paneling designed to take in panoramic views of the mountain landscape.

LH08 — Sirisak takes in pure mountain air from the second floor balcony, his favorite hangout.

“For this odd shape, the folks around here have given it several names, including ‘the house with laid-back shape,’ ‘the slanting house,’ ‘the boat-shaped home,’ and even ‘that house that points towards the sky,’” he said jokingly.

“My neighbors were always asking things like: ‘Don’t you get dizzy inside that thing?’ Or ‘How can it possibly be comfortable in there?’ Sometimes I invited them in for a look-see.”

To achieve his goals, Sirisak needed a fair amount of confidence and courage to be different in a stylish way. That’s what it means to have a passion for this out-of-the-box house design.

out-of-the-box house design — “This house itself is like a teacher to me. It gets me running experiments all the time,” said the owner.

Owner/Designer: Sirisak Thammasiri of NOTDS Co., Ltd. (www.facebook.com/noneotherthandesignstudio)

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A Modern Home That is Quintessentially Thai

303 House: A Modern Narrow Townhouse on a Narrow Lot

Fresh Air, Sunshine and a House Built around a Tree

By livingasean
November 23, 2016
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand /

/ Story: Wutthikon Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

Nestled in the countryside at Baan Rai Thawsi just outside of Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima, this light, bright and airy home is bursting with joy. Away from city lights, it’s built around a tree to reap the health benefits of fresh air, sunshine and cool trees providing shade in the environment. Here, the towering mountains of Khao Yai National Park to the south can be seen from miles around.

Seen from a distance, the transparent house façade is designed to take in an expansive panorama of countryside landscapes. The upper floor under a mansard roof holds calm and peaceful bedrooms.

Homeowner Piyaporn Taepaisitphongse was first introduced to Baan Rai Thawsi while her mother was attending a meditation retreat at nearby Baan Boon village, taught by the revered Buddhist monk Ajaan Jayasaro.

It’s easy to get why she came away impressed. Out in the foothills, it’s calm and peaceful. In her words: “Mom brought me here and I liked it. She wanted a country house, so here we are!”

A healthy tree thrives in the middle of the house plan, a focal point for people going from one part of the house to another.

Piyaporn’s mother added: “We built it here for a lot of reasons. As Bangkok people, we feel safe living in a housing development. Here neighbors watch out for each other, plus it’s a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.”

This was certainly clear to our team. Most households are also practicing meditation, adding to the pleasant ambience.

In a creative way, the tree at the center of the house plan connects the home with nature. Nearby, concrete walkways around the building fuse into a single path reminiscent of classic Japanese design.

The walkway around the building connects people of different generations. For Grandmother, it’s a place for walking meditation. For the little ones, it’s a semi-outdoor area to run and play in.

Piyaporn said: “We wanted a place to live after retirement, when we get old. And Mother is making plans now. We like the design by Rujnumporn Keskasemsook, of Sook Architects. He’s the one who created this open and airy house.”

The tree at the center of the house plan blocks the sun’s harmful rays from penetrating the walls, keeping the living room cool and comfortable during daytime hours.

The kitchen conveniently connects to the dining room and living area, thanks to an open concept floor plan that promotes interactions and socialization processes in the family.

Architect Rujnumporn’s design also includes lodging accommodations for houseguests staying overnight and pathways to get out there and experience the natural surroundings firsthand. From the front, we get a wide view of the duplex style home that blends right in with the environment.

The downstairs external envelope is glazed using clear glass standing tall from floor to ceiling, surrounded by covered walkway systems that also double as a porch.

The upstairs is quiet and secluded, sheltered by a mansard style roof that makes the house feel roomy and light. The mansard boasts the beauty of subdued color combinations of whites and grays, adding to the home’s proper, orderly look. At the same time, the tree in the middle stands out from the surfaces, easily noticeable from afar.

The little children’s bedroom boasts bright furniture colors silhouetted against the walls in cool-toned white. As might be expected, the bed has drawers for storing toys.

Overall, interior décor is simple, partly because it’s a vacation home. Plus, the homeowner prefers it that way. Furniture for the most part is movable, except for the kitchen that contains built-ins for ease of maintenance.

Flooring and ceiling materials are made of dark-colored artificial wood, creating a visual contrast with the building’s glass enclosures. It’s a design that seeks reconnections with the natural world outside while creating a warm and peaceful ambience inside. In the evening, sunlight shining softly through the tree creates breezy patterns like poetry in motion on the white walls.

Easygoing décor in the bedroom with a slanted ceiling that matches the mansard roof. There’s quiet reading nook by the wall.

From the outside, the two wings stand separated by a tree in the middle of the home plan. One wing serves as small hostel with eight beds for guests; the other wing holds the family residence with a bedroom downstairs for Mother, and the other bedrooms upstairs for the homeowner couple and their little children.

The “house built around a tree” in Pak Chong seems like the perfect example of a co-living arrangement, one that gives special importance to family togetherness and the joy of staying in close touch with nature.

Little children enjoy tending plants thriving in the backyard garden; among them, sunflowers, okra, and other green vegetation. It provides a conducive learning environment for kids. Out here, nature is the best classroom.

Architect: Rujnumporn Keskasemsook of Sook Architects

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บ้านล้อมไม้

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A Modern Home That is Quintessentially ThaiBaan Hing Hoi: A Modern House Exudes Old World Charm

A Beautiful White House in the Sun-Kissed Rice Fields of Chiang Mai

By livingasean
November 1, 2016
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Warapsorn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Oum Chaonapreecha, Anupong Chaisukkasem, Rittirong Junthongsuk /

If the relaxed ambience of a country home is your ideal of what life should be, here’s a contemporary white house in the sun-kissed rice fields in Chiang Mai that will warm your heart. Needless to say, it’s built into nature. The famous Mount Doi Luang Chiang Dao is clearly visible from miles around.

The contemporary white home stands in the middle of it all under the big blue sky.

For many people, a calm and peaceful home atmosphere is everything and everlasting. This white house under the big sky is exactly that — simple, humble and comfortable to live in.

The two-story home amid the sea of rice paddies belongs to Fasai Viseskul, an art therapist. As one would expect, interesting works of art are practically everywhere inside the residence inspired by French Colonial architecture.

Climbing rose plants thrive in the sun making their way up to a lattice awning over the front porch.

[Left] Door panels are made of wood recycled from much older homes. Nearby stands a bench seat crafted of unused materials left over from house building. [Right] A set of wood slab table and bench seat comes in free form. It is made out of a tree trunk. — [Left] Door panels are made of wood recycled from much older homes. Nearby stands a bench seat crafted of unused materials left over from house building. / [Right] A set of wood slab table and bench seat comes in free form. It is made out of a tree trunk.

A large dining table is set facing outward to soak up spectacular mountain views.

Fasai is a much traveled person, having been to many different places across the Northern Region. Impressed by the beauty of nature and landscapes, she recently relocated to Chiang Dao, a district of Chiang Mai known for its majestic mountains and pristine Tropical forests.

It’s a helpful place. Some colleagues of hers are stationed in the area, including those working with the Makhampom Foundation, an NGO.

The absence of solid room dividers on the first floor makes the interior living spaces very light and airy. Open concept design not only promotes visual continuity, but also makes it easy for future updates.

The work room boasts the simplicity of a tabletop upcycled from unused door panels left over from house construction. The legs are crafted of square steel tubing.

A relaxed living room is illuminated by natural light thanks to glass enclosed loft ideas.

Fasai selected all the decorating items for the home herself. They came from many different sources. She is very particular about fabrics, always insisting that everything is correct in every detail. She got traditional Lanna fabrics and ethnic materials from a crafts market in Chiang Mai. Bamboo basketry, rattan furniture, and other weaving crafts were obtained from nearby provinces.

The kitchen is Minimalist in style, intended for preparing simple meals. The counter is made of hand-hewn stone blocks made to look like brickwork.

[Left] The kitchen countertop and lower shelf made of hand-hewn wood slabs add a rustic appeal to the interior. [Right] A medicine cabinet is made of reclaimed wood. The homeowner had her neighbor make the woven bamboo cabinet door for her, a design inspired by her Mom, who in turn got the idea from a vintage hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos PDR. The house is mainly white because Fasai wanted it to feel light and airy inside and out. — [Left] The kitchen countertop and lower shelf made of hand-hewn wood slabs add a rustic appeal to the interior. / [Right] A medicine cabinet is made of reclaimed wood. The homeowner had her neighbor make the woven bamboo cabinet door for her, a design inspired by her Mom, who in turn got the idea from a vintage hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos PDR. The house is mainly white because Fasai wanted it to feel light and airy inside and out.

The house among the rice fields was built mostly of reclaimed timber recycled from much older homes. They were taken apart and transported up here ready to be adapted for new purposes.

And yet the overall effect is very nice, although it was built of simple and inexpensive building materials. They included the house floors made of white cement in glossy finishes, and pieces of furniture made on site by upcycling unused building parts, such as door and window panels.

A vintage shade of white chalk on the staircase breaks the harsh appearance of dark colored wood.

Let’s take a look inside. The first-floor interior boasts the simplicity of a clean and uncluttered open house plan. There is ample space for a workroom, living room and kitchen plus two bedrooms tucked away in a quiet, more secluded area of the house.

The second floor holds a relaxed sitting nook by the wall with a flight of stairs at the center. There are four bedrooms, all with the view of the misty air above the mountains and seemingly endless paddy fields. All of them come complete with a bathroom en suite and a private balcony. To increase privacy, the bedrooms are disposed in four directions and located away from one another.

In all the bedrooms, lampshades on nightstands are crafted of beautiful traditional Lanna fabrics. Elsewhere, light fixtures are covered in bamboo woven shades to add a rustic appeal to the home. All interior décor accessories are handcrafted in either traditional or vernacular fashion.

A rustic paper lantern chandelier illuminates the stairwell. Fasai made it herself using a mix of traditional fabrics and raw paper rolled up and bundled together.

Throw pillows on handcrafted floor mats are set up to entertain house guests in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere on the second floor.

The bedroom is Minimalist in style. It is awesome to wake up and take in the same spectacular view every morning.

For Fasai, the lovely white home in the fields is a perfect country hideaway at least for now. It’s her intention to live here permanently in the end. With the beautiful rice fields, gorgeous plants in the garden and such wonderful weather, a visit here is an enchanting experience indeed.

The bedroom is simple, uncluttered and set entirely in cool-toned whites. Wood boxes in the recessed wall and on the floor provide extra storage space.

The bathtub is crafted on site using white cement. For privacy, the window is hung with a blind made out of handwoven ethnic fabrics.

Owner/Decorator: Fasai Wiseskul

Visit the original Thai article…

บ้านครึ่งปูนครึ่งไม้กลิ่นอายโคโลเนียลกลางทุ่งนาในเชียงดาว ของนักศิลปะบำบัดที่แต่งบ้านด้วยตัวเอง

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Raw Concrete House with an Idyllic View of Rice Fields in Chiang Mai

By livingasean
September 26, 2016
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Suthiapa / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

Amid the relaxed ambience of the countryside stands a two-story raw concrete house with a view of rice fields and a beautiful blue sky. Here at Baan Mae Ann in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District, life is simple, morning dew lingers on flowers and paddy fields, and the scenic view seems to stretch farther than the eye can see. The house stands among teak trees. Unmistakably paradise!

chiang mai — The ground floor evokes pleasant memories of a traditional Thai-style home. Here, a covered loggia that forms part of the house is made for entertaining guests, dining, and semi-outdoor workspace.

The house design is the idea and creation of Seksan Silpwatananukul. There is beauty in imperfections and natural flaws in cement walls that tell the story of the patterns and seams imprinted on them by handheld trowels and scrub brushes.

Sharing his design experience, Seksan said: “At first, the land had been left unattended for some time before the owner decided to put in a home here. I managed to change the whole look of the property by incorporating raw concrete finishes in the overall design. Every little detail was thought about very carefully.

“I took my time to look around in no hurry. After a meeting with the homeowner, we decided that multiple-level design would best fit into the idyllic setting in this part of Chiang Mai’s landscapes. We didn’t really stick to any particular style. But I would say Tropical modern was the best definition for it.”

The courtyard enclosed by raw concrete terraces feels bright and breezy all day long, courtesy of generous openings in the exterior walls.

The relaxed atmosphere of a sitting room where timeless elegance meets modern flair. Overhead, the sloped ceiling in vibrant shades of reddish-browns is slanted to match the shape of the roof.

Designer: Seksan Silpwatananukul

Visit the original Thai version.

บ้านในฝันกลางป่าและนาผืนพอดี จังหวัดเชียงใหม่

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