Tropical houses are known for being well-ventilated and filled with natural light, and we have come to expect that they be built the traditional way. Well, they need not be. This airy house with a twist looks cool with a beautiful swimming pool beside the living room.
Wanting to build a stylishly chic modern home, the owner sought the advice of Ayutt Mahasom, the architect renowned for innovative integrated design that was his signature. Obviously he came to the right place.
The architect started out with the form, color and texture first and foremost. All aspects of interior and exterior design were taken into account until he found the right balance.
To fulfill the owner’s wish, he designed rooms on the upper floor to appear as if they were hovering in mid-air. This was achieved by concealing supports in beams and structures that connect them to the foundation behind aluminum composite panels in black.
The result is an airy house filled with natural light that appears lightweight, while the external envelope is characterized by sharply angled architectural designs.
The front façade is the house’s most eye-catching feature. It’s built strong using aluminum board and batten siding in rich, gleaming shades of bronze.
The exterior wall panels go through mesmerizing color shifts as sunlight and temperatures change throughout the day.
Great looks matter, but attention to detail is just as important. The house sits on high ground 1.5 meters above street level. To conceal the difference in elevation, the architect puts in subtle steps and gentle slopes arranged in way that’s well suited to the purpose.
Taken as a whole, inspiring beautiful yards add curb appeal to the home. Nature pervades the landscape. Where appropriate, the architect puts in lush green lawns and leafy trees to create a peaceful Tropical ambience. It’s so thoughtfully designed that visitors don’t even notice the difference in ground level.
The hallway is lined with mirrors to make the indoor green space appear larger than it is.
The house affords 1,200 square meters of living spaces divided into three separate units for the parents and their two daughters.
There is a shared poolside living room that looks like a summerhouse with 3.5-meter-high ceilings. A peaceful and relaxing place, it’s the heart of family life thanks to Ayutt taking the time to make sure the furniture selected is right and appropriate.
To avoid muddling up the general appearance of the bronze façade, the architect chose only pieces in light colors in keeping with the modern minimalist-style home.
All things considered, the house is elegantly fashionable. It’s light and airy, and it’s made for comfortable living taking into account the climate of Tropical regions
Architect: Ayutt Mahasom of Ayutt and Associates Design (AAd) (www.aad-design.com)
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.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.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.
/ Story: Ekkarach Laksanasamrith / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Soopakon Srisakul /
This residence in Ho Chi Minh City has an interesting form and exterior that has drawn us to see with our own eyes. Named “Stacking Green”, this row house design received an award for outstanding design and architectural works at the 2012 World Architecture Festival in Singapore. It’s not surprising that it received a citation for architectural excellence in the residential building category. The way that it dealt with complex urban problems in a simple way yielded an array of fascinating outcomes.
The stairway reaches the top floor of the house that holds a guest bedroom with a sundeck.
The four-story townhouse offers a total of 250 square meters of usable space. The frontage abutting on the street is 4 meters wide with a whopping 20-meter depth. The interior is especially designed for the three people who live here, one of whom is an old person. Hence, one bedroom is placed on the lowest floor, so there’s no need to climb the stairs.
Since the house plan is long and narrow, bringing sunlight into the interior living space is a very good idea.
The second floor consists of a dining room, kitchen and living room, while the third holds the master bedroom with an open floor plan bathroom. The guest bedroom is located on the fourth floor.
It’s a well-known fact that people’s homes in Vietnam are often compactly built in townhouse form to use as little property space as possible, often resulting in cramped residences and unattractive-looking building fronts.
Here, the architects have incorporated privacy in the design so that no one can look in from outside. At the same time, it gives the homeowners a sense of peace and contentment. Overall, it’s a design thoughtfully devised to reduce pollution from the street.
This row house may not have any eye-catching features from the outside, yet its half-open, half-opaque design allows natural light to enter through the rooftop, creating a cozy home ambience within.As the leafy plants reach their full size, the level of privacy correspondingly increases.
Additionally, both the front and the back of the house feature rows of containers stacked one on top of the others with open air spaces at intervals. In all of them, lush green plants thrive luxuriantly screening the view inwards and creating attractive façades.
The house also has open ports which run up and down through all the floors. This kind of stack ventilation effect allows for hot air from below to rise and vent out through the rooftop. And by the same token, fresh cooler air is drawn inside keeping the heat down even at high noon.
Sunlight through a glass skylight in the roof shines down into the dining room on the second floor.
In the front yard, a leafy shade tree improves air quality, while vertical gardening on the front and back facades has spaces between stacking containers that allow plants to grow. The open spaces between planter boxes are determined by the types of vegetation planted. The full height of a plant is used to fix the spacing between planters on each floor.
Step inside, and you find there are hardly any walls separating the home into different rooms, except for bathrooms. This creates efficient ventilation throughout the home, at the same time giving it an open, uncluttered feel.
Besides giving privacy and cooling shade to the house, the planter boxes and leafy vegetation also act as a safety feature.
In this way, when container plants reach their full heights, they become the outer envelope of the building. Together they go to work all day and every day filtering out harsh UV rays from the sun, at the same time letting the cool breezes flow through.
The architects picked only the trees and plants with fine and delicate foliage so as not to block the wind, and for ease of use, they installed pipes for an automatic watering system.
Concrete planter boxes holding plants on the front and back facades have the added convenience of an automatic watering system.
/ Story: Ekkarach Laksanasamrith / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
With the creative use of design elements, this Minimalist house in Kuala Lumpur feels bright, airy and comfortable, albeit having only a small number of windows. The open concept urban home with a stylish flair was designed and built by Tony Heneberry of 2’s Company, formerly JTJ Design, under the concept of a great place to live in.
Growing trees add some freshness and makes the house more of a great place to live in.
As simple as that, here’s the story of a metamorphosis of purpose, in which a duo of unexciting shophouses transformed into an incredibly warm and roomy living space in the heart of town. After he had bought the two units attached to each other, Heneberry gave them a complete makeover, tearing down the dividing walls and combining them into one coherent whole with increased usable spaces inside.
Green foliage adds joy to cooking, making it feel like living out in nature.
The result is a 7-meter-wide façade looking much better than when Henebery found it. He removed the existing solid walls between them and assigned new functions to the interior spaces. The living room with dining area on the second floor is spacious, with a lot of open areas in accordance with the “open plan” concept.
Trees chosen for the center courtyard have medium-sized leaves to keep the house airy and not too dense.Using an “open plan” design means the interior is all connected, which avoids a cluttered look.The new set of stairs illuminated by a rooftop skylight is one of the spots everyone likes the most.
For practical reasons, the old staircases were torn down and replaced by new ones built in a better, more convenient location. The new sets of stairs crafted of steel sit in a hallway next to the center courtyard, leading the way to the second floor.
The courtyard is filled with trees, as a main relaxation area of the house, where a glimpse of outdoor experience is brought inside in harmony. The trees also create visual continuity by naturally drawing the eyes towards the interior.
The stair to the third floor is set in another location. It sits against the outer wall, to preserve the space inside, which is an area for work and rest.
[Above] The wooden roof truss painted all white makes the overhead space look taller and more spacious. / [Below] The new metal staircase is aesthetically pleasing, thanks to the absence of solid risers between the treads. For good ventilation, expanded metal grating is used instead.Natural light turns second-floor living and work spaces into a well-lighted place, plus high ceilings add an airy feel to it. The disadvantage that comes with having only a few windows is nicely compensated for by the creative use of design elements, rooftop skylights among them.
As for the ventilation system, hot air is able to float up through the hallway and then flows out through window louvers and vents on the rooftop.
Another plus is, this Minimalist urban home faces south. So, by putting planter boxes on window frames, a simple vertical garden is added to filter sunlight and enhance privacy for the people living inside. The bottom line. This newly renovated home is truly a breath of fresh air.
[Left] The hallway wall surface is covered with crushed concrete recycled from the old shophouses. / [Right] Lush green vertical gardening adds a refreshing change to the front façade rising above the carport.
/ Story: Skiixy / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Located in a suburb of Ho Chi Minh City, this minimalist-style house has plenty of ample space for a family. It’s the brainchild of A21 Studio, a homegrown architectural firm renowned for its creative designs in residential, public, hospitality and cultural categories.
Double-height space design makes the interior feel open and airy, allowing plenty of natural daylight and fresh outdoor air into the home
From a design perspective, the suburban residence codenamed “M11 House” boasts the simplicity of clean lines typical of a modern home, with many natural elements beautifully integrated into the plan.
The uncluttered ground-floor interior appears light and airy, thanks to glass partition walls that make a small space feel big. Nearby, a center courtyard offering an oasis of calm can be seen in full view from anywhere in the home. A work of outstanding design is the innermost section of the house that’s spacious and cozy, thoughtfully devised to promote soothing relaxation.
The bedroom on the ground floor is located in the cozy innermost section of the house, separated from the rest by outdoors privacy screens.Tall glass-wall systems separate the bedroom from the terrace along the outside of the building. There’s a platform bed with an oversized mattress and soft white lights emitting a warm and cozy light for deep relaxation.
Double-height space design offers many benefits. Among others, it creates a connected home by providing visual continuity between the first and the second floor, not to mention there is flexibility in design, too.
Here, the kid’s study room and sitting room on the second floor can be connected or separated as needed. The third floor is a different story. It contains a home gym with a bathtub, and room offering seclusion for a good rest after a long day at work.
Sunlight streams through the windows turning the stairwell into well-lit place.The second-floor living room is plain and uncluttered. A tree in the center courtyard blocks the sun’s rays from penetrating into the home.
Worthy of attention is the clean-cut edges between indoors and outdoors. The interior in general is an interesting amalgam of the bright shiny concrete floor, glass room dividers, and solid walls painted a cool-toned white, while streamlined furniture makes for comfortable living in a Minimalist style.
A minimalist-style built-in sofa with throw pillows in bright colors grace the living room. Simple design results in the least amount of disruption.The bathroom is enclosed in clear glass for visual continuity with the rest of the private room.
Overall, well-thought-out design ensures there’s the least disruption of airflow making it possible to do without air conditioning. That translates into big savings on electricity and other energy-related expenses.
The center courtyard is visible from every point of view in the home.A slat wood panel effectively separates the kitchen from the corridor without disrupting air circulation in the interior.
In the fewest possible words, it’s a well-made home tailored to answer the homeowner’s specific needs, one that bespeaks his passion for minimalist design and environmental awareness. At the end of the day, a good life can only be built with good relationships between man and nature.
The bedroom with an abundance of natural light and a garden view is in the snug innermost part of the house.An extra parking area under a shade tree is ready for future use.
A beachfront home is built based on a simple exterior design, yet it is a perfect hideaway to relax in a tranquil environment.
/// Thailand ///
Story : Atla Otto /// Photos : Sungwan Phratem
The seaside landscape features a wood pergola with white drapes and a canopy. Lush sun-loving shrubs provide a pop of color to the beachfront.
Here is a simple home designed for easy coastal living. It is nestled on the peaceful western shore of Samui Island. The neighborhood is known for envy-inducing outdoor spaces and stunning sea views.
The space between buildings allows for ventilation and abundant natural light, keeping the entire home clean and cool. Outdoor tiles in complementing tones line the walkway between buildings. Grass growing in between pea gravel tiles help reduce the effects of sun glare on eyes.
The waterfront home sits on a rectangular plot of land large enough for building a good-sized house. But the property owner is not looking for a design that is twice longer than wide. Because a rectangular floor plan may be lacking in variety, he opts for something else more interesting. The result is a neatly planned vacation home comprising three detached units. All of their front rooms are positioned to take advantage of the waterfront’s views and breezes.
The sundeck extends from the multiple function building to connect with the infinity pool. Because the property ascends slightly from the beach, a retaining wall is built to mark the perimeter. The sun deck featuring a concrete vessel is crafted of pea gravel concrete. Behind it, a set of stairs leads to the beach below.
The three shed-roof buildings sit facing one another and come in different sizes. Their floors are raised 50 cm above the ground. The largest unit features a semi-open design to serve multiple purposes, incorporating a seating area, dining room and pantry. Next to it stands the second building with master bedroom with ocean views. An infinity pool, lush greenery and the beach lie between the two buildings and the open sea. The third building, which is set further back, features two en suite bedrooms. It is the first to be accessible from the street. The three-unit home boasts clean line exterior design with an emphasis on relaxing hues, such as white, gray and beige. Wood accents come in natural color and finish design to never go out of style.
The multiple-purpose unit, which is the largest of the three, features generous seating spaces and a pantry. Open design ensures the rooms get abundant natural light and fresh air. For a vacation home, the pantry comes in handy for quick meal preparations. The dining area next to the pantry boasts a set of teakwood table and clear chairs. Rock wall adds texture and an intimate feel to space. The master bedroom boasts sweeping sea views, thanks to large glass paneling on two sides. Wood flooring adds a pop of color and warmth to the intimate space.The dual-sink countertop in the master bathroom features polished stone finishes in soft white. Translucent laminated glass siding separates the bathroom from the master bedroom. Plenty of natural light ensures the bathroom is well lit despite its dark color effects.
Open design allows an abundance of natural light and breezes to flow easily through the three buildings. Genius landscaping ideas help keep the interior spaces cool naturally, while lush foliage provides for comfortable outdoor rooms just steps away from the sparkling blue waters.
The passageway separates the fishpond from the two-bedroom unit in the rear of the property. The house is accessible from the parking area via a revolving door. Sounds of water circulating in the fishpond communicate a warm welcome.
/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Here are twin houses designed for twins. They stand separated, physically at least, by a lively green courtyard garden. In a subtle way, the small outdoor room serves to strengthen the unbreakable bond between the two sisters. It stands for cordial relationships and passion in the form of a shared space that gets used every day. Taken as a whole, it’s about finding the right balance in life, creating harmony between preserving family traditions and bringing joy to the home.
The homeowner twins, Chutima Bunnumkitsawat and Chutimon Siriwithayarat, are now married. They live in separate households that share the same compound. As may be expected, the twin residences look amazingly alike. But they are two distinct entities. So we asked, and they answered.
“Originally, we had planned on renovating the property to suit the lifestyle needs of an extended family. By chance, my husband came across one of the designs by the architect and contacted him right away. We got down to the business of planning in earnest while the city was hit by a big flood in 2011.” Chutima said.
Three families meet in the center court separating the two homes.
She said that her family has lived on this property for three generations now, meaning those of Mom and Dad, the twin sisters themselves, and now the little ones.
Asked about design inspirations, Chutima said: “We both have kids roughly the same age. So family living spaces have got to be clearly defined. Simply put, we are two separate households now.
“The new twin houses are set on the same compound. Mom and Dad can be with the kids here or there. Bottom line, our children will get to grow up together.”
Viewed from the outside, the twin residences boast architectural features typical of simple clean line design. A center court separates the two while striking similarities keep them very much together.
Chutimon said that despite being two separate entities, the twin houses are subtly tied to each other in so many ways.
The playroom-cum-recreational space features a raised wood deck. It serves as children playground and has since become the family’s favorite hangout place.
Behind the perceived sameness, there exist a fair amount of differences. With their permission, we took a look around and found some different details “in the fine print”.
First, their lifestyles subtly differ. Chutima’s home features a design with an emphasis on vertical treatments that embrace the value of the family’s intimate living spaces. Patches of greenery in the vertical garden protect the privacy of the living room and nearby patio. Lush foliage makes for comfortable interior living spaces.
Then, on the other side of the courtyard, Chutimon’s home boasts open and light interior design featuring ample horizontal spaces. Reminiscent of traditional Thai houses in former times, the family interior living spaces look out over the center courtyard. The bedroom has a spacious balcony that has become the family’s favorite relaxing spot.
The spacious balcony outside the bedroom.
The semi-outdoor space by Chutimon’s bedroom has an array tall windows that afford a cityscape panorama when opened. When closed, the swing shutters serve as privacy curtains protecting the intimate living space. People inside can see out through vertical wood strips in the window treatmens, while outsiders cannot see in.
The awesome twin-house complex is the brainchild of designers Natasas Jeenphund and Yupayong Chaikachornt, of Poetic Space Studio.
As they put it: “The two homes highlight simple, clean line design. I want them to appear as two distinct entities. It is kind of like two well-pruned trees thriving side by side.
“In the meantime, it’s not about being totally separated. Basically, the plan is based on a design principle that aims to keep the two families very much together.”
In a nutshell, it’s a design that strikes the perfect balance between smart land use planning and architectural styles. More importantly for the twin sisters, it’s testimony to passion and the longing to be together and cherish the relationships made in heaven.
An outdoor area adjoining Chutima’s house lies protected by a lively green vertical wall garden shielding the home from too much sun and prying eyes.
/ Story: Wuthikorn Suthiapa / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
An old-styled waterfront house was recreated for modern living in Chiang Mai. It is made up of a coffee shop, piano classroom and a private space for the family.
“I want to emulate the Thai style waterfront home of the past, kind of set on land that slightly descends to the riverbank. Like so, the new home is designed with respect for nature. Meantime, it embraces all features that are up to date, from materials to style to character.” So said the designers when asked to elaborate on the concept behind this home project.
The handsome waterfront house featuring smooth exteriors and eye-catching roof design is affectionately called “Baan Muan,” literally home of baby Muan.
The Mae Kao, a tributary that flows past the property, inspires the owners to create an old-styled waterfront home. The design celebrates the water feature and pristine foliage that have long been the charm of this suburb of Chiang Mai.
The homeowners, Nathee and Kanokwan Nateniyom inherited this piece of land from their grandma. Their baby was born while the construction project was underway.
So both the home and the baby were given the same name. Ekapab Duangkaew from EKARand Arthasith Kongmonkhol from Full Scale Studio were responsible for the design.
A well-kept lawn is used as the only access to the house’s main entrance. Walking on grass adds fun and excitement to nature inspired lifestyle.
As Ekapab put it, “We were so fortunate to have received full freedom to conceptualize this project. Arthasith and I then proceeded to develop a waterfront house design with an emphasis on relationships with the surrounding terrain features. Various functions were laid out based on their proximity to the water’s edge or existing patches of greenery.
“The next step was about translating the concept to meet the homeowners’ needs and personality.”
A coffee shop is the first thing visible from afar. It separates semi-public spaces from the private zone without obstructing views of the modern front home. Dark stained wood clad exteriors subtly set the shop apart from the rest of the property.
In so doing, the designers had to identify features that were typical of the waterfront house of the past. They looked into every design from Post-Modern to Minimalist in a bid to arrive at a common ground.
The final design showcased the main hallway as the centerpiece of this new home.
Nature permeates through the landscape that rolls down into the waterfront area below. Meanwhile, it serves as the dividing line between different functions on the property.
“At the time we didn’t have a specific design in mind. We just said that we preferred open spaces. My husband wanted to put Mom’s coffee shop in front. For us, we needed a piano room for practicing and giving music lessons at home. Basically, that was it,” said Kanokwan.
Hence the open interior space was the goal. The plan envisaged the main hallway, the kitchen and seating areas for everyone merging into one big space.
The coffee shop features a sundeck that looks out over the waterfront area. (An interior makeover project was underway on the day we visited.)The white exterior walls showcase sharp geometric shapes as the designer intended. Clean line design advocates the uncluttered look typical of the minimalist style and leaves plenty of room for nature to pervade.
“I like sitting here,” said Nathee referring to the big dining table.“The waterfront is on this side. Meantime, the main entrance opens to the front yard. On the other side, Kanokwan and the baby are playing on the sofa. They make for relaxing interior spaces and I like it here.
“If asked to describe this home, I will just make it brief – cozy”
Like several picture frames coming together on a lush lawn, the home not only looks stylish on the outside but also adds variety to the rolling landscape.
The open plan design of the waterfront house meets the needs of this small family of three. Everyone is aware of everything that goes on inside the vibrant interior spaces. It is the kind of plan that merges all parts of the house into one great room.
The designers reserve the second floor for privacy. The first floor has a playroom for the kid and the piano room for Kanokwan. The rest is open.
Open plan design ensures that all interior spaces are easily accessible. Large windows allow abundant natural light and provide visual continuity to the water’s edge.The child’s playroom makes way for family activity spaces for the time being. The piano was recently moved in here along with Dad’s guitar.
The property comes in two zones, business and residential. The coffee shop sits in front and is covered in natural wood palettes.
From the outside looking in, the roof design is eye-catching in every respect. As a matter of fact, its unique look is dictated by interior design needs.
The designer puts bedrooms on the second floor, leaving the spacious first floor for seating spaces. Kanokwan plans to give music lessons at home in future.
“It has to do with how we want to view the great outdoors from within the home. For this reason, the main hallway steps aside just a little bit so that the waterfront area can be seen in full view from the bedroom. Likewise, one side of the coffee shop offers a sundeck that overlooks the water’s edge.
“It is never meant to be jazzy. Rather we take into account advantages and disadvantages of every component before arriving at the final design,” Nathee explained.
The homeowners wanted to leave the existing tree where it was, and the designer got that. So the terrace was built around the tree while the building itself was kept a good distance away.
By now, our readers probably feel they have been mistaken all along about design intentions. A house that looks showy at first sight may not be showy after all. Rather it is designed for easy waterfront living based on existing terrain features and homeowner needs.
All things considered, it strikes the right balance to showcase a new kind of waterfront home, one with an eye-catching minimalist style.
[left] The lacy shade of tall trees casts interesting light patterns on the home’s white exteriors. [right] An artist’s rendition shows relationships between building formations and areas near the water’s edge. The drawing demonstrates how existing trees are preserved while the land is being readied for the home project.
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RUPU HOUSE: White Geometric Design Bespeaks a Close Family Bond and Privacy at Home
![[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.](https://livingasean.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/004-1024x730.jpg)
![[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.](https://livingasean.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/009-1024x730.jpg)
![[Above] The wooden roof truss painted all white makes the overhead space look taller and more spacious. / [Below] The new metal staircase is aesthetically pleasing, thanks to the absence of solid risers between the treads. For good ventilation, expanded metal grating is used instead.](http://livingasean.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/4.jpg)
