Natthaphon Wutphet, photographer for stylish Thai magazines “Hamburger” and “a day,” owns a 320-square-meter residence in the Rama 9 district. When he first got the house, it was seriously run-down, but that allowed him to give it his own type of new life.
“Being a photographer, I get to see a lot of other people’s houses, and that’s given me a lot of ideas for my own,” said Natthaphon.
The stairway has no banister, which adds to the open look of the house.
His place has an extraordinary “American vintage” ambience, the décor featuring his own special collections arranged in just the right way. The downstairs ceiling was pulled out, and a wall of white brick rises the full height of the house. The metal door was made to look rusty and old to give the sense of a return to a long-ago era.
Vintage barber chair, wooden shoe cabinet, brick against bare concrete: more gnarly cool chic.
Natthaphon explains his design concept: the house is like a box, a container holding valuable items. The challenge is to mix and match the items and set them together in the most suitable way. “Actually there’s no ‘style’ at work here. It doesn’t have to be American, antique, industrial, or whatever, it’s all just me thinking, ‘the new stuff I bought, how can I match it to what’s already there?’ It’s all fun like a puzzle, fitting each piece in with the others.”
He loves things that hold memories of the past. His ornamental items were brought from second-hand markets. When buying something old he likes it to be functional, not only decorative. All his collection can be used in photo projects he does in a home photography studio at the front of the house.
“What I want is that feeling when someone walks around the house and says ‘this is…Oh, wow!’ Just that’s enough to make me happy,” He laughed merrily.
Home studios need not be large to win big. Blending the worlds of fashion and interior design in her city workspace, this fashion designer is doing great creating beautiful collections in a condo.
Thanchanok Thiranont is Style Editor for Seventeen Thailand magazine. The birth of her own “Thiranont” brand of womenswear was reason for the complete makeover of this two-bedroom condo, where she had lived here for ten years prior. True to the essence of her fashion ideas, she did it in style, transforming a cluttered, untidy 69-square-meter condo into a great place to live, plus a hot new studio worthy of producing and showing off the vitality of her style.
The basic concept is that this should be a multipurpose space, not only a residence, but also a factory, shop and showplace.
This table is the centerpiece of this home studio.
The renovation project takes shape with a big table placed at the center of the main room. Here the owner works on fabrics, make patterns, measure pieces of material, and tailor clothing to fit individual customers. It also doubles as a dining table, and is party ready for entertaining sisters and friends. The workspace connects to a more private living room through a sliding glass door with metal frame. It can be easily adapted for use as a guest room if need be.
“My style: vintage, but not antique. Simple but functional,” said Thanchanok.
Since the owner had her own clothing brand, new equipment and furnishings were installed to make the boutique capable of handling increasing demands of the fashion world. The decorator accommodated her specific needs with creative vertical storage ideas. Keeping things off the floor, the decorator put the main storage space up the wall with a wheel-fitted ladder.
Sharing a slice of her paradise, Thanchanok said: “My brand has a smooth and simple look, like there isn’t much detail. But look closely, and you see patterns on the material. It’s like this home, full of hidden details. Customers can come here and get measured for two dresses at a time. Since we don’t have a separate shop, we have to have complete functionality here even though it’s not obvious. But we have to be completely set up for both living and working.”
However long ago, it seems the charm of the 70’s still lingers on in contemporary design. And this condo is proof that the groovy style of yesteryear has pride of place in modern times.
Although born in the late 70s, Chanchalad Khanjanawong has a high regard for the hippies time that began a decade prior. The art instructor and owner of “Grey Ray,” a hip desktop items brand, said:
“From age 5 or 6 there was an uncle who visited Mom and Dad and hung out at our place all the time. An art student at the time, he came dressed like a hippie, long hair and all. Sometimes he would sit and paint. I visited his room, which was done up in the style of that time, and it really enchanted me.”
Chanchalad’s rooms altogether take up about 100 square meters. They are full of all sorts of items and collections held in fond memories of a happy childhood.
“Everything here has its origin in a song,” he explained. “I have a great memory for songs. My mom’s favorites – Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra – are in my head, along with recollections of my uncle and his art student friends playing the guitar in our house. All these things combine to make me feel really at home.”
From memory, the experience of yesterday is reflected in the furniture, the decoration, and a few tchotchkes that he bought back in his school days. There’s a mix of old stuff and new. Wood, metal, leather and fabric cushion upholstery, and bamboo blinds blend together with that retro-vintage Scandinavian flavor. Some of the pieces came from his childhood home. They included a set of tea-colored glasses that his mother used to entertain houseguests, as well as old-fashioned Thermos flasks with beautiful graphics.
Chanchalad aims for the most efficient and aesthetically pleasing way of space utilization. The central area is both a place to hang out with friends and to relax alone listening to music. On the left is the bedroom; to the right a workroom. His favorite place, where he spends most of his time, is a restful corner of the main room, where the eye is drawn to the cassette deck, music players, and records from the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and many Thai artists.
Music before functionality: Nostalgia from his days in college speaks to wistful affection for the past.
Anyone can put sentimental longing for the past to good use. If you have memories that constantly have you under their spell, maybe you should pull them out and make them a part of your interior decor. They can turn a mundane home into an enchanting place in which to live.
“Waking up to the sound of ‘Welcome to My World’… it’s miraculous how memory comes rushing in,” said Chanchalad.
The classic and retro style of the three-story, 750-square-meter rowhouse is an awesome makeover from what was once a printing facility owned by the family.
Mirrors are used on one side to make the interior seating space seem larger. A plush leather upholstered sofa in dark hues contrasts with an aerial white cutout ceramic stool in Oriental style. The floor is covered with alternating gray and black granite tiles in the herringbone pattern. A rich array of terrarium adds life to the ambiance.
Much of the structure of this classic and retro style house is kept intact, except some parts of the wall that are removed to make way for optimal space utilization. In the process, the main entryway is relocated for added convenience. As the owners, Worapong and Sukanya Suwatpim put it:
“We built this row house duplex ourselves. The design is based on slightly different dimensions compared to those standard-sized row buildings. Our rectangular-shaped plot happens to be much longer than it is wide. In remodeling the living spaces, the main entrance that used to be on the front is relocated to the long side. It is more convenient that way.”
The second-floor living spaces feature open studio design with all amenities for comfortable living. Glass siding on the exterior walls lets natural light pour into space during daytime.
The ground floor offers parking spaces for classic cars that make parts of his collections. There are areas for hobbies and creative workspace surrounded by unadorned concrete finishes and hand-hewn, bare brick walls. Metal detailing is painted black, paired with cool retro-style furniture. The well-conceived combination adorns the interior spaces that obviously speak to retro-Industrial style.
The second floor features ample seating spaces, dining area, kitchen and a bedroom, which comes in cool classic style, and yet not too sweet.
Plans are afoot to turn the third-floor spaces into a gallery of many antique clocks that the homeowners have collected over many years.
The dining space and adjoining pantry boast Classic appeal with a mix-and-match approach to interior decoration. Victorian wood chairs and a crystal chandelier contrast with the black and white tile floor in a diamond pattern, adding even more interest to the room.
The couple has preferences for different interior decorating in classic and retro styles. This is where the designer, Paisal Chongprasobtham, comes in to create a welcome contrast in the interior living spaces, ones that are aesthetically pleasing despite different natures, luminance and color.
Sharing his thoughts, Paisal said:
The real kitchen that gets used every day comes with beautiful tile in-laid kitchen cabinets. Antique tile patterns add a unique touch to the atmosphere.The bathroom is perfectly adequate for two users at the same time. Double vanities beneath the granite countertop provide plenty of storage for bathroom supplies. The entire backsplash is covered in glass-bedecked with a pair of exquisite, jewel-like French mirrors
“Worapong prefers the raw rustic look that is the way of men, while Sukanya wants her design simple, and yet appealing by its very nature. So I give the ground floor unsophisticated look by incorporating features that are attractive, and yet unrefined. The interior walls show steel and bare bricks after plaster covering has been removed.
“I try to make the two interior styles of the classic and retro style go hand in hand by using dark shades like black and gray as connecting agents. Meantime, wood furniture comes in natural tones with an emphasis on simplicity, and yet cool. The kitchen counter is adorned with classic woodcarving patterns, making the atmosphere highly agreeable. The bedroom is given to luxury, no doubt the most comfortable and relaxing in every sense of the word.”
Leather-upholstered headboard and footboard in soft hues serve as statement pieces inside the master bedroom. Adorned with antique brass nail heads, they contrast with the bluish gray tone of decorative beading on the wall.
Being a much-traveled person, Sukanya is the one who chooses all of the decorating items. The job as a flight attendant has taken her to Europe often. And she particularly likes going to the flea market, out outdoor events selling secondhand goods.
A walk-in closet offers overhead shelves for rarely used accessories. A full-size mirror at the far end adds depth to the well-styled personal space.
“Both of us want a home with the Western appeal, but not to the extent of Louis style. And it must not be too sweet. With this job, I get to see and stay in nice hotels. I collect décor items that I like and adapt them to best suit our home.
A glass front armory features private collections including Fornasetti graphic plates.A handcrafted dresser and rustic mirror find their perfect spots in the space between the bathroom and walk-in closet.
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