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Retirement Home Perfectly Serves a New Life in Ratchaburi

By livingasean
September 12, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ratchaburi, Thailand /

/ Story: Nathanich Chaidee / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Sittisak Namkham / Styling: Tippaya Tarichkul /

Their retirement home epitomizes the “new life” many dreams of. One such is Lisa Thomas, former manager of a famous hotel chain in Thailand who retired and moved with her mother to Ratchaburi.

“It was love at first sight. Our first arrival in Ratchaburi was, like this, in the rice growing season. I love the inexplicable green of rice paddies: somehow it always brings me a peaceful feeling.”

Lisa’s first impressions resulted in her choice of Ratchaburi Province as the site of this family home, but there were other reasons: convenience of being only two hours from Bangkok, good public utilities, and, importantly “the green horizon, without the view of skyscrapers from our old condo.”

Helping to bring Lisa’s dreams to reality were Research Studio Panin Architects Assistant Professor Dr Tonkao Panin and Tanakarn Mokkhasmita. Their design began with their listening intently and paying attention.

“We’re satisfied if we can manage to translate the everyday morning-to-evening life of a homeowner into each angle and corner of our house plan.

“Houses spring up gradually, resulting from our conversations with the owner. Solutions come from knowing how to step back and fully understand what we are listening to.”

This design answered fundamental home needs including functionality of use; features gradually added to support the owner’s natural habits, and principles of comfortable living such as “cross ventilation,” which allows air to move freely through the building.

A half-outdoor deck set in the middle of the house greets entering visitors, also capturing breezes from all directions as they transit from outside to inside.

More than simply a stop on the way in, it’s a comfortable space for the owners to relax.

The building of this retirement home is laid out to follow the contour of the property, along a natural irrigation canal. To echo this locational context, a swimming pool is set parallel to the canal.

The house faces west, but the problem of day-long heat is addressed with a basic structure of steel-reinforced concrete and an extended deck that widens to match the reach of the sun.

Eaves and verandahs have a steel framework that nicely frames the surrounding scenery.

“Without Lisa’s daily life here, the house would have no meaning,” the architect added.

“It awoke different levels in this space both from the perspective of form and in the actual space itself.”

The location of this retirement home is in harmony with the nature of her life. In the everyday living areas – kitchen, dining room, living room – a high ceiling is called for.

Louvers are set in narrow dividing panels between doors and windows for good ventilation throughout the day, bringing air into the central entrance hall and on into Lisa and her mother’s bedrooms in back, upstairs and downstairs.

“Time is the important thing now,” added Lisa.

“I just want to use my time in the right way, doing what makes me happy, and part of that is returning to live with my mother, bringing back the feeling of life as a kid. The house is a safe space, recalling things that are engraved in my heart forever.”

And it also memorializes the friendship felt by architects for the homeowner in a house that has created lasting happiness.

Owner: Lisa Thomas

Architect: Reserch Studio Panin by Associate Professor Dr Tonkao Panin & Thanakarn Mokkhasamit

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A Dreamlike Little Farmhouse Amid Lush Green Fields

By livingasean
July 11, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Suphan Buri, Thailand /

/ Story: Sarayut Sreetip-ard / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham / Styling: Jeedwonder /

Several years ago Naiduangta Pathumsut and Rungroj Kraibut began building their farmhouse with meager savings. That of course didn’t produce the kind of home we see today, but it was enough for the concrete structure and the roof. Before long their enthusiasm, determination and a lot of hard work resulted in a beautiful home amid lush green fields. There is the pride and glory in it, no doubt.

They first started with a single-story home and named it “Ton Tarn”, which is Thai for the point of origin from which a stream or river flows. Naiduangta’s parents settled down and raised a family here a long time ago when the trees were still young and had only just begun to emerge from seeds.

They bequeathed a parcel of land to her and Rungroj to build this new house connecting to the original family home.

Farmhouse — Folding doors of old wood open wide, giving the house an old-fashioned atmosphere.

By way of introduction, Naiduangta was born here in Suphan Buri, but moved when in kindergarten. Eventually completing Thai Language Studies at the Faculty of Education in Chiang Mai, she worked in Bangkok for a period of time before returning to Suphan Buri to help her father with his work promoting child literacy in this western province of Thailand.

Rungroj, a native of nearby Uthai Thani, studied environmental geography and has worked for the Seub Nakhasathien and Sarnsaeng-arun Foundations to promote learning about living with nature. After the great flood of 2011, the couple decided to put in a two-story home – connecting to the original single-story house – as a means to escape future flooding.

A multi-use spot opens on a wide view, with steel “cage doors” for security.

Rungroj’s bicycle collection and workshop supports his hobby: cycling into Chiang Mai with friends, doing a solo trek to Uthai Thani, etc.

Rungroj can still recall how it all started: “If we’d waited to get all the money, we wouldn’t have been ready. We wouldn’t have started or done anything.”

With the help of local craftsmen, the basic structure was built in two years, but by then the money had run out and the work had to depend on just the two hands of “Craftsman Rung” for the wood walls, doors, windows, and some furniture.

“I used timber from Neem trees or Indian lilac (a tree in the mahogany family) and Burmese rosewood trees grown and harvested on our property. Plus, we had some old wood, doors, and windows set aside. After another two years the exterior looked finished, but there was still a lot of work to do.”

The 9-acre property includes the parents’ house, the main house, and a rice granary. There’s a natural well with a planted bamboo border. Umbrella bamboo is grown for its edible shoots, and giant thorny bamboo for fencing. The bamboo orchard is in one area, rice paddies in another, and big, harvestable trees remain from the time of Rungroj’s grandfather.

“November to March is the perfect season for growing leafy vegetables we use ourselves, but we switch crops sometimes. Vine veggies like string beans, loofah, and squash are perennials. They provide a natural way to prevent disease and insects that often spread when growing just a single crop,” said Rungroj.

“The image of our house in the middle of the fields looks great. We can’t do anything about how farming in the area has changed: use of chemicals, burning sugarcane fields,” he continued.

“We can only adapt to it and build on our own natural world. Our joy is in the pride of doing things with our own hands. There’s nothing perfect in nature: it’s all a learning experience, like life as a married couple, gradually adapting. Where we can’t adapt, we create understanding so we can live together.”

Owner: Naiduangta Pathumsut and Rungroj Kraibut

Visit the original Thai article…

บ้านไร่กลางทุ่งที่สร้างด้วยเงินเก็บสามแสนและน้ำพักน้ำแรงฉบับคนบ้านนอก

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**4 SMALL HOUSE UNITS IN TRANQUIL TROPICAL LIVING**

Under the canopy of tall trees, the ground floor is open to receive cool breezes blowing in from the southwest. — **FROM OLD HOME TO STUNNING HOUSE ON STILTS**

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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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

Visit the original Thai version of the article…

บ้านชั้นเดียวบนพื้นฐานความเรียบง่าย

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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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Enchanting Country Lodges in Prachin Buri

By livingasean
May 16, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Prachin Buri, Thailand /

/ Story: Panalee / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

Here are beautiful country lodges nestled in a verdant oasis perfect for a weekend getaway. M.L. Apichit Vudhijaya sojourned in this part of the country a decade ago. Prior to that he had been searching for a modest, relaxed home with a seaside atmosphere. But as luck would have it, he came across this piece of land on the bank of the Bangpakong River in Prachin Buri Province. Needless to say, the location was peaceful and pristine. And the rest was history.

Soon he started building his dream country lodges largely out of reclaimed timber because it wasn’t too difficult to find. The weathered look of old wood paired with the imprints of time adds gorgeous curb appeal to the home.

“I wanted to try living the local way and experience life the way locals see it. No air conditioning, no glass windows. The first building on the property was made of materials recycled from what used to be a schoolhouse.

“Window frames and shutters came from recycling warehouses on Canals 2, 4 and 16. A local master builder named “Oy” undertook to build it from scratch,” said the homeowner.

He moved in after the first building was completed, and loved every minute of it. Impressed by the peaceful environment and unhurried, bucolic lifestyle, he decided to put in a second building two years later.

M.L. Apichit said: “I’ve got an antique-style Jacuzzi tub that was bought new from Italy. There was no room for it after our family home in Bangkok had been remodeled, so I had it shipped out here and set it up in the center of the yard.

“I put in a canopy to protect it from dead and dried leaves. After a while, it became a familiar sight, and the weather was nice. So I had a second house put in where the tub was originally.”

“The children came and stayed there, they love it, and the rest is history. Friends dropping in on us said it turned out to be a very romantic place,” he recalled.

House number 4 named Jakha offers seven rooms for guest lodging on the first floor overlooking a swimming pool. Upstairs holds a spacious suite.

It wasn’t long before the two houses became ill-prepared to meet increasing demands. M.L. Apichit soon decided it was time he put in a third building. The plan was to build a two-story home with a rooftop deck to take in views of the Khao Yai National Park clearly visible from miles around.

One day he came across an old home on the riverbank that was up for sale. He bought it, had it taken apart and shipped out here. The 70-year-old wooden home was given a new lease on life at a new address, this time with new roofing. Old-fashioned corrugated sheet metal made way for new terracotta roof tiles. Where appropriate, the walls were built of solid wood.

The unblemished charm of rustic life represented a turning point in M.L. Apichit’s perspective towards property development. He sought advice from a close friend, Apasiri Devahastin Na Ayudhya. The two friends shared a background in the hospitality industry.

“Now I wanted four houses on the property and they would be given appropriate Buddhist names. Already a team of creative designers have come up with titles from “Kharawasa Dharma 4”, a set of four disciplines for leading a happier life. They are Sajja (truth), Thamma (freedom from greed), Khanti (patience) and Jakha (generosity).

“House number 4 has a swimming pool. I designed it with the knowledge that I had. It was a terraced house design with 8 residential units,” he added. Upon completion, the latest addition named Jakha, became the first building to be visible from the country road in front of it.

The lure of a laid-back home in the countryside can be irresistible. Nature-inspired design is so charming, it’s hard not to fall in love with it. No wonder many come away impressed by the hospitality they have experienced for during their visit. The property contributes to the local economy, as workforce is hired from within the community and local products are used.

But it’s the warmth and homey feelings of these country lodges that have kept many coming back.

Owner: M.L. Apichit Vudhijaya

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Good Old Days: A Lovely Wooden House with Panoramic Views

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Good Old Days: A Lovely Wooden House with Panoramic Views

By livingasean
May 16, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

Turning left into a side street opposite Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district bureau, rice fields on both sides of the road have matured and only just begun to bear fruit. In the middle of it, all emerged a two-storey wooden house with vintage Thai-style appeal. It stood hemmed in by tall trees and lush green lawns. This two-storey wooden house showcases a mix of concrete and timber, its wide façade looking out on a fabulous panorama of mountains and paddy fields.

wooden house — Open-back bookshelves contribute to an airy interior made for lounging, reading, and viewing pictures in the gallery.

Anchan, the housedog, gave a welcome bark, followed by greetings from the mustached host, “Tom” Apichai Wangtragul. He introduced us to his better half, “Saa” Narawan Rajchasee Wangtragul, AKA the heart of the house. The Retro look of her Thai-style sarong matched the atmosphere of the home named “Good Old Days.”

“Back in Lampang we had a small coffee shop offering snacks and selling guitars. It was very warm there, so we started looking for a new home in good weather. We found one on Google, not far from where we wanted to build our first home in Chiang Mai. One day that piece of land was up for sale, and we were lucky to have bought it,” Saa said.

Tom was teaching draftsmanship courses in Lampang, when they met, and the rest is history.

In Chiangmai, he designed the new wooden house after first setting up a model to determine effects of different building orientations at various times of day. He kept track of amounts of sun and natural air circulation and used the information to aid in the design.

The result was a home that fit in well with its natural surroundings and weather conditions.

As he puts it, “The home facing west gets a full dose of afternoon sun. The glare can be felt, no doubt, but the trade-off is worth it.

Panoramic sunsets can be seen every day.” To solve the problem, he has put in moveable latticework, which reduces the sun’s harsh glare.

“I grew up in a wooden house on the water’s edge. I told him I wanted one with a shed roof made of corrugated sheets just like old times,” Saa recalled.

“Tom said that could not be done. So we built our new home using metal sheet roofing instead. I wanted doors with plantation shutters and places to showcase collectibles that we have cherished for a long time.”

Tom made sure his loved one got what she wanted. He searched and found reclaimed timber in Sanpatong and paired them with old wood imported from Lampang.

The timber supplies included Burma padauk wood, ironwood, and teak. The couple sought blessings for peace and prosperity before every piece was put to good use.

Apart from carpentry details, Tom is passionate about modern style with an emphasis on naked concrete finishes. Together they make the building feel light.

The interior living spaces are light and naturally ventilated, thanks to plenty of openings on all sides. Each function area is clearly defined with floating furniture for easy updates.

This design concept applies to the sofa in the living room and the dining table by the rear windows. The kitchen comes fully equipped, as their house becomes a home-stay destination.

The couple does everything in-house from selecting natural ingredients to preparing indigenous meals. It is attention to details and good health practice that keep customers coming back.

Tom’s hobby projects have been the source of many décor items.

Triple-shutter design : In the Northern region, the window with three shutters in a row is generally preferred for cost effectiveness. The ingenious design needs only one latch to lock all three windows.

Tom keeps a collection of vinyl records for sentimental reasons. He likes listening to relaxing music on the old-fashioned phonograph while Saa cooks. Some of it is rare on this day and age. Here time goes by so slowly that it seems stuck in history.

The floor plan features a flight of stairs made of concrete and wooden steps. Located in the center, it keeps the two bedrooms on the first floor a good distance apart for added privacy. There are cabinets where old books and other collectibles are neatly kept. Nearby stands a gallery made for lounging, reading, and viewing pictures on the wall.

The second floor offers two good-sized bedrooms : one for guest accommodations, and the other for the couple’s exclusive use. There are antique beds in all of the bedrooms. Saa said she felt good about them knowing they came from good homes. She bought them direct from their previous owners. Between the two rooms stands an office space, where Tom spends time working at his draftsman desk. The workspace is bedecked with collectibles including old cameras and vinyl records.

As Saa puts it, “This is the wooden house that strikes the right balance for the two of us. It effectively chronicles our love story and journey through time. I am just happy being here.

“Chiangmai is such a delightful place, with canals, plenty of water, trees, and beautiful culture. During the period from November to February, our house becomes a home-stay destination.

Known as “Good Old Days,” the house has become a wholesome getaway for like-minded people. The service is not available during summer months, because we don’t use air conditioning. Time is well spent in the great outdoors.

Owner/Designer: Apichai Wangtragul

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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Living in a Rustic Farmhouse amidst the Rice Fields of Chiang Mai

By livingasean
January 31, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Sungwan Phratep /

If living in a minimalist, rustic farmhouse is your thing, but what you’ve found so far isn’t cool enough, then this hip house amidst the rice fields of Chiang Mai may change your mind. The hybrid wood and concrete home stands in nature’s peaceful embrace. It’s attached to paddy fields on a rural road leading to the city. Here, misty morning mountain views can be seen from miles around.

Albeit a little plain and unpretentious, the two-story family home has some modern elements to it. That’s reason enough for Keatnapin Sobhinnon and Patsa Attanon to buy it for their quiet country retreat away from hectic urban life.

Building a home on sloped ground typically calls for a split level floor plan, and in this particular case stepped foundations become necessary. This results in utility spaces and service rooms being assigned to different levels.

On the outside, an open air car park is leveled out for safety. It’s supported by a concrete retaining wall to prevent erosion on sloped yard. The front entry area is easily accessible via a wooden footbridge, an architectural feature that makes the house façade look calm, cool and welcoming.

Walk in the door, and you find living room décor delightful and attractively old-fashioned. Do-it-yourself crafts and decorating ideas add fun touches to every part of the room.

Chiang Mai being a handicraft capital, the homeowners enjoy the freedom of creating their own design for every piece of furniture. Then they simply ask local artisans highly skilled in woodworking to make the pieces to their specifications.

Needless to say the interior decorations convey a great deal about their fun and vibrant personality – warm, inviting and without pretense.

To create extra living space outdoors, the couple make the terraces larger than originally planned. This is achieved by connecting the platform next to the house to a nearby rice granary, or “Ruaen Long Khao” in the vernacular of the Northern Region.

Strictly speaking, it’s a storehouse on stilts for threshed grain common in the area. The old granary has since transformed into lodging accommodation for visiting houseguests.

Chiang Mai Family Homes — An expanded terrace space connects to the nearby “Ruaen Long Khao,” an old rice granary-turned-lodging accommodations for visiting houseguests.

As Patsa described it: “It’s beautiful out here all year round. I especially love it when it rains as rice paddies and the surrounding hills come alive with all shades of green, entirely different from our home in Bangkok.

“When we came here for the first time, it felt like being in another world. No need to say we were filled with joy. I think this house was made for us.”

With a breathtaking panorama of mountain landscapes and the comfort of their home, it’s easy to get why the couple love this country home among the rice fields so dearly.

Owner/Designer: Keatnapin Sobhinnon and Patsa Attanon

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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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