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An Elegantly Eclectic Home: The Beauty of Diverse Styles

An Elegantly Eclectic Home: The Beauty of Diverse Styles

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Wannch / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Nuntiya Bussabong /

It’s arguably the variety that makes living so enjoyable. Here’s the ‘Eclectic House’, a mix-and-match interior design integrating pieces of furniture and accessories from a broad range of styles and sources. Together they give the home color, freshness and charm and, at the same time, reflect well on the homeowner’s bright and sunny personality.

Eclectic House

Architecturally speaking, the small, well-proportioned home is positioned to reap the benefits of favorable prevailing wind and light conditions, which already makes it a great place to live.

Add a gorgeous collection of furniture, and it’s hard to find a place that’s more lively and full of energy than this so-called “eclectic house” of ideas belonging to Sapsit Fungfueangchaweng, director of corporate marketing at AP Thailand.

Sapsit selected all the furniture and decorating items himself. Each of them has a story to tell that conveys a great deal about the home rich in collectibles from across the globe.

Eclectic House

Eclectic House

Upon his return from further studies abroad, Sapsit’s father decided to renovate an existing 200-square-meter guest house adjoining the family residence as a new home for his son. The two houses have a relaxed and intimate view of each other across the swimming pool.

“My home relies not so much on design as on interior décor, the arrangement of items from my collections,” Sapsit tells us.

Inside, it feels spacious and dominated by shades of white. Interior spaces – living room, workspace, dining area and a kitchen counter – are connected, but visually separated with the use of different dimensions. There’s a raised floor here, and an open ceiling over there with the gabled roof structure painted white, creating a spacious yet uniquely bounded feeling.

Standing front and center in the room is a collection of chairs in different styles matching harmoniously. Eclectic, yes, but beautiful. They fit in very well with tasteful ornamentation and the pictures that Sapsit has picked up during business and pleasure travels in recent years.

There’s a standout white sofa placed in front of one of Sapsit’s own works, a painting in blue and white. This is a spot where he likes to sit, maybe dreaming up new work, maybe just relaxing with friends.

Eclectic House
A raised floor sets the living room apart from the kitchen.
Eclectic House
Natural light shines all day long through the glass window by the studio entrance.

Sapsit used all sorts of arranging techniques to achieve a practical house plan and, at the same time, blend comfort and style. He offers a piece of advice, “In selecting what items to use, think first about function, not just decoration. Then, pick the things that have meaning, or spiritual value: they won’t become boring over time.

“Whatever selection a person makes should reflect well on his or her character, while never overlooking their function. This will result in great practical benefits and a beautiful home.”

Graphics large and small add lively highlights to this wall.

Besides his corporate marketing work, Sapsit owns the swimwear brand “Timo Trunks,” known for striking graphics with a uniquely fun and entertaining look. The brand’s products come from collaboration of Thai and foreign designers, and have developed to the point where they are distributed in more than 9 countries worldwide.

The original designs started at Sapsit’s Timo Trunks Studio, built right near his house for a super-easy work commute.

Eclectic House

Eclectic House

The outward appearance of the studio building is deceptively simple, but the space within reflects the brand’s fun-loving identity through graphics and furniture highlights amid white walls and a wood-grain floor with a bright, relaxing color scheme bringing to mind a colorfully painted canvas.

The full plate glass windows in front look outwards on a refreshing garden view, so the environment is inspiration for new ideas and the creation of great new designs.


Owner/Designer: Sapsit Fungfueangchaweng


Visit the original Thai article…

LIVING WITH COLLECTIBLE- เติมสีสันใส่ความเป็นตัวตน ในบ้านสไตล์อิเคล็กทิก


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Inspirational Office Design Ideas

Inspirational Office Design Ideas

A beautiful office can be an important element in inspiring good work. Here we give you five examples of exciting and creative office design in Bangkok.

/// Thailand ///

– Rabbit Digital Group –

An old aluminum warehouse on Banthat Thong Road now has a new and different look: its 1500 square meters of interior space now houses the chic new office layout of the Rabbit Digital Group. About 60 percent of the common area inside is reserved for a skateboard yard, ping-pong tables, snooker, a pantry, and a big communal table which can be used either for lunchtime celebrations or for brainstorming sessions where cool ideas are dreamed up, but that’s not all: everyone walking in to work passes through the chic industrial charm of this common area, and just experiencing the design is enough to unconsciously promote creative thinking. The building’s structural lines are painted black and offset by furnishings made of bright new materials: a steel stair, stainless steel slide, and natural rubber tree wood surfaces, in an open “doublespace” setting whose relaxed feeling is reinforced by living trees. It’s easy to forget this is an office!


 

– Charcoal Design –

When its old office could no longer provide needed functionality for the increasing numbers of people using it, Charcoal Design decided to relocate and renovate a 30-year-old house on a 400-square-meter property as its new workspace. Existing rooms were torn out and replaced with a spacious area that provided not only functional support for work teams, architects, interior designers, and graphic designers, but also convenient private work areas, and with enough space to accommodate a larger workforce in the future. Huge cement beams above the spacious, airy work hall reach out alongside a walkway that connects to a meeting room centered around the same glass table Company executives used in the former office. The atmosphere here is designed for the kind of ambience you might find in a bar or coffee shop, with greenery to relax the eyes.


Scaleup Architects
Scaleup Architects
Scaleup Architects
Scaleup Architects

– V Office –

The old place was just a studio, but now you’ll find V Office – of the VCAN group of companies – a workplace remarkable not only for its form inside and out, but for its unique and unforgettable character. This 5-storey building with a total space of 1,321 square meters took 3-4 months to design, and nearly a year to build. Completely redone, nothing was left of the old appearance. Now it’s open and uncluttered, with surfaces of brick and unfinished cement. The building façade features three-dimensional repetitions of the “V” motif in copper-colored aluminum composite attached to the steel building structure, creating beautiful patterns that work both to screen the sunlight and to give privacy, while giving the building its memorable standout look.


 – Baiyah Studio –

This small architectural company built its office on a 60-square-meter property with a budget of just 800,000 baht and design and construction together taking only 5 months. The primary design requirement was to reduce electrical use, so the architects took maximum advantage of natural light and ventilation. To limit dependence on air conditioning systems, circulation within the building was designed to run generally through every space and room, so heat would be released rather than trapped. There are many strategies to protect against heat entry into a building, and architects took into consideration which times different sections received more or less use, positioning bathrooms, kitchen, and reception hall as a buffer toward the west, which gets the most heat in the afternoon, to keep office areas cool and comfortable during the day. Outside, a vertical garden covers the walls, acting as natural heat insulation.


– Designqua –

Am old 5-storey Sukhumvit area row building dating back to the 1980s with double arches in front and 600 square meters of usable space has become a charming example of architectural design. Behind a unique façade long familiar to the locals, a new office hides some incredibly charming design work, the brainchild of Malina Palasthira, a talented architect with the Designqua company. Looking for a site near a SkyTrain station where work could be done for a reasonable budget while still having enough space for herself and the 8-person design team, she found this place. To make it economical, some of the space was transformed into two differently styled Airbnb rooms to accommodate intercontinental travelers. The building owner wanted to keep the “retro” building façade, but much of the cramped inside was converted into a spacious, open office. Inside is a “flying table” work desk 8.3 meters long and designed to appear as if floating in the middle of the room. Working utility systems are intentionally exposed, for an open look which shows the beauty inherent in the systems themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Wooden Stilt Houses You Will Love

5 Wooden Stilt Houses You Will Love

Like a journey back in time, there is real warmth in the wooden stilt house. The eco-friendly design bespeaks the tradition and experience in the tropics. Handpicked from Living ASEAN collections, these five houses are perfect fits for hot and humid weather. Check them out.

 /// ASEAN ///

http://livingasean.com/house/4-small-house-units-tranquil-tropical-living/


http://livingasean.com/house/countryside-home-eyes-architect/


http://livingasean.com/house/enchanting-thai-style-home/


http://livingasean.com/house/sustainable-living-tropical-house/


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Modern Steel House a Perfect Fit for Tropical Climate

Modern Steel House a Perfect Fit for Tropical Climate

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

Close to nature. All the needed conveniences for modern family life. Spacious plus great ventilation. This steel-framed home fits its hot Tropical climate perfectly.

steel house

The house stands on the same rectangular property as the old family’s home, but is split off from it. The owner is a building contractor with interior decorating experience, and so with the help of an architect friend from Office AT, he was able to build exactly the house he wanted.

steel house

“The two of us already have a lot of possessions, and will need more when we have kids,” said the owner. “This house is designed for simple, easy functionality in a nice, open space. It’s modern, easy to maintain, and has a library and rooms we can put to various uses in the future.”

steel house

Being in the construction field, the owner already had his own work team and a lot of places to get ornamental materials. Much of what was used here came from other construction sites. For simplicity and ease, the house has a cuboid structural steel frame, allowing it to be built within only four months.

For the swimming pool to be set on the north side, the house is laid out lengthwise along the southern edge of the property, which also means the narrower eastern and western walls allow less sunlight and heat inside.

Near the main entrance is a carport, and trees act as a fence in front, adding shade and blocking the view from outside.

The spacious 400-square-meter living space in this home has a downstairs with connected living room, dining room and kitchen, all with a full view out onto the swimming pool.

steel house

“Besides all the northern doors and windows opening outwards, to the northeast and northwest are spaces always open for the wind to blow in and out of the house, keeping it cool so air conditioning isn’t needed most of the day,” said the architect.

The second floor holds bedrooms. Here walls are solid on the south side, featuring built-in closets such as are also seen downstairs.

A long balcony connects all the rooms, shielded from the sun by a “double-layer skin” latticework which gives privacy while creating dimensions of light and shade.

The materials – steel, aerated concrete, unpainted brick, wood battens, eaves and floors of light-colored wood, and the unpainted pine walkway around the pool – all express a simple sufficiency.

This steel house supports a comfortable lifestyle and is completely ready to be adjusted and adapted for future needs.


Architect: Office AT Co.,Ltd. (www.officeat.com)


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A Cozy Modern Home Inspired by Traditional House Design

A Cozy Modern Home Inspired by Traditional House Design

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Foryeah / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul, Beer Singnoi /

Utilizing the good qualities of the traditional Thai house in modern home design results in comfortable living and a look that never goes out of style. “Bua Baan House,” named after Bua and Baan, homeowner Ruja Rojanai’s daughter and son, was designed by Sorawis Na Nakhon of Bab Studio. His intention was to translate the most pleasing aspects of the traditional Thai house into a beautiful modern format.

modern thai house

 “Almost all the houses in this neighborhood open onto a busy street, but this place of residence is located in a quiet, private cul-de-sac,” says the architect. “We planned the house in an “H” form which has more outside walls, allowing for more doors and windows and resulting in better ventilation than in a block-shaped building.”

The H-shaped house plan separates the building into two wings. From the carport stepping into the house, we pass the parlor/reception area, designed with a grand-looking “double-space” ceiling reaching up one and a half story.

modern thai house
An aluminum shading sunscreen blocks the sun’s harsh glare from the west.
modern thai house
The entryway from the carport is reminiscent of the “Tai-thun”, or the open lower floor space in traditional Thai homes designed to improve lighting and promote natural air circulation.
Above the front entrance, a border of potted plants adds green to the rooftop deck.

The home is built on a long and narrow plot of land. For privacy, service areas and maid’s quarters are in the rear, with a laundry section directly above it accessed by a separate set of stairs.

The owner’s living area is in the second wing of the H-shaped house plan, with a lower-floor connecting walkway between the two sections reminiscent of the Tai-thun, or the open space below Thai houses of old. Above the walkway is an exercise room.

modern thai house
Open space within the H-shaped house plan includes a mid-house garden, an excellent design aiding natural air circulation.
Above the entryway, openings in the wall release hot air from below.
Above the entryway, openings in the wall release hot air from below.
modern thai house
A sitting parlor/reception room with high ceilings feel spacious, warm and welcoming.

The family residence wing rises three and a half stories high, with living room, workroom, dining room, and kitchen downstairs. Floor two holds a master bedroom for the parents, and another bedroom for an aunt. The third floor is for the daughter and son’s rooms. Each of them wanted a “mezzanine” level added to the bedrooms, hence a double-space ceiling with workspace set above.

The entrance hall continues along the length of the house, with doors and windows aligned right and left.
[Left] A coordinated stainless steel kitchen. / [Right] The cool and calm atmosphere inside a double-space bedroom.
Bua’s double-space bedroom.
Bua’s workroom on the mezzanine.

Another thing adding to a sense of comfort and spaciousness in the home is in its linear plan, which allows easy circulation of light and air throughout.

Rooms are connected by a single walkway, and there are many doors and windows. The house faces west, presenting its narrow side to the hot afternoon sun. There, the architect provided thick, closed walls to block the heat, layering blocks inside to create a passage to let hot air out.

A flight of stairs leading to the workspace on the mezzanine in one youngster’s room.
Baan’s bedroom, with a cool-looking net hung above.
A stairway provides access to Baan’s mezzanine workspace.

Owner: Ruja Rojanai

Architect: Sorawis Na Nakhon af Bab Studio (www.facebook.com/babarchitectstudio) and Make it Pop (www.makeitpop.net)


Visit the original Thai article…

BAAN BUA BAAN – บ้านบัวบ้านแบบไทยๆ ใบหน้าฝรั่ง


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Social Craft Network

Social Craft Network

The “SACICT Craft Trend 2018” display centered on the idea of a “Social CRAFT Network” enabling escape from the confusion of the social world to focus on design work that would produce intriguing and impressive art.

/// Thailand ///

“SACICT Craft Trend 2018” gave a view into the future of contemporary crafts for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, designers, and those who find enchantment not only in elegance handicrafts, but also in the unique imperfections of handcrafted items, and who want to not only learn more, but expand the circle of arts and crafts lovers.

The Social Craft Network is trending widely this year, using technology already in people’s lives to create a virtual society where needed information is right at their fingertips. These days, though, there is so much information at hand so quickly and easily that it’s bewildering, and we often just want to shut our eyes and rest. Design work itself provides a path allowing escape into more peaceful places in the mind.

Innovative hand-made ceramics resulting from experimentation and techniques of master craftsmen, developed into new forms and color combinations by Puri.

“Digital detoxing” is a good way to limit present-day escapism, and results in design trends based on actual usage of items by the consumer in daily life: walking, sitting, sleeping, for example. When people need rest, the designer’s solution is to meditate on what is most easily understood, not complex, seeking simple solutions that will improve daily life.

“Mass exclusivity” refers to extended development of handicrafts into industrial production, where concepts of craftsmanship are coordinated with industrial systems to mass-produce handicrafts without losing their unique character while at the same time reducing production costs.

Natural stone designed in novel forms for various uses, for example “TUB,” usable as either paperweight or door stopper, and “PLIG” multipurpose containers, designed by THINKK STUDIO, from SACICT

New Thai Craftwork Designs Go World-class

New Thai Craftwork Designs Go World-class

The International Innovative Craft Fair 2017, or IICF 2017, is now behind us, with its brilliant updated display of chic, stylish forms of contemporary Thai handicraft skills on the international stage.

 /// Thailand ///

IICF, this year’s International Innovative Craft Fair, was sponsored by Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, which had its own “SACICT Concept” booth displaying many offerings from a new generation of Thai craftwork designers: household ornaments, furnishings, tableware, and more, from an astonishing selection of fashionable items to mix and match.

The Fair was full of excitement. Basketwork, eye-catching ceramics, minimalist wood creations, indigo-dyed cloth, silk fabric in unique and novel forms, all examples of the transformation of intricate thought and production processes into high-quality handcrafted work. There were amazing seminars on selected arts and crafts topics, and workshops galore where participants could jump in to test their own creative skills.

 

 

Top 10 Houses to Beat the Heat / Tropical House

Top 10 Houses to Beat the Heat / Tropical House

Hot and humid climate being one of the inevitabilities of life, architects across the Region aptly responded with a range of ingenious designs from the cool traditional to the energy-efficient modern. Living ASEAN presents top 10 houses well suited to the circumstances. Check them out.

 /// ASEAN ///

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A Mid-City Modern Tropical House in Bangkok

A Mid-City Modern Tropical House in Bangkok

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Patharasiri / English version: Peter Bontalbano /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

It’s right in the middle of the city near a BTS SkyTrain station, but open to breezes and sunshine. This modern Tropical house is as cool and comfy as a country resort. It’s home to a multigenerational household including Mom and Dad and aging Grandma and Grandpa. Puchong Sathiraphipatkul, the architect who designed the renovation of this old family home, is the third-generation owner.

Modern Tropical Home
Open-concept design facilitates natural ventilation that lets fresh air enter on one side and out another.

“The clock’s ticking. How much time do we have?” Puchong was heard asking himself. He could still recall going about his busy schedules during his formative years that has had a profound influence on his professional development.

The old family home stands surrounded by tall buildings. Time flies. Going back a few years, his mother and father, grandpa and grandma were rapidly aging, so in just his third year of architectural studies he decided to take it on as a project, and his first customer was . . . his mother!

“I was thinking time was not waiting for us, so with my studies not finished and without much experience, I fell back on advice from teachers and older professionals.”

Puchong, now an architect with A49 House Design Co., Ltd., a Bangkok-based architectural practice, said that the challenge posed by his super-important first customer was to create what he called a “Sukhumvit-style” house, which had formerly been a family residence in the vibrant Sukhumvit neighborhood.

Modern Tropical Home
The reception hall and a set of stairs with teakwood treads are to the south, for distance from the sun’s heat.

The house brings many fond memories of his mother as a discerning client. “Mom is Mom. She’s the ‘decider’, always has to be pleased in every respect,” Puchong added.

“In two years of professional life since then I haven’t had such a difficult customer. Back then I was constantly visiting stores and houses around Sukhumvit to get ideas on space configurations to suit our family lifestyle.”

Modern Tropical Home
The building surface is open, with glass walls, and latticework to filter the light.

They were lucky to get this huge plot of land in a short, quiet alley and near the BTS SkyTrain station. Taking sun and wind direction into consideration, Puchong faced the house north, with narrow sides to the east and west making space for a big yard. He also used landfill to raise the house 150 cm height for a better view.

Modern Tropical Home
The house faces north: wide, spacious, light and airy.

“Starting with that trendy “Sukhumvit” theme, next comes “comfort design,” then “space design” for individual and common spaces and ‘transitional’ areas.” The architect of his own house shows us the outside fence, the carport, the walkway all around leading up to the reception hall and smaller spots, then up to the common areas and bedrooms above that.

Modern Tropical Home

“The home is fundamentally Tropical Asian; its heart is open to sun and wind. It’s in the form of two 600-square-meter blocks one atop the other, facing north onto the garden. The southern sun mostly falls on walkways, staircases, and outside balconies,” added Puchong.

“The central ceiling is high, for good circulation. The west side has a thick concrete wall for sun protection. It’s a ‘passive’ design: architecture in harmony with nature, no wasted budget on technologies of comfort.”

Mom and Dad’s master bedroom, with an open, high ceiling, features Earth’s own custom-designed teak furniture.

He ended by saying he couldn’t have perfected this modern Tropical home if it hadn’t been for the great contractors, relatives of a close friend, whose exquisite craftsmanship really shows.

“Others may see this house as a little off-beat, but it completely fits our family style, in a balanced way. Sure works for me.”

Modern Tropical Home
In many spots there’s a “transitional space” area that makes things more intimate.

Owner/Architect: Puchong Sathiraphipatkul


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Gardening with Water Science

Gardening with Water Science

Besides nurturing plants, water has many garden uses:  fresh, exciting ornamentation, for one.

/// Thailand ///
Story: Panchat Changchan /// Photography: Baanlaesuan

– The sound of water –

If a garden includes naturally flowing water or an old pond or spring, the water can be used to drive a fountain or water wheel, or dammed up to control the flow near a garden entrance or a relaxation spot.

Or, original garden fixtures such as walls or other architectural elements can be used with pumping systems to create dimensional motion in the form of a waterfall wall, or an artificial waterfall. Here, choose rough-surfaced materials and/or steep surfaces so water running across them produces a strong, clear sound. This can be enhanced by controlling water pump pressure.


– Images reflecting beauty –

The inherent reflective property of water can bring a more spacious garden atmosphere, adding dimension and color as well as changing motion and texture. We see this in world wonders such as the Taj Mahal and Wat Kinkakuji Temple, as well as in “infinity” swimming pools at seaside resorts. Reflection always creates feeling and perspective in the viewer, often simply a function of the width and the stillness of the water. A lake or large pond dug next to a  garden highlight can create a beautiful view for people looking from the opposite bank.


– Lights in the water –

Lights in and around the water create worlds of brightness and shadow above and below the surface. Refraction creates beautiful, entrancing “water ghosts.” Underwater lights should be used in conjunction with well-structured ponds and good treatment systems to ensure easy maintenance, protect against damage, and to get bright, clear underwater lighting. Only specially designed light bulbs adapted for low voltage should be used underwater.


– Mist to create dimension –

Mist or water spray is commonly used in tropical or jungle gardens, mainly with minispray-type sprinklers primarily intended for watering and moisturizing plants, especially large ones such as ferns or orchids, but incidentally also cooling the garden. Nowadays minisprinkler heads are often hidden among plants or in spots among small shrubs and ground cover plants, but they can be also be used with fountain systems to create mist in the middle of ponds, adding a different kind  atmosphere or narrative than usual to sculptures or pond highlights. A good example is in the yard in front of the Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux, France.


– Related sculptures –

Water can itself be used as a sculpture, or in combination with actual garden sculptures, statues, fountains, European-style bird baths, or for fish ponds, as in Thai gardens. Statues using water as ornamentation usually highlight its motion, spouting up or falling. This is common in ordinary fountains, but other water properties can be used in combination, for instance transparency. Water curtains or moving shapes that look like glass can be created. And water plants themselves often have beautiful and unique shapes.


– Creating a good ecosystem –

The most important use of water in the garden is to create life and maintain an ecosystem that faithfully imitates nature so the garden can grow sustainably, not only for plants, but as a home and food source for water creatures and many other living things. If you have a large area for a garden, you could begin by digging a pond about one-fourth its size to hold rainwater, then use that pond for watering plants as well as to grow local water plants and riparian vegetation. Make an artificial waterfall, grow interesting plant species large and small, and even enjoy the delights of raising fish!

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