"Simplicity and safety" are the two main concepts in the design and decoration of Baan Rim Klong at Muang Ake, Rangsit, owned by iTV host Sroyfa O-sukontip and her husband Somchai Triratananukul.

The décor follows the same concept, with safety both for and against a vigorous two-year-old daughter, Nam Fa.

"My husband, Somchai, who is now senior manager of Jasmine Submarine Telecommunication, took care of the construction of our family home, with ideas for energy saving and safety for children. I decorated the interior, for which the main features were white colour and natural wood," she says.

Somchai says that before building the house, he decided on an energy-saving design, in terms of both construction and later electricity savings.

As a construction material, he selected Q-con lightweight, autoclaved concrete products. Then the walls were built in two layers with an air gap between them. This was intended to block heat from the interior of the house.

The roof is also higher than average.

"In an average house, the roof is only three metres from the ceiling, but in my house the roof is four metres above the ceiling, to help it protect the interior from heat," Somchai says.

To save electricity, Somchai applied to use three-phase power in his home. Normally, three-phase electricity is used only for industrial plants with a high demand for power. But home-owners can also apply for this system if they opt for an electrical current capacity of 30 amps.

"We selected three-phase electricity because it helps our electricity bill by up to 50 per cent from the normal rate. But we had to pay Bt40,000 for installation, when a normal system costs only Bt2,000 to Bt3,000," Somchai says.

In the long term, Somchai expects to save more than the cost of installing the three-phase system.

In the design phase he was also concerned to make the house close to its natural setting. On the other hand, he was concerned about his family's security. To be close to nature required big windows, but Sroyfa didn't like the feeling of being imprisoned by a house closed in by barred windows.

So Somchai had to provide a security system to replace the wrought-iron window bars.

In approaching her home decoration task, Sroyfa also wanted closeness to nature. So she settled on a "mix and match" concept featuring natural wood and leather furniture. She was also challenged by the outdoor area.

"Behind the house there is a small klong, so we built a small pavilion and jetty so we can enjoy family time outdoors in the evenings, and we can have outdoor parties with friends," Sroyfa says.

The house stands on 170 square wah of land. The first impression for a visitor is the big windows that make up half of one wall on the first floor.

Both Sroyfa and Somchai chose the big area of glass to let the outdoors, including the klong and their home garden, into their home.

The first-floor décor is dominated by natural wood used in the main pieces of built-in furniture, combined with a white leather sofa to give it a contemporary appearance.

Sroyfa also selected white to be the main colour for the living room, dining room and working room, as well as a kids' room that the call "the green room" because, once more, it has big windows open to the green of the outdoors.

Lamps of a modern style light the way upstairs, where the main bedroom is also decorated in a mix of natural wood and white leather furniture.

The main bedroom has a large bathroom that is a setting for both a Jacuzzi and an outdoor area featuring a small garden.

"We like to see green areas in our home. The little garden in the bathroom is to inspire feelings of closeness with nature," Sroyfa says.

She also considered practicality when selecting textured tiles for all bathroom floors in the house. What's more, with an active two-year-old in the family, the leather furniture in the living room and bedrooms is easier to clean than fabric.

"My daughter is still naughty and all of my furniture has to be safe from her, but it also has to mix and match with our family activities and our love for nature. That's why my home is called Baan Rim Klong," Sroyfa says.

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation