It is the main concept behind the company's town-home project, Ravipa, on Bangkok's Udomsuk Soi 39. And, yes, "town home" is the preferred description, because it sounds "warmer" than town house.

The project architect set about making Ravipa different from other town houses on the market, with a concern for functionality. Hence, Ravipa has four storeys, on seven levels.

Photchanaporn says the seven levels make it easier for an interior designer to decorate the town home's living space so that it is functional and meets the demands of home-buyers.

The first of the town homes is decorated in a British colonial contemporary style designed by Studio 54.

Photchanaporn says she chose cream and white as the main colours for this town home, so that visitors get a feeling of warm welcome. The first impression is surprise at the 6.5-metre ceiling height, giving a sense of space and size beyond its real dimensions - belying the fact that this is a town house.

The first floor or ground level has a waiting area for visitors, a dining room, a kitchen and a small garden behind the house. White predominates. The white wooden walls match with rattan and cotton furniture. The colour theme continues in the dining room and kitchen, with black features against white, once more creating an impression of space.

Floor two is occupied by a living room, featuring a white sofa and an oak-wood table.

Floor two and a half is decorated as a working room, or office, but Photchanaporn says it can easily become a bedroom because the decor is flexible. It also has a bathroom.

The main bedroom is on floor three. It features a carpet strip leading to an interior bathroom. The ceilings are high, once more, and most of the furniture is made from wood. Photchanaporn says it creates a feeling of closeness with nature, and the wood matches easily with other decorative items made from cotton or leather.

Floor three and a half has another bedroom and bathroom, and this one is decorated in a simple style to suit children. Once more, most of the furniture is made of wood.

The fourth floor has yet another bedroom and bathroom, for visitors, or for a daughter. It is decorated and furnished in white and cream.

The next "half" step, beyond the fourth floor, leads to an outside roof garden. There's also space for another bedroom, or maybe a dressing room, on top of the town home. It's a matter of the owner's choice.

Nearby, there's a similar town home decorated in a completely different, modern style.

Photchanaporn says the designer has made a feature of a stainless-steel staircase rail, contrasted with wood.

The main furnishings in this home are covered in leather and cotton, bringing a distinctive style to the living room, kitchen, dining room, bathrooms and bedrooms.

The first floor once again houses a waiting area, dining room, kitchen and back garden. But this time a textured surface has been chosen for a feature wall which is also set with shelves.

Like the contemporary town home, the living room in modern décor is also on the second floor, but this time the designer has left the living space open by creating a balcony effect, giving it a very different feeling to the previous design.

The third- and fourth-floor bedrooms are consistent with the modern lifestyle concept and are decorated in a mix of stainless steel and wood. However, instead of another bedroom on floor three and a half, the designer has provided a fitness room.

"Our decorators wanted to challenge the owners of these town homes to change the layout to match their lifestyles. They can adapt their bedrooms to be prayer rooms, fitness rooms or working rooms, depending on their activities. In this way these town homes are more functional than detached houses, where room function is dependent on decoration to serve the home owner's demands," Photchanaporn says.

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation