According to market research, home-buyers in that part of Bangkok are looking for more spacious housing with a closeness to nature, so architects for developer Sansiri blended a modern lifestyle with a resort feeling and came up with the "modern resort" concept for project.

Architect and product and market development manager Phutthaphong Boriphonmongkol says construction of the houses strives for functionality and energy saving while maintaining a sense of style for the exterior.

Green glass provides a stylish link between these houses and their natural surroundings, shaded beneath long eaves to keep out the tropical heat. Helping to keep the interior cool, the architect has provided ventilation openings in the ceiling space beneath the roof.

Small wooden structures block the direct sunlight from reaching the interior of the houses and a clever selection of surface textures creates a light and shadow effect in the hot sun.

Since the garden is a major feature of the "modern resort" concept, the architect has also applied his skills there.

"We set up a co-yard area in the garden to create a resort feeling for the houses in the Gallery project. We also designed the landscape by including different tree shapes as a visual challenge for visitors looking at the garden from both outside and inside the house," Phutthaphong says.

Inside the Nouveau model house, which has 274 square metres of floor space, Sansiri's interior designer Sujitar Seangmarn selected Habitat furniture to match the concept. All the main furniture is movable, giving the owner an opportunity to make frequent changes to room layout.

"Habitat furniture has more design functions; more colours and textures to suit the 'modern resort' concept and also match with the modern lifestyle of our target customers," she says.

The Nouveau has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two living rooms, a kitchen, a dining area and a maid's room. Visitors will feel warmly welcomed when they enter the formal living room, close by the main entrance, because it has a high ceiling following the design concept of double volume, opening up the space between the first and second floors.

Sansiri's interior design team selected the contrast of white against dark colours for the main furniture in the formal living room, providing splashes of bright colour with decorative items such as a picture occupying one wall and a bright green lamp.

Two steps down from the formal living room is the family living area, dining area and kitchen. The interior designer has maintained the white against dark contrast for the main furniture in this area, highlighted by a few bright pieces of furniture, such as two red chairs out of a total of six at the dining table, and a colourful selection of earth-toned cushions.

The first floor also has one bedroom for the oldest member of the family with a large window looking directly on to the garden.

Between the first and second floors is a foyer space that can be used for just about anything: a small fitness area, a working space, perhaps another living area.

Inside the master bedroom, Sujitra has selected dark tones for the main furniture, but has created warmth with contrasts of white and splashes of earthy tones such as dark brown, ivory and light brown.

Most interesting in the master bedroom is a large bathroom that has enough space to include a small garden.

"When homeowners return after a day's hard work, they need to relax at night and on the weekends, so we designed both the outside and inside of this house for relaxing, under the concept of a modern resort. Home is the best place for people who enjoy both their working life and their relaxing time," Phutthaphong says.

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation