Its always an honour when a close friend entrusts you with the design and construction of their home. For me though it's often a double edged sword. What if they are not happy with the end result, what if the project is delayed or goes over budget - these are all things that can happen on any project. If it's a purely client relationship then OK yes it's a problem but it gets resolved and then life goes on. Who really cares if they don't use me and my team again for whatever reason. But when friendship is part of the equation it could be a lot more serious. I would hate to lose a friendship because I messed up on a work thing. But hey you know what - that didn't happen with the design and furnishings for my dear friend Indy. She has a wonderful home filled with beautiful bespoke furniture and we are closer now than before so win, win I would say! Lets look at the home we designed and furnished for her.....
It's a modest three bedroom villa that is on a larger than average corner plot as part of a development in the Cherngtalay area of Phuket. This area is inland in Phuket but still quite close to the beach and is becoming popular as the land there is still quite affordable when compared to plots near the ocean or beaches.
Budget restraints were a serious factor in the overall design so I had to be careful not to present ideas that would be out of the budget range. We opted for double volume ceilings in the main living spaces to give a much grander feeling. The villa is a single story with the house wrapping around the swimming pool and a large grassy area beyond. The one issue that was hard to get around was the direction the property has to face because of the odd shaped plot. Sadly the living spaces get the full force of the afternoon sun which makes it a little uncomfortable for a couple of hours each afternoon so you need to close up the glass doors and turn on the climate control.
We custom built all the bedroom furniture including the beds, bedheads, night tables and walkin-closets. Also the doors are beautiful solid reclaimed teak as well as other items like coffee tables, and easy chairs. This furniture was some of the first pieces made by my factory. Im very happy with all of it and it was this project that really made me fel that investing in a furniture factory was a giant step in the right direction.
This project was also one of our first efforts creating beautiful inlaid wood work from our CNC machine. We created ornately patterned bedheads on teak veneer that turned out so nice.
The swimming pool is bigger than average and that was something that did stretch their budget a little but now that it's finished they are so happy they spent the extra money on it. We used stone tiles that give a beautiful hint of blue to the water colour and the pool looks so inviting all the time. I'm super happy with how the project turned out and am so honoured that my good friend Indy put her trust in me and my team! I will leave you with some photos of the pool and the interiors of this lovely house. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend! Im going to play golf...:)
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Oh thanks again for that - I never used Twitter but I can see it must spread the word about Hive and its great that you are using my posts. Thanks so much!
Hello @seancallow, you are most welcome! We are truly glad to share your awesome works on Twitter. If you have the extra time, we highly encourage you to create a Twitter account for yourself. Not only do you increase your visibility for your projects on Hive, but you also get the chance to be rewarded with tokens if you register and participate in the POSH program of OCD. Hope you will consider this. Thank you. 😀
OK I understand. I will see about how to set up a Twitter account as you suggest...:) Anything that increases the visibility of my team's work is good!
Thank you for considering this great opportunity. Let us know as soon as you are ready. Cheers! 😀
It is an incredible design and construction. I agree with you when you mention that once work gets involved with friendship it can be very difficult but I have to assume that these results were very positive for your friend. I particularly loved not one thing in particular but the whole thing, impressive indeed. Also, they are very nice pictures I must say 😍
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Thanks so much for your kind words! The villa design and furniture was a success although not without some challenges along the way. The images are from my in-house photographer Mr Kimmo - he shoots all the projects for me.
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Oh thanks so much, Very appreciated for the mention.
Wow, just wow! I love the finishes. The designs are amazing, especially the pool.
Thanks @afterglow ! I love the pool also and have actually spent plenty of time in it since completed haha!
Oh, that is so nice, enjoying your own creation.
Yes thats lovely. Her pool is just beautiful and I always accept any invitation to visit...:)
Me too @seancallow. I likewise find it quite challenging when dealing with architectural project clients who are also my close friends, relatives, or family members. This certainly applies when negotiating professional fees, service charges, and related financial obligations from their end. Do your buddies usually ask you for ridiculous discounts, or request you to waive other necessary payments?
To be fair not really. I did have one friend try to negotiate with me on prices for some custom built beds after I already gave them the net price. So I said listen - go down and deal directly with the factory manager - perhaps you can change spec and save some money. I thought she would take the hint but to my surprise she turned up at the factory the next week to try and haggle further. We don't speak much any more. I cant be bothered with people like that and when a friend reveals their true side I'm glad to see it.
Yeah, I could pretty much relate to your scenario. A friend who doesn't respect business transactions might not be a friend after all. There are quite a few individuals who simply pretend to be close to you but actually, have hidden agendas to feed their self-interests. These possible situations could also be translated later on as blessings in disguise as they absolutely reveal the real colors of people who claim to be who they really are. 😊
Congratulations @seancallow! We're delighted to specially curate your awesome publication and award it RUNNER-UP in Architecture Brew #64. More power!
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Thanks as always. I feel so proud to see my work featured here!
You are most welcome dear @seancallow. Keep up the awesome content! 😀