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Luxury Property For Sale
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By the age of thirty-something Thanakorn (DAENG) Prakaisriroj had been to many places. Originally from Korat, Khun Daeng was educated in Bangkok, |
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Singapore and Canada and completed an undergraduate degree in Marketing in South Illinois in the US before returning to North Eastern Thailand to begin a career. With some land given to him by his parents he went into the property development industry with the creation of Thanakorn City in Nakorn Rachasima. It wasn't until after he had married the lovely Panarat (Khun Kaen) and she had given birth to the first of their three children that either of them had been to Phuket. "We fell in love with Phuket right away. First there were the mountains and so much nature around we thought it was a great place to start a family or live out our retirement. Phuket has the five Ss; with Sea, Sand, Sun and Sport we are Spoiled. It felt right so we decided to move." The Prakaisriroj family was as much taken with the community of Phuket as the environment. "You can build a house anywhere but finding a community is not so easy," narrated Khun Daeng. Deciding to build in the hilly area near Dulwich International School, the children have plenty of kids to play with in the neighbourhood. Khun Kaen described, "it was important that the house be around the school so that the children have enough time in the morning to have a good breakfast without having to hurry. Also, being here we are very close to good hospitals and supermarkets, the new Central department store, which will open in September and recreational facilities like the marina and golf courses. All this makes for comfortable and secure family living."
Confident with their choice of location, the family set about to build Grace Gardens Masterpiece, bearing the name of their first daughter whose preciousness and potential had inspired the move. The project combines the talents of both Khun Daeng and Khun Kaen, pooling his construction and her hotelier expertise into what they claim is "'the ultimate family home." The house sits atop approximately 2400 sqm. of land in a garden large enough to hold a 6x25 metre swimming pool, securely fenced by tempered glass, with a large, deep jacuzzi that spills into the pool on one end. Running the length of the pool are wide paved areas, both covered and outdoor, which would be ideal for holding dinner parties or pool parties for the kids. The gardens have benefitted from the monsoon season, for while the shrubs and trees are young they are already thick and leafy. The living spaces are divided between the 4-bedroom main house
and a separate guesthouse and home theatre located only a few steps
away from the main building. The front door opens into a bright
and spacious open-plan house. A luminescence is achieved throughout
the house with the use of skylights and full-length glass windows
and doors looking out over the pool and gardens. The white interiors
accent the high 3? - 4?m ceilings and help to dramatize some of
the exquisite pieces of furniture that Khun Kaen has used to decorate
the house.
Being a lover of fine woods she spared no expense in acquiring some fine pieces from Valencia, China and the US. She insisted on teak floors for all bedrooms, preferring to wake up to the warmth and intimacy of this rich, natural material than to the slick and cool tiling used throughout the heavy traffic areas. Located at the front of the house is a large library, used less for reading than playing computer games by the children. The room glows with a gentle cream, as light floods in through large windows and onto ochre drapes. The children's bedrooms, each one with ensuite bathroom, are situated near this library which happens to be at the opposite end of the house from the master bedroom. The open-plan area in between is dedicated to family living, with sizeable areas for dining and lounging as well as a wonderfully large kitchen. The kitchen is a party-givers joy with full western appliances by SMEG and space, oh, so much space. Two central islands contain the stovetop and the sink as well as providing invaluable working space. My only criticism is that the pantry wall and refrigerator are at opposite ends of the kitchen. An unprepared chef could walk miles in one night! This is but a small price to pay for having what every gourmet dreams. The master bedroom is a long wide space, facing full-length glass
windows that look out over the pool. The room is made beautiful
by Khun Kaen's panache for interior decorating with a grand Hurtado
Valencian bed, spread with luxurious silk dressings and tall, thick
drapes bordering the picture window. A plush goose down sofa faces
the bed, its soft pewter velvet promising comfort.
Khun Daeng confided that it cost over THB 700,000. I had to try it and I admit it was a treat. Behind the bed the room is divided into His and Her walk-in closets, which lead into His and Her bathrooms and dressing areas and converge again quite romantically into a sky-lit shower, spacious enough that he and she could do whatever they please! There is also a jacuzzi in the lady's bathroom, with room for two. Despite the size of the house it is still unbelievable that there are eleven toilets / bathrooms throughout the property, each with Kohler sanitaryware, ensuring that no one is ever in danger of having to hold on too long. The guesthouse houses a Sony home theatre, another bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom is cornered by full-length sliding glass doors that really bring the outside into the room and this is the tropical holiday feel that the owners wanted to put into this guest area. "We wanted our guests to really feel like they were on holiday so we used our experience running hotels and designed the area to resemble a resort." With the pool just a few metres away and the DVD library in the next room I quite fancied this as a place for a little R&R. The guesthouse has a private entrance that passes the maid's quarters so guests can come and go without disturbing the family. While the Prakaisriroj family are extremely happy at Grace Gardens,
it seems Mum and Dad have caught the development bug. In addition
to the house, the couple has built Grace Gardens Tropical Residence;
an estate of four modern oriental villas located just down the road
and is keenly pouring their talents into another local project,
predictably called Grace Gardens Plus. Grace Gardens Masterpiece
the "ultimate family home" is up for rent or sale. Any
inquiries should be made to Khun Daeng's contact at Phuket Property
Show.
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Tropical Living: September 2004, Volume 4 Issue 4 |
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