Cover The bespoke rugs in the living room feature a mottled blue pattern inspired by the sky and skyline

Design Intervention turned a Bangkok penthouse apartment into a stunning abode tailor-made to its owner’s needs while making the most of its amazing views of the city skyline

With its sprawling size, prime location, and stellar views of the city skyline, this penthouse, perched atop the St Regis hotel in Bangkok, already had the qualities of a dream abode.

When this client was seeking a studio to design his new home, he was determined to find a firm whose approach would match the majesty of the property. His search was thorough indeed: after meeting several top design studios in Thailand, he looked further afield to Singapore where the work of award-winning firm Design Intervention caught his eye. He then flew the firm's founder Nikki Hunt over to Thailand to view the property.

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Above The balcony is furnished in similar off-white and earthy tones as the rest of the home

“I understood what he was hoping for and so he appointed us,” she quipped. “The client brief was to have a totally unique and bespoke home,” continues Hunt. “He didn’t want to walk in and see items that he had seen in other homes, so much of what we included was specially designed for him.”

The multidisciplinary studio is no stranger to bespoke requests—in fact, it is Design Intervention’s modus operandi. “We craft each and every project to reflect the loves and life of the homeowner, and so our projects are all personalised,” says Hunt.

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Above Nikki Hunt, principal of Design
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Above The curvaceous form of the dining set softens the angular lines of the sideboard and the tessellated feature wall

First came the layout. The apartment was originally designed for a family, so Hunt and her team set about redesigning its layout to better suit a bachelor in his thirties. The firm finally settled on an open-plan layout that would best accommodate the client’s lifestyle and also put the focus squarely on the apartment’s most stunning feature—its views. “We arranged the floor plan to optimise the views,” explains Hunt. “As the client is a bachelor and lives alone, an open-plan space means that the home is widely used.”

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Above The vanity counter features a striking origami-like design that makes it the centrepiece of the master bathroom
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Above The geometric detail on this console echoes the angular lines of the interior architecture of the penthouse

The client had several requirements, namely: a master suite with a spacious bathroom, a living area with a bar that would be perfect for parties, a formal dining zone to seat 10, a nook where he could have a quick meal, a home office and lastly, a media room for movie sessions.“It was important that he had ample space to entertain his friends,” says Hunt. “He enjoys the cinema room and likes to invite his guests for movie nights.”

See also: 4 Steps To Designing A Stylish Dining Room

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Above Masculine touches in the office include the pinstriped walls, an industrial-style pendant light from Eichholtz, a Giorgetti desk and a custom-made armchair
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Above Yellow accents create a cheerful mood in the guest room, which is furnished with the Furtif desk by Daniel Rode as well as other furniture pieces from Roche Bobois
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Above The sofa and footstool were made to order for the master suite
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Above The sinuous veins of the grey marble wall create a focal point in this minimalist bathroom

Such a spacious abode, however, could lack warmth in terms of its ambience—especially with a sole inhabitant. “There was a risk that the home could feel cold and empty, and our client wanted a neutral scheme,” says Hunt. The apartment’s colour palette features mostly earthy tones, paired with a subtle use of blue in order to “draw in the colour of the sky to give the feeling that the penthouse is floating among the clouds”.

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Above The Roche Bobois Edito lounge chair by Sacha Lakic is a sprightly addition to the guest room; the custom dresser in the master suite features a rich walnut finish

Design Intervention turned to texture and layers to add warmth and atmosphere. The feature wall in the dining room—incorporating a woven, three-dimensional tessellated pattern in wood—is a prime example. “The wood veneer adds texture, the 3-D effect gives an interesting dimension, and this is intensified by the internal lighting which casts a warm, moody glow,” explains Hunt. Every space in the home features statement-making pieces.

Sculptural marble vanities, for instance, grace the master and guest bathrooms while a sweeping feature mural extends from behind the headboard up to the ceiling in the master bedroom. Design Intervention even created a special armchair for the living area designed after the Bugatti Type 57, one of the client’s favourite cars.

Many of the furnishings, including the sofas in the living room, the dining chairs, as well as the console in the entryway, are custom-made and created by Design Intervention.

“Bespoke design is certainly a hallmark of what we do,” says Hunt. “With international brand names so easily available, originality has become the new luxury, and bespoke furnishings can give a unique signature to a home.” Even brand-name pieces were carefully selected. Take, for instance, the desk by Giorgetti and ceiling pendant light by Eichholtz in the office, which accentuate the space’s masculine design.

See also: Home Tour: A Penthouse With Tropical Accents And Beautiful Balconies

'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 3 The master suite incorporates an abstract pattern on the ceiling and rug, which are lined with black piping
Photo 2 of 3 The media room is furnished in a moody palette that takes cues from the starry night sky
Photo 3 of 3 this custom dining table features a sculptural base and a Emperador marble top

The effort more than paid off; not only does the owner love his new home, the penthouse also bagged two accolades at the International Property Awards 2020, in the Thailand categories for residential apartment design and bathroom design.“The foundation of our design philosophy is that a home should be an extension of your personality; a place where you can truly be yourself, surrounded by the items you love and enjoy,” says Hunt.

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