A Change in The Plan

Over the last few days something was gnawing away in the back of mind about the view from the upstairs back bedroom. It was only after the heavy rainfall finished on Wednesday that I realised the outlook over the patchwork of rice fields was the striking feature of the location. Especially as the sun was casting intriguing shadows over the water in the countless fields that were themselves coloured by the different silts washed out of the soil by the storm. The view had to become part of the house and I set about trying to work out a way of reconfiguring the bedrooms so that this panorama could be enjoyed from the luxury of lounge area.


My initial idea was to have a corner feature of floor to ceiling windows but that proved to be a little ambitious and probably too ostentatious for Thamuang. So I compromised partly because San and his team had already begun to build the walls to the original plan.

After a lot of animation and playing of charades, and imaginative drawing on the back of bits of plaster-board, I finally got across what I was thinking, why I was thinking it and convinced the builders, and not least Khamma that it was a good idea. The windows will meet in the corner and are about 0.8 metres above the floor, about 1.4 metres high leaving about 0.8 metres to the ceiling above and they are both about 4 metres wide.


We all agreed it was an expensive choice but in my mind it was essential and I would regret not doing it no matter what the cost. So we quickly travelled to Trakon (the nearest town) and visited the glass shop. After a short discussion we found the ideal design and style of glass and the order was placed. The frames will be hand made out of aluminium with each one having sliding panels of smoked glass. I was prepared to pay £1,000 for them, San reckoned about £500 and the quotation is ‘about £250’. They will be fitted next Tuesday. I am so pleased but sorry I won’t be here when they are fitted.

NB: Isn’t it interesting how in the countryside of Thailand the time taken from idea to completion on something like this is just one week, whereas my guess is that in the UK it would take the architect, the planners, the health and safety, the frame manufacturers, the glass suppliers, the builders and goodness who else about 2 months to even agree to the change.