Basic simple functioning condominium architecture and design?

[OneMoreFarang]

Soon I will renovate an old condominium. Old furniture out, some walls out, everything new.

I have some ideas but I am not an architect or a designer. So I looked for YouTube videos with ideas. 

I found lots of how-to videos about renovation. I don't plan to do a lot of work myself but I think it's good to know how things are supposed to be done correctly.

 

But then there is the design. Where to put which furniture? Should the door of that room be on this or that side. Should I add some room dividers? Which colors for the (tile) floors and walls? Lots of questions.

 

Obviously there are tons of videos out there. But until now I didn't find any YouTube channel which I like. Some have some good ideas. But often there are videos like:

How to make your home look more expensive?   I don't care if it looks expensive. I want that I like it.

What are the newest trends?   I don't care. Especially because I don't want to change things in a few years because of a new trend.

Decoration tips like: Put three different things with different sizes on a table!   Why? I thought I will use tables for whatever I want to put on them. 

I guess sooner or later it will be a good idea that I talk to an actual interior architect and/or designer. But before I do that I would like to watch some videos with practical ideas, "what works" and not "what looks good (but is impractical)".

Can you recommend any YouTube channels, books, etc.? Best case for living in tropical climate in a high rise building.

 

Here is an example what I don't want: A table with a funny form with things on it which I don't need.

 

This looks like a functional idea, just a sample:

[KannikaP]

Why all the books? Just for show?

[Will B Good]

15 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Why all the books? Just for show?

Looks better than a single Kindle I guess?

[david555]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjgquOnyo32AhXtgf0HHQWNBugQFnoECAgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw3jsxXqaqpDQmm80KPk3HdQ

Pinterest has many nice pictures for interiors of any kind for ideas

[scubascuba3]

i would look at as many other condos in your building as you can online to get ideas

[FriendlyFarang]

If you don't know what you want just get some cheap basics and put them where you think they fit.

You will then move them around until you are happy with the arrangement, maybe add some more pieces, or getting rid of some that you don't like.

After a few months if you are happy with your arrangement replace them with some high quality ones, maybe built-in.

[OneMoreFarang]

13 minutes ago, FriendlyFarang said:

If you don't know what you want just get some cheap basics and put them where you think they fit.

You will then move them around until you are happy with the arrangement, maybe add some more pieces, or getting rid of some that you don't like.

After a few months if you are happy with your arrangement replace them with some high quality ones, maybe built-in.

Thanks, I thought about that and maybe I will do that.

 

But some things can't easily be changed. I.e. I like a tile floor. I know already I don't want slippery tiles like they seem to be used everywhere. Probably I want some kind of grey because it is a neutral "color". But which grey? Dark or light? And small or large tiles? All the same tiles or maybe different tiles in the kitchen? These are just some of the possible questions.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

Why all the books? Just for show?

I wrote above that picture "This looks like a functional idea, just a sample"

 

If you really need a reason for lots of book, apart from possibly reading them: They are perfect diffusers. 

 

[NancyL]

We totally gutted out and remodeled an old condo in CM in 2019.  It helped much that we lived in the same building and had for over a decade.  It also helped, although we didn't know it at the time, that our original contractor did a runner after he'd gutted and cleared the unit.  Fortunately, all we'd paid was for the gutting and clearing, then he stopped answering my calls and messages.

 

At that point, I spent months on-line with Pinterest, Facebook groups, and in-person chats with people in our building who had remodeled units.  I spend hours in the gutted condo, laying out potential floor plans with tape on the floor and making sketches.  Trips to stores like Ikea, Boontavoon, Index, several kitchen places, etc. 

 

Based on recommendations, finally I hired an architect who worked with my drawings.  This was after I'd worked out a floorplan, down to certain pieces of Ikea furniture.  Nine months after acquiring the condo, we finally had a completed set of drawings that we submitted to the condo office for "engineering review".  That consisted of the building maintenance guy reviewing the plans with me in the unit.  He is nothing close to an engineer, but his big concern was that we weren't going to disturb the load-bearing columns.  He did have a great suggestion about opening up an outer wall more, something I didn't think we'd be allowed to do.

 

I hired a general contractor who was fantastic, based on recommendations received during the time that I was talking to everyone I knew or learned about.  The project turned out great and was a lot of fun to do.  Our big "housewarming party" was in January 2020, just in time to hunker down for two years of Covid stay-at-home. 

 

[itsari]

You have to do more than talk to a interior designer you have to pay money up front .

Cant see you doing that as you are concerning yourself about saving money on many posts about this condominium of yours . You were even asking where you can buy tools and materials  at the same price as a tradesman .

Been a tradesman most of my working life and i know one when i see one . 

Good luck 

 

[NancyL]

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Thanks, I thought about that and maybe I will do that.

 

But some things can't easily be changed. I.e. I like a tile floor. I know already I don't want slippery tiles like they seem to be used everywhere. Probably I want some kind of grey because it is a neutral "color". But which grey? Dark or light? And small or large tiles? All the same tiles or maybe different tiles in the kitchen? These are just some of the possible questions.

Go to a store that sells a lot of tile floor and look around.  We ended up with large tile with a wood grain pattern.  It almost looks like a wooden floor and really makes the condo look elegant.

 

[tgw]

you need to put function above design.

 

for example, if any real cooking is to take place in the kitchen, such as steak, Thai stir fry, etc. you need a closed kitchen with doors and a powerful hood with the exhaust leading to the outside and equipped with an extractor fan.

 

another thing to think about, depending on the condo size, is access to the toilet(s)/washbasin(s). at least one should be accessible without passing through a bedroom, and similarly, bedrooms should all be accessible without passing through a toilet.

 

regarding energy consumption, you want to minimize room size, so that aircons don't need to work too hard.

 

if possible, plan in a floor drain in bathroom and kitchen to avoid accidental floods.

 

you may want bathroom and kitchen furniture to be movable.

 

in the kitchen, check that the largest pan (about 13-14 inches / 35cm ) can be put on the largest hob.

 

etc. etc. etc.

 

there are many catch 22s

[NancyL]

Boonthavorn stores are good places to go for inspiration, but are expensive.  I ended up spending a lot of time in the Boonthavorn in Chiang Mai for inspiration, but actually bought stuff at Home Pro, Watsadu and Global House -- places where my contractor took me.  

[tgw]

I made a complete 3D architectural model of my condo for the redesign and I found it very helpful.

 

I used a program called "sweet home 3d" where you can also place furniture, size things, and do a virtual 3D walkthrough.

[dddave]

Most of the layouts seen online and in magazines are done by professional designers making a look that appeals to the viewer and not with practical day by day living in mind.

Most of the more upscale designs also require a lot more upkeep...having a maid helps.

 

I suggest you first think about what is best available locally, like not considering decorative tile work if there aren't really any people locally available skilled in doing it.  

 

What kind of room layouts have appealed to you over the years? Large, open spaces with few walls or do you like rooms you can close off and be private with a few nooks and unique spaces.  Do you like the idea of a Japanese style house with few furnishings and simple spaces or do you like comfortable sofas and deep chairs and areas to entertain guests?

Is the design for you alone, you and a partner or you and a partner and some kids as well?  All this factors into the materials you use and how you use space.

 

Let the lifestyle that appeals to you dictate the design.

 

 

 

 

 

[NancyL]

OP, how old are you?  Hubby and I have been married for over 45 years, so I have a very good idea of how we live and what's important.

 

For example, I knew that at our age, it was important to locate our bedroom VERY close to the bathroom, the only room that couldn't be moved.  Also, the bathroom had to be handicap-friendly even though we're still mobile.  I offered a urinal, because Hubby's aim isn't what it used to be and a bidet toilet for me, because reaching behind the toilet for the sprayer is difficult if you have a shoulder injury.

 

In the kitchen, I knew that we like to use multiple appliances for cooking, i.e. instant pot, rice cooker, electric skillet, etc, so no need for a fixed cooktop, but rather lots of power points, a large countertop and good exhaust hood that actually exhausts to the outside.  And a wall-mounted TV to watch while cooking and washing up.

 

Places for the cats to observe.  Turned the balcony into a "catio", with a cat flap so they could come-and-go at will.

 

And storage.  Lots and lots of storage.  Keep the clutter out-of-sight throughout the condo.

 

OP -- think about what's important to you and your family and what will become even more important in the years ahead.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

22 minutes ago, itsari said:

You have to do more than talk to a interior designer you have to pay money up front .

Cant see you doing that as you are concerning yourself about saving money on many posts about this condominium of yours . You were even asking where you can buy tools and materials  at the same price as a tradesman .

Been a tradesman most of my working life and i know one when i see one . 

Good luck 

It's funny what you conclude from my posts.

I don't know where you get the idea from that I don't want to pay or pay just a little. I do pay for professional services and I am willing to pay good money for good service. I don't see a point of hiring somebody cheap and then complaining about bad service/work.

And about tradesmen prices: Festool in Thailand just offered to me 35% discount.

Obviously I also don't want to waste money. I.e. if I buy tiles then I think if I should buy them myself or let a contractor buy them. The contractor might add a substantial amount for nothing, why should I waste that money?

As a tradesman you should know all that.

[OneMoreFarang]

37 minutes ago, tgw said:

if possible, plan in a floor drain in bathroom and kitchen to avoid accidental floods.

Thanks for your whole post and especially that line.

I didn't think about a floor drain in the kitchen but I see your point that it makes sense to have one. And if this is planned in advance then it's no problem to do that. 

[OneMoreFarang]

38 minutes ago, tgw said:

I made a complete 3D architectural model of my condo for the redesign and I found it very helpful.

 

I used a program called "sweet home 3d" where you can also place furniture, size things, and do a virtual 3D walkthrough.

Thanks, I bought already "Home Designer Pro 2022" to do exactly that.

Maybe I should print it on my 3D printer before I (let other people) build it. ???? 

[Lacessit]

Toilet and bathroom facing away from the kitchen, please. A ceiling fan above the king size bed. I prefer tile floors to wood, cooler and easier to keep clean.

Personally, I restrict the kitchen to just boiling, steaming or microwaving. If I want to do frying, grilling or roasting, I do it on the balcony so the smell does not get into everything.

I'm a a minimalist. Those bookshelves would be used for storing non-perishable foodstuffs instead.

[OneMoreFarang]

35 minutes ago, NancyL said:

OP, how old are you?  Hubby and I have been married for over 45 years, so I have a very good idea of how we live and what's important.

 

For example, I knew that at our age, it was important to locate our bedroom VERY close to the bathroom, the only room that couldn't be moved.  Also, the bathroom had to be handicap-friendly even though we're still mobile.  I offered a urinal, because Hubby's aim isn't what it used to be and a bidet toilet for me, because reaching behind the toilet for the sprayer is difficult if you have a shoulder injury.

 

In the kitchen, I knew that we like to use multiple appliances for cooking, i.e. instant pot, rice cooker, electric skillet, etc, so no need for a fixed cooktop, but rather lots of power points, a large countertop and good exhaust hood that actually exhausts to the outside.  And a wall-mounted TV to watch while cooking and washing up.

 

Places for the cats to observe.  Turned the balcony into a "catio", with a cat flap so they could come-and-go at will.

 

And storage.  Lots and lots of storage.  Keep the clutter out-of-sight throughout the condo.

 

OP -- think about what's important to you and your family and what will become even more important in the years ahead.

Thanks, you confirm my thoughts and add some more.

 

I also thought about that problem of getting older and getting out of that bathtub and things like that. I will definitely add some handles to be prepared for old age.

I also read about toilets with are a little higher than usual. Good idea.

 

I like open spaces but I hate bad smell. My Thai girlfriend likes garlic and I don't like that smell. So the kitchen will have a door and a big exhaust to the outside. 

[OneMoreFarang]

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Toilet and bathroom facing away from the kitchen, please.

Yes, that makes sense.

The location of the toilet and kitchen are one of the few things which I don't have to think about. They are where the drains are. And the drain locations are fixed. One thing less to think about.

[RAZZELL]

How big is the condo?

 

Pocket doors are a brilliant invention.

 

I lived in a condo for three years, never used the bath.

 

Having a bath with terrible water pressure is a waste of space.

 

The amazing walk-in shower was used 4 times or more a day.

 

 

RAZZ

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

Pocket doors are a brilliant invention.

I thought about such doors, i.e. for the kitchen.

But then I though it will be difficult to open such a door with both hands full, i.e. carrying a tray.

Do you use those doors? What is your experience? 

[NancyL]

18 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Yes, that makes sense.

The location of the toilet and kitchen are one of the few things which I don't have to think about. They are where the drains are. And the drain locations are fixed. One thing less to think about.

You can tie the kitchen drain into the bathroom drain.  We moved the location of the kitchen from what had been a balcony, but had been enclosed in a previous remodel and converted it back into a balcony, really a catio.  The tile walls in that Thai-style balcony-kitchen were disgusting.  They were relying on open windows and a simple fan for venting and apparently doing a lot of frying in oil.  

 

Now, the kitchen is next to the bathroom.  We installed a new wall next to a bathroom wall with a 12 cm gap.  This permitted the kitchen sink to drain through the bathroom, one hot water heater to service the bathroom sinks and the kitchen sink and the kitchen exhaust hood to be routed through the bathroom ceiling into the bathroom exhaust.  The kitchen is open to the living area and we don't cook anything that the other objects to, but the exhaust hood is very powerful and cooking odors don't linger.  No frying in oil in our home cooking, either.  

 

Edit:  I love sauerkraut and German sausage and Hubby hates the odor.  So, the only time I fix that is when he'll be away for at least 24 hours. 

[RAZZELL]

11 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I thought about such doors, i.e. for the kitchen.

But then I though it will be difficult to open such a door with both hands full, i.e. carrying a tray.

Do you use those doors? What is your experience? 

Had them in a house in the UK. Brilliant.

 

Have to make sure you get a good sliding mechanism and decent handle you can get your fingers in.

 

 

RAZZ

[tgw]

55 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Thanks for your whole post and especially that line.

I didn't think about a floor drain in the kitchen but I see your point that it makes sense to have one. And if this is planned in advance then it's no problem to do that. 

yes, and actually I forgot the toilet(s) / washbasin(s) in the list ????

 

you might like google image search: condo kitchen inner window

 

[Peterw42]

OP, try Index Living Mall stores for inspiration and design.

My Local store in Pattaya (I presume they all do) has mock condos of certain sizes, 40sqm, 60sqm etc. Already built with lots of unique condo specific furniture, storage, fold away beds, shelfs that convert to tables, etc. What they fit into a 40sqm condo is truly amazing. (lots of stuff like the bookshelf/stairs you picture above)

They actually have an inhouse computer design service and install. You can sit with them and do the whole layout, furniture etc.

 

https://www.indexlivingmall.com/design-build/

 

 

[seajae]

mate, you need to work out what colours you are going to use on the walls then match tiles etc to it, then you need to look at what you want the inside to look like, be good if you can get someone from the west that has worked in the building industry to help you design the interior, last thing you want is a thai designing it or picking out colours. You will need to know where all the structural supports/load bearing walls are as well as that will also determine what you can do, suggest you look for a colour you like that is relaxing for your eyes then get tiles etc to match, dont go for the glossy tiles either, open areas are easy to work with but you need to make it so it is comfortable for you.

[Dan O]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Thanks for your whole post and especially that line.

I didn't think about a floor drain in the kitchen but I see your point that it makes sense to have one. And if this is planned in advance then it's no problem to do that. 

Actually putting in floor drains now could be more difficult than you think in a condo. You don't own the floor slab in a condo and depending on building design and construction it may be a pre\ post tension floor slab which may have cables running thru it as part of the main building structure and support.  You would need to contact the building engineer for approval as long (and info) and have the floor x rayed to ensure you don't cut a cable and blow out the side of the building.  (Ask me how I know this) Also if you do add floor drains, use a p trap rather than an adisn stay drain to eliminate odor blowback from the sewer line.