Surapong “Top” Ploensang, 35, freelance film director
Veteran director Surapong “Top” Ploensang, formerly of leading Bangkok production house, Phenomena, moved from a townhouse to this 80-sq-meter apartment in Chokchai 4, which he now says he never wants to leave.
Why revamp an old apartment?
I couldn’t afford a new house where I wanted to live. I didn’t care which one would be a better investment, a house or a condo, just which one would best suit my lifestyle. If I had a 20-year mortgage on a house, I wouldn’t be able to work as a freelancer or take three-month breaks. Plus, I used to live in a townhouse and I realized I don’t like small, vertical spaces. This condo has a great floor plan and is close to where I work.
What did you want for the design of this space?
I told the designer I need a place where I can spend the whole day without needing to go out. The easy part was adding the things I love—films, books, music—while the hard part was picking colors and finding a design that makes everything fit together. Most of the furniture you see here is from my old townhouse, collected piece by piece over many years from Y50 and One of a Kind—as well as Habitat, before it closed down. The design had to match those pieces.
What’s the best thing about living in an older condo?
It’s true that buildings depreciate with time, but if it’s built properly then the life cycle should be around 40 years, and this condo is only 10 years old. New condos certainly don’t mean better materials. You often see a lot of cracks on the exterior whitewash even when a building is just one year old.
Any problems during your renovation?
I worked with a good interior designer, Pongsakorn Kitkajornpong. He took care of everything, working on site with the contractor. I’ve heard a lot about people’s problems with contractors, but it was fine for me. But it can be more expensive to renovate a condo than a house because of restrictions on working hours and building codes.
Property: P.Thana Tower (approx. 10 years old), Lad Phrao Soi 58/1 Room type: 1 bedroom (80 sq meters) Room price: approx B2 million Renovation budget: approx B1 million (excl. furniture)
Supachai “Art” Pechry, 31, Freelance stylist
Pichai Apartment in the Dusit area, west of Victory Monument, is a popular spot for artists and designers. One member of its community is Supachai “Art” Pechry, a freelance stylist, and Christofer Martin who, on a budget of just B10,000, has made an inviting home from an aging space.
How did you join this community?
I was living in a studio on Ekkamai when I still worked full time. Going freelance meant I needed more space to stock all my props as well as space for a small office set-up. I wasn’t sure about this building at first since it’s so old, but I had a friend living here who said that the owner was flexible about renovations.
Why not a new condo?
Personally, I don’t really like condo living but most of the houses I can afford are located very far from the city center. I really like the floor plan here because it was originally designed as a suite of rooms for UN officers. The building looks more like a low-rise house than an apartment.
How much thought went into the renovation?
I didn’t really design anything at first—I only needed space for my props. I spent just B10,000 on renovation, for new paintings and to rearrange some of the space. After that, the props I use for work became the perfect decoration.
What’s the best thing about living in an old building?
I don’t see the same attention to wind and light direction in new condos. I also have a huge balcony—five meters long and 1.5 meters wide—which I’m sure you can only find in an old place.
Condo name: Pichai Apartment (20 years old) Room type: 2 bedroom (100 sq meters) Rental price: approx B16,000 per month Renovation budget: approx B10,000
