I’m back! After a month of traveling around Thailand I feel rested, refreshed, and ready to tackle all sorts of design projects. I really needed a break and am so thankful to all those who helped to man the blog while I was away. I hope you enjoyed the guest posts by Leigh & Rachel, Mitchell, Katherine, Ivan, and Kim. Thanks so much you guys!
I took this holiday looking for rest and relaxation and came home full of ideas and inspiration. Thailand is a beautiful and diverse country; the chaos of Bangkok, the low key North and the picturesque South. We started our adventure in Bangkok which, I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I’d like. I was convinced that it would be a big dirty city that I wouldn’t want to spend much time in but I was so wrong! Bangkok is a fascinating and inspiring city. There’s an amazing contrast between the older shops and markets at street level and the shining new development rising up all around. The old Bangkok is full of colour, texture and pattern and new developments play off of this with innovative contemporary design. Both are a feast for the eyeballs and I couldn’t stop snapping pictures of old world details, and new world design features.
Throughout our travels we visited historic sites, tropical jungle, and small villages but we also spent time in rushing cities, stunning museums, and high-design shopping centers. Everywhere we went offered it’s own unique design elements and you could see how the Thai culture strives for and supports both innovation and protection of tradition.
The temples throughout Thailand are full of historic textures and patterns;
While the city of Bangkok has adapted that colour, pattern and repetition for every day life.
I have tons more stuff to share with you including some gorgeous contemporary spaces, an amazing resource for the design community, and some talented Thai entrepreneurs who are bringing ‘handmade’ back to Thailand. Stay tuned!