My Thai Traditional House
After moving to Thailand in February 2025, I spent one week in Bangkok, then made my way to Chiang Mai. I stayed in a hotel for a month before moving into this newly built Thai traditional home, just one week after it was completed.
The original plan was to move to Bangkok, either into a penthouse or a house. That later shifted to a villa in Hang Dong. But none of those plans felt right. They were all things I thought would align with my lifestyle back home. Then I saw this Thai house while it was still being built, and everything changed. What drew me in most was that it was new and no one had lived in it yet. There was also enough space to grow a garden. The thought of gardening is what truly sold me.
This house is nestled within a village inside another village in Chiang Mai, surrounded by locals. It sits behind its own gate, offering a sense of security and peace.
What I love most is that the contractor who built the house also made the beds, dining table and chairs, and closets by hand. The craftsmanship is beautiful, from the cement and wood walls to the cement and wood floors.
At first glance, it reminded me of my grandmother’s house in the South. The stained glass in the upstairs entrance and hallway reminds me of Baptist churches from home.
The view is more rural than I’m used to, but I love looking out from the bedroom or bathroom window onto the crops.
Although I enjoy a good bathtub, the showers here are open-air. It feels incredibly freeing to be in the shower, looking out the window at a sunrise or sunset, surrounded by the natural sounds of cicadas, birds, and roosters.
All of the window widely open. The kitchen and downstairs bathroom and bedroom have open windows, without glass. Rainy days are indescribable. It is like living in an outdoor house.
With a deck, a downstairs porch, and an extended outdoor living area, there are so many ways to relax and entertain.
Every day in this home feels like a vacation. It has the feeling of a long, peaceful camping trip. Thai traditional homes typically don’t include full kitchens, which I hadn’t considered at first. I plan on using the outdoor space as an extension of the kitchen and gradually adding new pieces to the kitchen make it more functional.
This house has become a huge part of my pivot. Almost everything I originally planned for my move has shifted. Living here has pushed me to slow down, understand Thai culture more deeply, form relationships with locals, and release many of the concerns I brought with me from America.
The plan was to stay for one year. It’s almost been four months, and now it seems like this Thai traditional home may be home for another year.
Pivoting can bring about unexpected surprises. Moving into this home has been one of the most beautiful ones.
Continue to follow my journey.
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