I thought to myself, as I walked through the exquisite Villa Kinkala in the Sankamphaeng area, south-east of Chiang Mai, just how much I would want to decorate it in the style of the designer, the dark wood furniture, flowing fountains, the bird cages and the antique statuary galore from Europe and Asia. This superlative villa is like a large, hand-carved banquet table, ready to be set with that most special of meals.
Villa Kinkala and its surrounding land is certainly one of the premier properties in the north. It consist of one main building and a separate guests/servants building, and a sizeable 21,000 square meter of landscaped water-rich gardens. This villa would be ideal for a private and serene homestead, in the words of the English Poet Thomas Gray, "far from the madding crowd"
Villa Kinkala, symmetrical of design consist in alternating chambers and sunlit red-brick areas, amid the cool of alandscaped, surrounding lake. The house is rich in fountains and open-air sitting and dining areas, the better to appreciate one's surroundings.
Two figures frame the front door. These Buddha horses' were only a taste the things to come. A collection of antiques that seemed to span everywhere from Burma to China and the length of Europe from Spain to Russia. Each room has taken on a different feel, European in some cases with dark wood and Spanish paintings, Asian art with Buddha images ors a comprehensive array of Christian statues and paintings.
A marvelous collection of birds, peacocks and black swans, greeted us about every corner. The birdsong formed a natural musical accompaniment for out tour. The owners pointed out the layout of the building and the designs and symmetry which were carried over from one side to the other. One particular design that was used consistently is a star-like carving that appears above every doorway.
Another piece that will always remain intact is the carved Burmese chandelier holder above the entrance, at the base of a huge metal chandelier, which required the efforts of over a dozen men lifting and setting. Surely, this is one of the more impressive pieces in the house, with less astute visitors might not even notice, and flushed into the ceiling above them as they wipe their feet on the welcoming carpet.
There are high ceilings throughout the building, which provide a nice sense of ventilation and natural air-conditioning. This classic sense doesn't preclude the latest in electric accoutrements and a large gourmet kitchen area. Although it was early in the day, I could see the lamps about the house and could well imagine the beauty of the house at night, with the surrounding floodlighting and shadows.
Our tour came to an end with a coffee break underneath the Burmese piece which had been lifted into place by a dozen men. My eyes and ears appreciated the comfort and the beauty and at the skill used in building and decorating this estate... and of course the bird songs in the distant. How lucky would be the one who tries the re-setting of this finely carved banquet table of Villa Kinkala.

In Thailand you can really let your imagination free and possibilities for building a dream house are almost limitless. Your money goes much further and the range of materials and styles offer all sorts of exciting choices to create a wonderful tropical villa or mansion.
Villa Kinkala is an Andalusian-styled residence which boasts multiple courtyards, numerous relaxation patios, a pool, four spacious living rooms each decorated in a different world style, and no less than four separate guest quarters The house sits in a peaceful lakeside area with low hills as a backdrop. It's the kind of retreat that only the super wealthy or privileged could afford.
Each of the living rooms has an exquisite collection of antique or classical furniture from all four continents, items carefully collected for several decades. One room entirely filled with Asian pieces including antique teak chairs from Vietnam, art from Thailand, porcelain from Yunnan and Buddhist sculptures from Burma. In another you find yourself in Morocco and North Africa, while a third is decorated with classical Spanish art including an ancient life-sized crucified Jesus hanging on the wall. The attention to detail truly is impressive.
Villa Kinkala is a personal museum and gallery dedicated to the art of imagination, but even without the furniture and art, it has a unique atmosphere. With so many living areas privacy is assured and the symmetrical design, centred on a series of inter-connecting courtyards, guarantees plenty of natural light and a cool breeze. Each of the courtyards is a quiet oasis filled with palms and tinkering fountains. By designing the house with four different living areas they have created a choice of places to relax according the play of the sun throughout the day.
But perhaps the most unique character of the house is that they have imported foreign ideas and broken with the tradition of Lanna and Thai-styled finishing’s. Instead of teak floors they have opted for a cool sand-wash floor, the pillars are loose face brick and the finishing are Moorish in appearance. The kitchen resembles that of a European farm house and the courtyards are traditional Mediterranean in character. Self contained and suitably large, one never needs to leave this peaceful environment and it certainly is far enough from the bustle of Chiang Mai to be considered a rural country retreat.