THROUGH THE DOORS OF BILL BENSLEY’S MAGICAL HOME

AN INTRODUCTION

Globally renowned architect and interior designer Bill Bensley is known for his “the odder, the better” philosophy. The Bangkok-based designer has designed over 200 properties in 30 plus countries, including the world’s first edible golf course at Belle Mont Farm, St. Kitts, Art Deco-inspired boutique hotel, The Siam, Capella Ubud, and the Shinta Mani Wild Tented Camp in Cambodia.

The Good life Guru, Sustainability Sage, Hospitality Hero, and all-round Design Darling - Bill Bensley is a lover of all things whimsical, wild, and wacky. Raised in California, the Harvard graduate took off for Asia upon graduation and after working in Hong Kong and Singapore, set up BENSLEY in Bali in 1990. Assisted by a team of 150 interior designers, architects, landscape designers, and artists, as well as his partner – designer and horticulturist Jirachai Rengthong, Bensley has become known for integrating sustainability in all his designs.

BAAN BOTANICA

A luxurious oasis of tropical flora, a cornucopia of colour, texture, and styles – Baan Botanica is a fertile ground for Bill’s most bizarre design experiments.
An epitome of statement interior design, maximalism is a design movement that only the bravest can attempt. When it comes to the non-conformist style, each element exists with a purpose and is impressive in its own right. And Bill Bensley’s home in the outskirts of downtown Bangkok does just that. Lovingly named “Baan Botanica”, or botanical house – in tribute to the 1500 species of plants housed therein, Bill and Jirachai’s home is a luxurious oasis of tropical flora, a cornucopia of colour, texture and a rich tapestry of design styles inspired by the couple’s exotic travels. A fertile ground for the designer’s most quirky experiments, Baan Botanica also is the home for Bill’s infamous themed parties.

Going from temple beauty to exotic observatory to greenhouse-chic elegance, Baan Botanica is a motley combination where levity weds with serious art in a maximalist clash of cultures.

The entrance to Baan Botanica is embarked through whimsical blue doors inspired by Bali.
“I was more intrigued by the name of the owner than the house itself!” Bill reminisces, as he talks about how he bought the house from an American named Billy Bones. “I feel lucky that my Baan Botanica is a wilderness in itself and is constantly evolving, so I do not feel the need to get out of Bangkok too often – I have a jungle on my doorstep!”Bill reiterates about the ever-evolving wonderland that is his home.
Going from high temple beauty to exotic observatory elegance to greenhouse-chic pageantry, Baan Botanica is a motley combination where levity weds with serious antiques and precious art in a maximalist clash of cultures. With a staggering collection spanning Afghani window frames, Indian deities, and Indonesian art, in addition to the innumerable sculptures, curios, and textiles from every corner of Asia, Baan Botanica boasts myriad objects adorning every corner collected over years of travelling.

“The veranda, for me, is the sweet spot. From there I can see every coming and going, set up my easel and paint away. I love everything about the house. It’s my sounding board, my refuge, my touchstone”, says Bill.

THE SECRET GARDEN 

The gardens flow naturally from elegant English lawns to Balinese water garden styles seamlessly, embodying an almost cinematic feel. 
A gifted artist, Bill loves to paint while sitting in his gardens or his outdoor studio with an incredible view of the lush flora collected from the niches of Southeast Asia. The gardens themselves follow his art as they flow naturally from elegant English lawns to Balinese water garden styles seamlessly, embodying an almost cinematic feel. All of the fertilizer used therein is made up of kitchen waste and leaves, shredded and composted.

Stone figurines, Victorian-era cast iron objects, vintage suitcases, old typewriters, and taxidermy art adorn the grounds and interiors of Baan Botanica.
“Baan Botanica is a fusion of things that we put together from different cultures and places…the shape of the blue garden gate, for example, comes from Bali. The lion sculpture on top is from Portugal”, says Jirachai. Creativity overflows from the lush gardens with their sculptural ornaments, including fountains, pavilions, pergolas, gates and pagodas, into the second plot which features the two-storey main house. 

Stone figurines, Victorian-era cast iron objects, vintage suitcases, old typewriters, and taxidermy art adorn the grounds and interiors of Baan Botanica.
“Baan Botanica is a fusion of things that we put together from different cultures and places…the shape of the blue garden gate, for example, comes from Bali. The lion sculpture on top is from Portugal”, says Jirachai. Creativity overflows from the lush gardens with their sculptural ornaments, including fountains, pavilions, pergolas, gates and pagodas, into the second plot which features the two-storey main house. 

Bill’s studio situated amid the gardens echoes a whimsical aesthetic with its tall floor lamps, ornamental sculptures, and Gothic columns. 
Flanked by a massive veranda that wraps around the breadth of the home, the labyrinthine mansion features three rooms, each distinct by its own eclectic personality. For example, the Bonnet suite has a bed made of a repurposed pool table, and an Indian-style webbing wedged between its beams. The walls are adorned with exceptional portraiture art from Rudolf Bonnet, a Dutch artist who painted Indonesian people for most of his life.

The Bonnet suite has a bed made of a repurposed pool table, and a stack of luggage collected from a Parisian flea market. The walls are adorned with exceptional portraiture art from Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet.
“I’m intrigued by nature’s artistry and the nobility found in humble pieces shaped by the caress of time”, Bill says of the several everyday objects including birdcages, chicken baskets, and pottery items, displayed around the veranda. Here, guests linger around the alfresco entertaining spaces, adorned with brilliant tropical orchids and vivid home textiles.
The master bedroom showcases a bed with a headboard that spawns a historic tale – a board that is part of an archway from the Dutch Embassy in Yangon, with two yellow lions painted in vivid detail on it. “We figured it was probably from around 1910, and we were really lucky to get it”, Bill reminisces.

The master bedroom features a headboard made out of a royal crest that was part of the Dutch Embassy in Yangon.
A sum of its outstanding pieces, each room is built around a smorgasbord of individual components. Chock-full of eclectic, oversized, and sculptural objects which are as directional as its furniture, the space transcends trends in an almost elemental way. 

Colour and texture exist throughout the space in a beautiful skirmish of design.
There’s hardly a surface untouched by pattern in this maximalist haven made by combining contrasting motifs which are cohesive, full of life without being overbearing. Geometrics, gestural motifs and patterns co-exist in this surreal sensory experience. 
And sustainability exists in permutation with Bill’s whimsical design almost in tandem. “Long before sustainability became a buzzword, I trained first and foremost as a landscape architect. The influence is very much how we design architecture in that design should be made to lighten our step on Earth”, Bill explains. 
As Bill often says, “My main purpose in life besides having as much fun as possible, is to help the needy, animals, and the planet through conservation.”
SHOP WITH TASTEMAKER BILL BENSLEY

Fun with function. Jack of all trades, designer extraordinaire – Bill Bensley handpicks his favourites from The House Of Things capturing his love for sustainability, all things natural, and over and above, surreal escapist dreams. 
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