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A lifetime in the making, creative director Rom Sangkavatana's family home in Bangkok is a sleek, art-filled haven that celebrates authenticity

- Kissa Castañeda

For as long as Rom Sangkavatana can remember, he always had a drive to create. “Since I was little, I wanted to express myself, and I did that mostly through art and design,” says the Bangkok-based creative director of Rom Design, who is also the founder of Townhouse Space, a talent agency, concept store and gallery.

Any Asian from a conservative family can probably relate to the fact that a career in the arts isn’t always encouraged. For Sangkavatana, whose family is involved in property and aviation businesses in Thailand, there was an expectation that he would follow a traditional professional path.

“I think I was lucky that they allowed me to go on this risky journey,” he says about his parents being supportive of his decision to pursue a creative career. His design journey started in earnest as a student at the prestigious Central St. Martins in London, where he studied graphic design. He also earned a Master’s Degree from The Bartlett, University College London, and spent some time working in the UK and in France. Living in Europe was a formative period in his life, and this experience continues to influence his work and outlook.