Wouldn't it be nice to have your own island pad, a mondo condo, a beautiful beach bungalow, a happening hideaway, a killer castle right here in tropical Southeast Asia? This may be the all-time, number-one fantasy of the entire human race. Living the dream — an idyllic life on a tropical island paradise, swinging in your hammock sipping on ice-cold coconut juice, gentle waves lapping the shoreline...

With modern technology and transport, many people now live or retire to new homes far from home. Buying or building a home in an exotic foreign paradise is not an impossible dream. It is cortainly possible. Life on Phuket can be idyllic. The beauty and charm of the island, the weather, the food, the friendliness of the locals, short flights to other Asian cities — there are plenty of reasons why we choose to live here.

It's rumoured that there are up to 15,000 expats living on Phuket at any one time. They come from all over the globe and all walks of life. Many came for a holiday and never left. Some left, but hurried back as fast as their legs could carry them. Some come for their careers, while others simply sail in as young adventurers. Some of these "yachtie bums" are now successful entrepreneurs with young families of their own. There are multi-millionaires, sailors, writers and artists, escapees from the jungles of New York and London — you'll meet them all. There are fascinating characters with great stories to tell. And they all have one thing in common. No matter the budget, they live in style — Phuket style.

What is Phuket style? The island is fertile ground for the seeds of many cultural expressions. From northern Thai Lanna influences, to a dash of the Mediterranean here and a dash of Bali there, mixed with nouveau French-Asian chic — anything goes, and it's all available on Phuket. What ties it all together is the presence and strength of the cultural aesthetic that was here first: Thai style. Most of the architecture on Phuket, even modern architecture, will have its share of Thai influences. Thai style itself is in fact a composite of Indochinese influences, including contributions from the Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Khmer peoples. Even earlier Western influences, starting with the Portuguese and eventually including the French and English, have left their mark in previous centuries. Nevertheless, Thai style has something elusive, definite, and exclusive unto itself.

Often easier to recognize than to describe, Thai-style architecture can juxtapose complicated ornament and sweeping curves rising heavenwards with severe almost reverential, adherence to straight-line geometry. You begin to see this contrasting phenomenon in many other aspects of life here. You find it in the art, the textiles of hand-woven silks and cottons, the food and cooking utensils, and even in the political rhetoric of the daily news. It seems, sometimes, that the mysterious consensus of Thai culture is that whimsy makes the perfect topping for restraint. Stay a while, and you may see it too — the bed of rice is inflexible, something you don't really mess with, but what you can put on top of it is bounded only by the imagination.

Everything is availasle here, from authentic wooden northern-Thai or Balinese pavilions to sleek, modern concrete-and-glass designs. but be warned. Owners have often spent much time with architects and builders, and only then discovered the need for equal attention to interiors that harmonize with the overall design of their homes. For those unfamiliar with the cultures of Southeast Asia, it's easy to confuse Chinese, northern Thai, Burmese, Cambodian and Vietnamese furniture, sculpture, textiles and design motifs. Some prefer to mix all these elements; others choose to consult a knowledgeable interior designer to help ensure that their new home has authentic (and fairly-priced) interior decor selections.

Where do we begin on our mission to determine the interior design of your very own tropical residence? Will your decor be a fusion of East and West, modern and ancient? Or will it embrace traditional Thai style and culture? Do you like neutral colours, organic and simple, or wild, warm, vibrant mango, rich red silks and avocado pillows? Will your hideaway have a courtyard garden with pools, waterfalls and jungle orchids? Like the locals, do you appease the spirits with your very own spirit house among the lily ponds?

Perhaps you prefer your home sparse and minimal, with long lines and spaces for the eyes to scan. Maybe intimate spaces are more your style, revealing treasures as you explore your castle. What kinds of material are available for flooring — natural stone, ceramics, Australian slate, marble, hardwood? Will you want to bring lush tropical plant life inside, or have a low-maintenance Zen rock garden? What kind of artwork? Are you fond of paintings, carved wood, flat stark walls, huge vases, hung tapestries? What about the furniture — minimalist modern, antique teak, giant overstuffed sitting pillows and fishnet hammocks, polished steel and glass?

Three of the islands most prominent interior designers told Phuket Magazine how they approach their work:

Sonia Seery was born in Argentina, but the demand for her extraordinary design talent has led her around the globe on a career most people's fantasies couldn't match. Sonia is a one-woman international tour de force in both design skills and personality. She currently heads up her own high-end design enterprise known as Andaman Property Furniture and Interior Design. Luckily for us, it is based right here in Phuket.

Malida "Chompoo" Vaidyanuvatti heads up the youthful, talented Thai design group known as Be Gray, and is turning heads on Koh Lanta island with two of the most beautiful resort interiors anywhere in Thailand — Twin Lotus and Sri Lanta resorts

Sanya Phetchnil, of Inbred.dp Design group is another young Thai designer quickly climbing to the top of his trade. He's currently working with the Blue Canyon Golf Course Resort to renovate part of their spectacular clubhouse.

What constitutes the heart of a beautiful home — is it the kitchen, living room or the master bedroom? Is it the bathrooms? Interestingly, for both of our native Thai designers the answer was the same.

Chompoo put it this way: "It is the courtyard; the transition of the living space into the outside world, the natural light and the elegance of waterfalls, pools, plants and leisure furniture." For globetrotter Sonia, it was definitely the entrance: "The front door represents the gateway of your welcome into a home, your very first impression and also represents your security when it seals you inside. It should be spectacular, solid, old — if possible — and it should open into a foyer with wonderful plants and lovely accommodation for the coats, hats, and other belongings of your guests."

In terms of overall style, both the Thai natives share a "less is more" approach. Careful to leave a lot of room for the eye, the designs are sparse, minimalist. Chompoo's flair is for the fusion of old and new. "I'm fond of contrasts. For instance, I like to feature something very old in a modern setting". She also favours straight lines, and likes to play with angles more than curves. "I think curves can inhibit your view through the space, and that can detract from the overall comfort and security. I guess it may have something to do with my culture's belief in ghosts. But I like the feeling of a longer view and seeing all the way through my designs". She also enjoys accenting the natural properties of the materials she works with, and finds inspiration in exposing elements most would cover up — for instance, leaving an old building to proudly expose its age and underpinnings — as a tribute to an older way of doing things right in the midst of all that is modern.

Sanya likes to keep space open too, but he has some bold ways of creating intimacy within that open feeling. "I like a modern, clean and minimalist feeling, and I like to integrate that with views of nature. I think design is part of every facet of life. Everything is a choice, even the way we breathe is by design". Notwithstanding Sanya's affinity for the ultra-mod, his work is really a great example of that "restraint and whim" theme which arguably dates back to the earliest periods of Thai history: he's modern and minimalist but somehow restrained in a way reminiscent of the ancients. Now, as then, he will add a bold flight of fancy so delightful it can't fail to evoke a smile. His is the evolving expression of Thai style.

Sonia, true to her own heart, favours the creation of warmth. Her designs showcase a mature sense of elegance and comfort and tend to reveal themselves as you explore. She likes a blend of curves and straight lines. Sonia can spout great rules of thumb for you: "Don't overuse texture; a quality feeling is 70 percent smooth with 30 percent texture," or "Don't over-use colour, especially in the living space; let the colours in the clothing of your guests have room to flourish and fill the space. Otherwise the feeling is crowded," and "I always use warm colours in the bedrooms". She often uses varying tones and shades of the same colour to create a subtle neutrality. But she can also be very decisive with accent colour choices and themes: "I will sometimes match the colours if the garden has wonderful flowers". An expert in antiques, she also likes to allude to times past, and is careful to showcase ornate textures by encasing them in simplicity. She's got a thing for front doors, and is known to hunt down, restore, refinish, and add her signature style to them.

All three agree that nature has to be incorporated into a beautiful design, and, while they differ in the means to address this issue, The bottom line is: It's up to you! It's all here, all the resources, the talent, the materials and the inspiration. Not to mention the phone numbers to put you in touch. And this writer hopes to get invited for a drink when you finish decorating. As the old saying goes : "You only live once". So go ahead and live your dream!