The terrace view offers a lush terrain overlooking Tagbilaran Bay with a cluster of mid-century chairs.
The centerpiece of the dining room is a solid wood table with a rustic aesthetic complemented by an abaca carpet.
The living room features a mid-century wooden sofa in sand coloured upholstery with a distinctive horizontal slat design on the back of the wooden frame accented by two giant capiz shell lamps.
A rectangular infinity-edge pool has components of an integrated hot tub at a higher elevation surrounded by dense tropical vegetation.
The master bedroom en suite has a four poster bed with geometric lines in contrast with the floor treatment of polished concrete hand painted in tropical colors.
The modernist living room characterized by an open concept with a staircase incorporating wooden steps.
Emma Gomez’s design ethos fosters a serene environment drawing inspiration from her constant travels.
The young couple had done their research before consulting Architect Dave Pastrano; they were able to give him a clear description of how they wanted the house to look. It was a plan that actually coincided with what the architect himself had imagined for the property in Maria Luisa Estate Park.
From the start of the project, Lesley and his wife Ivy Lim were receptive to the architect ’s suggestions. The whole design process took about three months, with the goal of producing a highly contemporary house in glass—one with a timeless appeal through the clever use of exposed I-beams, straight lines of wood and metal accenting the ceilings and hallways, and glass walls providing transparency and allowing in abundant natural light.
Complementing this design now are the homeowners’ stylish furnishings and lighting fixtures sourced from Hong Kong. However, the piece de resistance is an imposing, custom-made, and beaten-copper-and-steel chandelier by Davao artist Ann Pamintuan, and it hangs in the center of the house.
Entry to the two-story house is gained through a spectacular nine-foot door made of wood, glass, and metal added by the architect. But even before reaching the door, the visitor passes through Pastrano’s work that can only be described as an “art installation” of water features. With the additional elements of earth and wood, it is indeed a grand prelude to what lies inside the house.
The entrance leads to two stairways—one leads to the bedrooms upstairs and the other, to the service area below. The living room, the dining room, and the kitchen, all with extensive views of the city, are on the same level as the family room and the home-theater. The walls of the last are specially padded for great acoustics, to complete the advantage of a state-of-the-art entertainment system and leather lounge chairs.
DETAILS
With its wooden walls, neutral palette, custom-made floor-to-ceiling headboard, and private access to the infinity pool and the gardens, the guest room is unexpectedly simple. There is no need for further ornamentation; the interior is, in fact, constantly relating to the surrounding landscape as it opens to a water feature and a pocket garden teeming with bamboo. The traditional elements of earth, wood, and water and spectacular vistas create a harmonious atmosphere for a tranquil dwelling—all for the owners, their children, and their children’s children to enjoy for years to come. The house is an example of how a relationship between an architect and a client can work well to achieve the visions of both.