Part 4: Upgrade your Choices
A. Create different moods with lighting. The use of warm colored indirect lighting such as lamps, colored LED back lights, or even string lights can create a cozy and relaxing vibe after a day’s work.
Beautiful lighting can transform a small modern apartment.
B.) Convert to smart home systems. From door locks, CCTV cameras, you’ll also be able to control and turn on lights, appliances even if you’re away from home. All you need is a wifi connection and the applications on your mobile phone.
Smart phone apps can also control lights and home appliances.
C.) Hire a professional interior designer. We always get an impression that hiring a professional would be expensive, but they actually help you make the best choices and save you from making bad purchases.
Go over design options and your color palette with a professional interior designer to get better results and save more.
IDr. Christa M. Cañizares, piid
Founding Member, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers – Cebu Chapter
Principal Designer, CMC Interior Design
Specializes in residential and commercial design.
A homebody and renovation aficionado.
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Part 2: Create Visual Interest
A.) Update your space with a fresh coat of paint. Some would love the white / minimalist theme, but one must also not be afraid to make a bold statement and have an accent wall, or even a wall mural.
A new coat of paint can add that bold accent to your kitchen or room.
B.) Mix materials and textures to create depth and contrast. Wallpaper is an amazing decorative material that you can use for an instant upgrade. Another inexpensive approach is to use patterns and texture on soft furnishings such as curtains, pillows and sheets.
A right mix of fabrics and textures gives an earthy color palette that sophisticated feel.
C.) Setting up a coffee station, bar carts, vinyl corner, or workstation seems to be a trend to the young professionals nowadays. Add functional pieces that serve as décor at the same time.
Your personal work space can show off your favorite items and will be your inspiration to be productive.
IDr. Christa M. Cañizares, piid
Founding Member, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers – Cebu Chapter
Principal Designer, CMC Interior Design
Specializes in residential and commercial design.
A homebody and renovation aficionado.
Perhaps it’s a true sign of the times that most of the world—and the industries that thrive in it—have gone digital. There is an influx of information that now keep people constantly aware of what’s new, whether it’s the front row coverage from fashion weeks or real-time updates of the goings-on in the stock markets.
The design industry is one that has certainly benefitted from this digital dissemination. Designers, artists and craftsmen can now showcase their creations to the world with a few clicks and uploads online. There is, however, a caveat—for all the admiration that a photographed item can get, truly appreciating design requires a more sensory, holistic experience.
A curated design website, COVET Lounge is all about bringing relationships and connections back into the industry. Putting together brands, personalities and field experts, COVET Lounge presents the likes of Boca do Lobo, Circu, Koket and Maison Valentina—names that are associated with a luxurious design experience.
In order to properly showcase their roster of fine brands, COVET Lounge has showrooms around the world that allow their patrons to experience the product, but their recent venture brings that encounter to a whole new level.
“Our mission is to give a unique experience to visitors,” says Ricardo Magalhães, COVET Lounge’s co-founder and head of interior design. “More than a common showroom, we want our exclusive guests—which consist of a VIP list including the world’s top designers—not only to see our products live, but also to enter the unique world of each one of those brands and experience them through all the five senses. What we really want to celebrate is design.”
This unique world was created in the COVET House Douro, a new standard for luxury villas. The COVET House sits on the bank of the Douro River in Portugal, about 15 minutes from Porto’s historical center. The traditionally built manor evokes nostalgia for its noble past, while the terrace and swimming pool offer sweeping views of the river and the town beyond it.
Bringing together the old world charm of the structure with the modern elegance of its brands is what makes the COVET House such an incredible residence. There is a contrast to the various styles present in the house—feminine and masculine, soft and strong, vintage and contemporary. An example of such a setup can be found in one of the living areas, where a stone fireplace (covered up with a solid slab of wood) and clay tile floors are elevated with a pair of velvet sofas with gold accents and a stunning chandelier that holds it all together.
The effect is far from over-the-top, however—the house has a sort of insouciance that makes the tableaus feel effortlessly chic, while large floor-to-ceiling windows flood the rooms with natural light for an airy feel. The ornamented high ceilings further enhance its breeziness, which then serves to frame the various rooms.
The four bedrooms are done in different themes, and furnished to showcase certain brands. The master bedroom, for one, highlights Boca do Lobo, a Portuguese luxury furniture brand that specializes in uniquely designed and well-handcrafted pieces. Their room in the COVET House is punctuated by black lacquer and gold leaf for a decadent and seductive atmosphere. With its retro influences, the next room is a collaboration between Essential Home and DelightFULL, the former showcasing furniture with Mod-inspired elements and the latter offering artisanal mid-century lighting designs. The glamorous metallic pieces are grounded by white walls accents, and further enhanced by black details.
Its tagline being “Design Forces,” BRABBU is a brand that takes inspiration from nature, creating pieces that are as much a showcase of its materials as it is a functional piece of furniture.
Known for their empowering and dramatic statement pieces, Koket created a bedroom suite that encapsulates an opulent lifestyle. In shades of black and blue, a private living room creates an air of privacy and relaxation, which is complemented by the large windows and a Buddha statue. The bedroom itself features an indulgent rabbit throw on the Kelly bed, and a pair of pink Gem table lamps for a soft glow.
Maison Valentina created the bathrooms with almost whimsical design pieces and marble fittings. The result is refined spaces for a singular bath time experience.
Offering a complete design experience, the COVET House successfully brings together the historic and the contemporary by gathering today’s artisanal brands into a villa with a heritage. And although it may be well and good to admire its charms on your computer screen, COVET Lounge reassures you this space is something you’d have to see with your own eyes to truly appreciate.
There’s an art to being able to put together antiques, trinkets and an array of accessories accumulated over the years. Decorating a space with such items require taste, style, class and an appreciation for history, and it’s something not everyone can achieve. After all, not every decorated home gets the oohs and aahs of admiration you want to achieve. In fact, some run the risk of looking dowdy or over-the-top— a mismatch of themes and items that start to look like it belongs on an episode of Hoarders.
That’s definitely no problem for Carmina Mapa-del Rosario, who has the gift of knowing what is needed to spruce a space and how to make a simple item stand out as an accent piece. Born into a family of serious antique collectors and connoisseurs of historical pieces, Carmina developed an appreciation for art while watching her mother Pachot Mapa purchase exquisite pieces. “I remember our many trips abroad, where we would scour through markets in France, China and Bangkok for personal knickknacks,” she recalls. “I also remember dealers selling blue and white porcelain, who would come to the house with their wares. She would inspect each jar or plate meticulously and bargain for it, and later on she would have the plates certified by the National Museum. It was actually a lot like growing up in a mini museum. My mom has been in the art and furniture business for 30 years. She loved to be surrounded by pieces with their own histories.”
The family is the one behind Old Asia, one of the first to offer a retail antique showroom to a discreet and discriminating clientele. It trained her in the business of marketing and customer relations. “It came very naturally to me, since I am my mom’s only daughter and even while I had a position as vice president in Ogilvy & Mather Philippines, I also sat on the board of Old Asia.” It’s something that she hasn’t shaken even until today, when she considers her travels an opportunity for the acquisition of rare finds for her own home. “Traveling is my passion and to this day, I still visit museums and flea markets to pick up ideas and things that I need for my own home.”
After making the move to Davao from New York, the family settled into a renovated townhouse while she set up her restaurant Bangkok Wok and her catering business Crazy Cook. It seemed apparent that while the business grew, the kitchen cum commissary needed to expand in order to make her special sauces and have enough space for all the catering equipment. After a few years of waiting, the house in Insular Village was vacated by the tenants and her in-laws invited the family of three—Carmina, her husband Raffy and son Iago—to move into the house.
It came as no surprise that Carmina would turn the residence into a beautiful showroom of fine pieces, where both history and art are fused into a mix of aesthetic elegance. The process was no easy feat though. “It was a long and lengthy process. I knew I had to retain and keep the original capiz windows so I had to work around that, which proved to be challenging. I also had to prioritize changing the electrical and plumbing. I worked very closely with my contractor Jun Tan for everything.”
It takes a keen eye and vivid imagination to decide what needs to be refurbished and refinished, as well as picture what the final look will be like. Of course, Carmina already had a theme and color palette in mind. “The original divider was in the middle and painted mahogany. I decided to keep it, but split in half, pushed to the sides and lacquered black to match the bannister and front door. It adds character to the dining room,” she explains. “The wrought iron flower flights are from the Mascunana’s 1960’s house. One was in the main foyer and the other on top of a sitting area. I pulled them out, and decided to paint them red and use it in the dining room.” She even recreated a dramatic look for the foyer wall. “In lieu of ordinary paint or wallpaper, I had my painter use sinamay to spray-stencil the web-like pattern,” she reveals.
Without destroying the main shell of the house, Carmina maintained its best features while converting the interior into her family’s personal living space. “Every piece in the house means something to me. Every item, every room, every nook and cranny is filled with items or pieces that remind me of a trip or a time in my life,” she enthuses. “Each item has its own story to tell. When I walk into my house, I see the narra and mahogany console that I inherited from my lola. I see throw pillows that I bought in a flea market. I see bowls that bring memories of childhood spent in Sweden. I see a painting that makes me smile.”
There is no particular label for Carmina’s decorating style, and she believes that no one should even try. “I pretty much mix everything up, and I always find myself rearranging. Furnishing and decorating is a never-ending process. I am not even done with my own home.” Throughout the home are several conversation pieces, most of which have been passed down from family or purchased on a trip. “I collect things from my travels, like these toile pillowcases which we got from Le Puces de Clignacourt in Paris, but are actually handmade in Aix-en-Provence where Raf and I spent our honeymoon. I have a huge collection of cookbooks and coffee table books that are stored in my office because I’m addicted to bookstores.” The décor is also strongly influenced by her European travels. “Flooring of black and white tiles is reminiscent of old European homes. I love old English furniture with studs, so you see them all over the house, including the dining room.”
Her house is divided into two floors with different purposes. “The downstairs doubles as an area where clients ask me to cook and hold private dinners for up to 30 people,” she shares. Upstairs holds the bedrooms and a specialized kitchen where Raffy and Carmina cook. “This dining table has hosted many meals with family and friends visiting from all over the world. This is where I have our most intimate dinners.”
Part and parcel of being a professional caterer is her role in styling events and providing impressive table arrangements for her clients. It seems, though, that she might have another calling to spread her wings in home decoration. Since she is very familiar with the pieces and has easy access to Old Asia’s vast inventory, there have already been a lot of inquiries for her to update clients’ homes. For now, she gives some advice for those looking to purchase antiques. “Go back to basics. Invest in good art and quality furniture, and take the time to choose each piece. A lot of thought should go into the purchase of each and every item—you can’t just rush into things. Buying art or buying a 19th century chair is not like buying a new top. Aside from looking at it from an investment point of view, you also need to consider longevity and the fact that you have to live with this piece for the rest of your life. If you don’t love it and it doesn’t fit, why buy it?”
With all that she created in her own home, though, Carmina believes your residence should first and foremost be a reflection of the people who will be living in it. “Ultimately the personal preferences and experiences of the individual or family plays a significant role in design. One must always consider the functionality of each piece that will complement the lifestyle of the owner of the house. Personality must reflect the people inside, not come out cold or out of sync because of the design.”
Bangkok Wok/Crazy Cook
(Creative Catering Solutions)
(082) 234 7075, 0928 505 3605
Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, May 2014
]]>ENTICING YELLOW
Even the happiest of colors becomes renovated when adorning a fluid gracious piece of furniture which sole desire is to be noticed. Don’t be fooled by its luminosity; it may surprise you even in the most neutral interiors.
INCANTO: Enticing simplicity is exemplified in this fluid and gracious bench.
SPARK IN THE NIGHT
Amidst a dark cold night, suddenly appears the brilliance and promises of the brightest stars that illuminate the sky. Dark intense blue blended with a bright plated gold is our suggestion for interiors with hints of mystery, desire and brilliance.
CHANDRA: Both bold and daring, the modern edge in this chair exudes the feeling of vintage glam. While polished brass bands delicately bind the chair highlighting the sculpted fluidity of the tight back satin upholstery.
ETERNAL EMERALD
Representing lust, wealth but also the purity of nature, the emerald green is one of the top steamy color trends for 2015. Fitting for sophisticated and contemporary private spaces and hotel lobbies.
BESAME: The succulent lines of the lips have sensuously captivated cultures for ages. Besame’s soft, plump curves will have you lusting for a moment of passion. Be embraced by this fully upholstered chair that sits puckered atop a textured brass ring base.
SOPHISTICATED CREAM
An all-cream monochromatic plot that complements the most exquisite of the interiors with the elegance and sophistication demanded from a color that pursues purity, peace and innocence.
VAMP: Sexy, mysterious and uninterrupted lines give this sofa highly acclaimed glamour. Upholstered in lux velvet, cast antique aged brass metal resembling a thorn bush branch serves as a base to a sumptuously lounge sofa.
CRAZY BEAUTIFUL FUCHSIA
And because craziness is part of every woman’s life, we suggest fuchsia as the best color to represent the female personality, provocation and love in decoration.
CAPRICHOSA: Flirty and unpredictable like a modern woman, the Caprichosa’s voluptuous sofa design mimics a woman’s most desirable curves. Fitted like a little black dress in lux black velvet upholstery fabric and resting on dainty brass feet.