A profusion of plants and the plush upholstery for the generous seating arrangements serve as counterpoint to the home’s hard edges. Enhancing an open feel is the ample natural light that spills through the glass sliding doors on three sides. The adept positioning of furniture further makes the spaces attractive.
A keen collector of Chinese antiques, Annie has skillfully managed to display her acquisitions, mixing them with paintings by Filipino masters like Juvenal Sanso and Oscar Zalameda. Despite the profusion of museum-worthy pieces, the house is still very much a welcoming space.
Annie’s other passion, orchid collecting, is evidenced throughout the home. In nearly every room there are magnificent displays of orchids in full bloom, from cattleyas to dendrobiums. These are taken from the beautifully maintained gardens surrounding the house—gardens that have seen some very memorable celebrations in the past. From here, and from the informal seating arranged on the terrace along the house, there are magnificent views of the city of Cebu.
A discerning businesswoman in her own right, Annie was heavily involved with the development of one of Cebu’s grandest residential addresses, the Maria Luisa Estate Park. It was her mother, Mary Renner Osmeña, who believed that the city had the potential to grow north in the hills of Banilad, which she envisioned as an elite enclave above the steadily thickening metropolis. This house is a fine example of how the land development was achieved in the Maria Luisa Estate Park.
The house has already withstood several decades of use and weather. Yet it still looks architecturally strong, its extensive use of Mactan stones still striking and the wood paneling, very much intact. Positioned perfectly within the property, it is a good example of how an Unson-designed building stands in proportion to the size of the lot.
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