Want a home makeover? Get ideas from Real Living Space exhibit

Ever wondered what it might be like to walk through the pages of a magazine in real life? Real Living wanted to convey that exact experience in commemoration of their 10th anniversary, via “Real Living Space: The Ultimate Shopping and Design Showhouse”—a display consisting of four rooms-turned-cozy living spaces by eight designers at the Trion Towers at Bonifacio Global City, which will be open to the public from September 14-15.

 

“We partnered with Robinsons Residences and they gave us these rooms,” said associate publisher Tom Castañeda. “Then we gave each designer an imaginary client to keep in mind while styling each room.”

 

Inexpensive starter pieces

 

“These pieces were pulled from furniture stores from all over Manila,” explained Castañeda. “And they’re all priced mid-range, very affordable.”

 

“The event is for people who have just moved in and have to first take care of things like down payments, utilities, maintenance fees, and can’t afford to change things up too much,” he added. Castañeda also noted that people who love do-it-yourself (DIY) projects and whose landlords say that they can’t paint their walls or change their cabinets will also benefit from the showcase.

 

The furniture and home accessories were sourced from ARQ Curtains, DecoLiving Rugs, Dimensione, DuoDeco, Heima, Home Matters, L’Indochine, Mobler, Sifra Interiors & Objects, Space Encounters, and Urban Abode. Some of the items on display belonged to the designers.

 

Most of the pieces are starter pieces that can be outgrown and replaced later on.

 

The clients and the designers

 

The likes of Kristine Neri-Magturo, Wilan Dayrit, Elle Uy, Wilmer Lopez, Pam Tan, Catherine Cena, Van Acuña, and Rossy Yabut-Rojales transformed the once-empty function room, workshop area, and two units into the ideal living spaces for their imaginary clients.

 

The first of the clients is a single young woman-about-town who describes herself as “feminine but quirky,” and whose assigned room—Unit A on the third floor—was styled by Kristine Neri-Magturo and Elle Uy. Magturo, who established Abode &Co and Urban Abode, did the living room, while Uy, co-owner of DuoDeco Studio, created the look for the bedroom. Antlers and “a subtle quirkiness” were a common theme in both rooms.

 

The living room of Unit L on the same floor was done by Wilmer Lopez, principal designer of W. Lopez Designs, while the bedroom was done by Philippine School of Interior Design graduate, Pam Tan. Their imaginary client is a laid-back couple whose tastes run to “casual but modern.” In spite of the abundance of owls, flowers, butterflies, and other insects, and the portrait of an astronaut on the moon, the retro feel in the dining-room-and-living-room-area and the classic silhouettes used in the bedroom helped ground the entire unit in warmth.

 

The preferences of a well-traveled and very corporate couple were in the minds of freelance and resource designer Van Acuña and Dayrit Interior Design Studio head Wilan Dayrit. Acuña handled the living room portion of the function room, giving it a charcoal-gray undertone with bright yellow accents, while Dayrit did the look for the dining room and gave it a sleek but lively east Asian flavor.

 

Rossy Yabut-Rojales had complete control over the workshop area, which she transformed into a brightly-colored study for a stay-at-home-DIY-enthusiast-mom with two kids.

 

Happy accidents, trendy looks

 

“The animal-themed look of most of the rooms are happy accidents,” relayed Rachelle Medina, Real Living Magazine’s editor-in-chief.

 

Although these are happy accidents, Castañeda noted that the “rustic, nature look is a trend now—not overtly feminine or masculine but mixed with industrial elements and easily mixed and matched; you can incorporate little statement pieces with the look.”

 

“Home is where you are happiest and that’s why it’s important that it reflects your style,” he added.

 

The public viewing and workshops taking place on the weekend of September 14 and 15 are all free for the public. Real Living readers will be taught, among other things, how to embark on DIY projects involving washi tape, ceramics, plush toys, and recycled bottles. There will also be a trade fair on those dates.

 

Viewers will be encouraged to take photos of the displays and Instagram them on the spot with the hashtag #rlspace. The magazine's editorial board will choose their favorite photos and will feature them in their next issue. —KG, GMA News

 

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