The Design Features of Our Condo

View of the Living/Dining Areas and Kitchen, from the Balcony Door.

Last year, Oliver and I acquired a one-bedroom condo unit and transformed it from a bare space, into an efficient and inviting refuge. We designed it with a particular type of tenant in mind: the hardworking transient expat who doesn't want to come home to a box after tiring business trips and long hours of work. We were clear with our goals in designing the 58 sqm space: provide storage solutions; maximize space; and use robust materials to give the place a solid feel.  In collaboration with Oliver's sister Riza, who runs her own design-and-build business called Niche Interiors, we spent the last months of 2011, and first months of 2012 completing the project and scheduling viewings for prospective tenants.  We had several offers to consider, and finally decided on a corporate account which will commence this May.  As we prepare the condo unit for the official turn-over, I find myself reflecting on this condo's design.

A stair-style display shelf, and floor-to-ceiling shoe cabinet.

Between the two of us, Oliver and I have lived in a dozen condos locally and abroad in the past two decades.  I lived in 6:  a studio in Makati, and later a Penthouse near DLSU, 2 flats in Spain, and 2 in Singapore.  Oliver lived in a hi-tech condo in Japan; 2 in Hong Kong; and 1 in Ortigas.  From our collective experience, we have a wish-list of things we want in a living space.  First on the list: it must not look and feel like a box.  Living in a condo can feel very confining indeed.  I remember working in Makati, in a really nice building, and falling in line at the elevators at the end of the day, on my way home to another building, where I had to wait in line at the elevators again, and while walking from building to building I found myself thinking: I live in a box, and work in a box!  So, to fight the natural tendency of the condo unit to feel like a box, we cut a hole through one of the walls, and created a highlight made of glass, with a ledge of hardwood Narra as trim.  The glass is meant to allow a peek at the space beyond, providing a sense of depth, while the hardwood trim breaks the imposing mass of the  partition wall.  We dressed the wall with textured wall paper in a deep earth tone, and placed a light grey L-shaped sofa against it, for contrast.   By the entrance, we installed a built-in shoe cabinet, a tall one, from floor-to-ceiling. Next to it, is a sturdy wooden display cabinet, stair-like not only in appearance but also in usage. It is load-bearing, and can be used to access the top shelf of the tall shoe cabinet beside it.  

Living and Dining Areas, with Balcony.

We decided to use "heavy" materials like granite, hardwood, and leather, to anchor the place. We stayed away from light and flimsy materials.  It seems counter-intuitive to use hard and heavy things on a small space, but we think we pulled it off, using big pieces of wood without overpowering the space. The entertainment center makes use of a lot of hardwood accents: a solid bench which houses the mini-component and home entertainment system; a display ledge above the tv; and shelves built into the wall and lit with LED...all these done in beautiful Narra (yes, we love Narra wood so much, that we named our daughter after it).  Beside the TV area, is a buffet ledge, made of black granite, with a storage cabinet underneath.  The sliding panels of the cabinet are finished in dark brown leather upholstery - and the dining chairs as well, are done in leather.  Above the buffet ledge, is a mirror wall to create the illusion of depth and space. We also used Narra on door jambs, allowing us to frame the kitchen nicely with our signature wood. We used appliances with a stainless steel finish in the kitchen, echoed by a ceramic backsplash with a similar stainless-like sheen. 

The efficient little kitchen.

The bedroom, we kept clutter free and spacious. This room is a storage junkie's dream. We built a wall with concealed cabinets, 16 doors in all, padded panels upholstered with a durable stain-resistant fiber-blend. For a streamlined look, even the side-tables are built into the wall.  Narra is again used in abundance, for consistency: on the side tables, as a frame for the headboard; and as a "bay window" bench.  The Narra bench has an ultra-spacious drawer underneath - big enough for 2 suitcases; or for a rollaway mattress.  

The concealed cabinets can store anything, from extra pillows to designer bags - all within reach, and easy to keep out of sight for a clutter-free environment.  We wanted to provide storage but do so in a subtle and artful way.  Our palette for the room is still earthy, centered around a calming shade of olive. 

The concealed storage cabinets.

For more storage, we've added shelves and cubby holes with Narra pull-out boxes on one end of the bay-window-bench. It serves as a display shelf for nice-to-see things; and also a hiding place for those things better left out of view.  On the other end of the bay-window-bench is a firm leather pillow.  The bench may be made of hard wood, but it is pretty comfy to lie on, really. I can imagine many hours spent on this spot, just staring at city lights below - or enjoying fireworks (in smoke free comfort) as they burst all over the metro for New Year's eve.

The view from the bedroom bay-window-bench

Designing this condo was a very enjoyable project indeed. In many ways, it seemed to me like Oliver was designing it for himself, or that version of himself BEFORE he became a father.  This condo is like a tribute to his life as an expat abroad.  I am so glad we found a suitable lessor for it.  We hope for our tenant, that the space is as comfortable and efficient as we envisioned it.

I am now beginning to wonder what our next design project would be...