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Filipino Modern
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JULY 20, 2014 | BY CARLA MENDOZA H O M E S ( / F E AT U R E / H O M E S )

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This black and white interpretation of a timeless Filipino house serves as a canvas to its
owners’ trove of art.
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A modern interpretation of classic ventanillas on the house's striking white and black
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facade

Disarmingly simple, understated, restrained, and yet robust in style: the house is a
portrait of its art-collecting dwellers. Anna Sy, their architectural design consultant,
collaborated with her architecture partner Jason Chai to make sure that everything
complimented the culture that rested inside. “The baseboards, jambs, ceiling cornice,
ceiling textures, and door patterns needed to all work together and in proper proportion.
We wanted it all to be subtle but achieve an effect akin to that of a perfectly tailored
suit.” Hence the home arrived to an earthy feel, its colour scheme indeed just whites
and black.

Entering the gates, you behold a monochromatic façade before passing through a stone
garden of bamboo stalks, metal greys, and black granite steps that lead to heavy black
doors. “My clients speci cally requested for a home that was more contained (unlike
some Asian homes that diffuse the distinction between interior and exterior spaces).
The entry was the one opportunity where we had some play in integrating the
exterior/interior experience with the ow of the home,” says Sy. The stone garden was in
fact the easy decision in contrast with the other option, which was a water feature. The
lady of the house, a doctor, did not want any single factor that might be conducive to
dengue in the home environment.

INTO THE FOYER

Living room table by Vito Selma and furniture from Furnitalia and B&B Italia

Swinging the door into the foyer, you are immediately drawn to paintings by BenCab, to
the left which is Sabel, and right in front which is Tryst. True enough, it was Rene Orosa
who could craft the best design palettes and cleverly incorporate new furnishings with
20 years of acquired Filipino art. He organised their shopping list and trips around
Manila, which included visits to Furnitalia and B&B Italia. “We readily accepted his
recommendation of Italian sofas and chairs, since these are constructed to balance
rmness and comfort. But for the wooden pieces, we insisted that these be made by
Filipino craftsmen, who work on a par with the best in the world,” says the master of the
house. Hence, there are also pieces from the interior designer Ito Kish and the wood
artist Omeng Esguerra that serve as perfect juxtapositions to the home’s interiors. The
ne furniture ll a living room surrounded by some outstanding paintings, which include
Lahar Flight by Ben Cab, Table by Lao Lian Ben, A Touch of Yellow by Florencio B.
Concepcion, Father and Son by Ang Kiu Kok, and The Helpful Horse by Rodel Tapaya.
Particularly noteworthy is the hollow Rizal-and-Bonifacio sculpture entitled Two Points
by Juan Sajid Imao. “It re ects the constant debate as to who truly is our National Hero
—Rizal or Bonifacio? It’s a very nice piece indeed—acquired in one of the Philippine Art
shows a few years ago,” divulges the owner.

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Tryst by BenCab hangs over an inlaid antique Filipino console table in the foyer

LET THERE BE LIGHT

The orientation of spaces in every single room allows for maximum exposure to natural
light and ventilation—all have big glass doors and windows to invite invigorating
sunlight and refreshing air.

This is probably why the master of the house is in love with their home—from the entry
to the foyer, to the living room, to the lanai / dining room, then out to the garden; he
relishes how “the ow is uncomplicated—and Rene furnished it nicely so the look is
 sophisticated but warm and very comfortable—for us, as well as the people who come
by and visit.”

Orosa himself exclaims how it was such a joy working with his clients. Contrary to the
traditional setup, it was the master of the house who was more involved in the decision-
making over his physician wife. “He knew exactly what he wanted,” says Orosa, who
appreciates a clear sense of purpose in his clients. He is satis ed in the work that he
has accomplished, a feeling shared by Sy, who says, “More than just one part, it is the
overall grace and simplicity of the house that is most appealing. It’s a handsome home
that is elegantly restrained, inside and out."

Find out more about the art masterpieces found in this house in the eighth volume of

Philippine Tatler Homes, available in leading newsstands and bookstores. Download the
digital version on your device via Magzter (https://www.magzter.com/PH/Style-Media-
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Inc./Philippine-Tatler-Homes/Lifestyle/55766) and Zinio 
(http://sg.zinio.com/www/browse/product.jsp?rf=sch&productId=500654150).
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H O M E S ( / F E AT U R E / H O M E S ) P R O P E RT Y ( / F E AT U R E / P R O P E RT Y )

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