Oriental taste for your home

Decorating modern houses with oriental pieces or themes is one of the hottest fads in interior designing today. For people with minimal experience on interior designing, however, achieving this design can be very challenging.

Luckily, real estate developments such as Celadon Residences San Lazaro of Community Innovations, an Ayala Land company, are now inspiring homeowners to explore not only their homes’ decorative potentials but also their imaginations.

Celadon Residences San Lazaro, the first masterplanned townhouse community in Manila, assists homeowners to achieve modern design without having to deviate from the natural, Asian-inspired elements. With the expertise and creativity of Jonathan Matti, one of the most celebrated interior designers in the country, Celadon Residences showcases useful tips on integrating an oriental theme with that of a modern residence.

Tip #1: Have room for variation

Choose a living space that lends itself to oriental designs. Avoid units that are overtly western or stereotypically Asian.

For instance, the Celadon Residences’ external architecture is generally Mediterranean, but its units’ interiors liberally provide room for the owner to create and infuse his desired Asian theme.

Residents can easily blend oriental design into their houses as each unit comes with areas which can conveniently showcase their desired oriental pieces. The pocket garden can house Asian flora like Japanese bonsais, or Philippine flowers like Waling Waling. The three bedrooms and the attic that can be turned into a guest room or home office can hold oriental items like contemporary Indian or Chinese tables, shelves or trunks.

Tip #2: Bring a friend

"When shopping for oriental pieces to accent your home, it is wise to bring someone along who can tell which authentic pieces are well made and which are not," says Matti.

Always remember to set limitations when buying accents and think ahead about which areas of the house need accentuation so as to avoid cluttering home area.

Shops that carry oriental-inspired furniture and accessories and décor stores are all over Greenbelt and Glorietta.

Tip # 3: Don’t use bright colors

Modern Asian designs don’t use bright colors for their walls because they usually reserve it for the eye catching oriental pieces. Neutral controls reflecting natural tones usually form the background for Asian interiors. "This is because Asian design is usually associated with calm and serenity," says Matti.

Start with base – a base color such as ecru, then choose a more vibrant and lively accent color like burnt orange, lemon yellow, fuchsia, burgundy and violet.

Tip # 4: Start with a focal point

"An interior can be very modern and still have a nice Asian touch," says Matti. The secret is by using a particular decorative piece as the focal point. In highlighting a beautiful oriental piece, everything around it should be toned down.

Tip # 5: Mix with other designs

To avoid the traditional Asian designs, one can seamlessly integrate a simple Chinese decorative piece with other themes. "Nowadays, anything and everything can be incorporated into an interior as long as in the end, all pieces look good together," says Matti.

Tip # 6: Personalize

The home reflects the owner’s lifestyle and personality. On the other hand, there are times when people do much of their part of the economy (purchase excessive pieces) and end up cluttering their space with unused furniture and accessories.

To make your home have the relaxed and welcoming Asian feel, you can use fabrics that are warm and soft to touch. "Lighting can also help make your home feel comfortable as it can create an ambiance that makes people want to gather and have conversation," says Matti.

Celadon Residences San Lazaro is a rare suburban residential development in Manila that brings the classic warmth of Mediterranean design to Manila and harmoniously blends it with the natural beauty of authentic oriental design.

Celadon Residences San Lazaro is strategically located near business establishments in Binondo and prestigious Chinese schools, hospitals and malls.

Visit the model units at Celadon Residences San Lazaro and see how a modern, Mediterranean house can be invigorated with the natural oriental spirit. For inquiries call us at (02)241-4976, email at [email protected] or visit our website at www.celadonresidencessanlazaro.com.phs