Decorating Interiors: How to make the most of Townhouse Living

Living in a suburban dwelling is one of the numerous options that most young couples would go for. In such cases, tendencies are usually that they sacrifice the look of the house in lieu of spending for it, as townhouses are more suited for small families, young couples, and the like. But temporary living doesn''t necessarily have to be that tedious in terms of decorating home interiors. Maybe so for this family.

Home to Charles and Irene Cullen and their family of four, for almost five years now, is the house tucked in a quiet area within the well-known North Town Residences in Cabancalan, Mandaue City. It is located right in the middle of the compound. Remarkably noticeable, the units in this compound are all finished with a warm tone of taupe, as the developers wanted a uniform look even if their sizes vary.

In some cases, to optimize the usable space within a home the designer resorts into creating components in a house that serve two or more functions at the same time, when given very minimal area for a house. In this case, their living room serves more than one function, aside from being the reception area to welcome guests. It also provides them space to cater to their needs and their children''s, most especially.

According to the homeowner and self-confessed interior design aficionado, Irene Cullen, she wanted to maintain the cozy environment exuded in the interiors by sticking to the safe plains in terms of choices in color hues within each space. Restricted on the exterior finishing and aesthetics, the Cullens favored the living room interiors to be with golden yellow walls, which they painted themselves, and contrasted it with dark wood stained furniture that were hand me downs from family and relatives. They used the more neutral shades in choosing the wall color, giving more choices in accents and décor to play with.

Much of the solid elements in the house are made primarily of wood and concrete. Wood is also the dominant material used in the entire house. From the furniture to the moldings and even the window shutters, the very impression of wood was incorporated to accent the interiors. This applies to all the spaces within the house, including the bedrooms, as well as toilet and bath.

As furniture plays a key role in home decorating; art and sculpture also add exciting visuals, as well as pointed conceptual dimensions to a home. They are expressions of a home owner''s desires and tastes, at the same time telling us about the past and future as one''s perception of each changes through time. With the Cullens, acquiring such pieces wasn''t really a great challenge since Irene has an artist uncle, and a very good one at that. It was very clear that she herself has an eye for art, showcasing two art pieces made by her uncle Jose Buenaventura. These contribute to enhancing bare walls or empty shelves and hallways.

With classy investment pieces that take the more modern side, like symmetrically grooved spherical lampshades and the obliquely shaped center table, these make very good conversation pieces. One takes into account that these pieces are practically 20 years old, repainted to look as good as new.

Given the profile of the owner, where a nightly dining ritual is possible but unlikely, the arrangement of such furniture seems most suited to space and function. With their growing children, between ages six and four, the Cullens wanted the spaces to be as child friendly as possible, as any parent would be want it to be. This is one of the many but weighty factors taken into account beforehand.

Decorating as a whole need not be difficult for anyone up for the challenge. It encompasses a lot of considerations, calculations, and conceptualization, on one hand. It also allows a lot of time for homeowners to decide, whether selecting color hues for wall concepts, or furniture and accessories, or plainly arranging them according to plan. In most cases, it is usually an innate expression of their personalities when it comes to home decorating for housewives. After all, it is the women who occupy most of the spaces within the home, in general. As interior designer, Marco Corti mentioned once about interiors: "simple but decorative with little touches of eclecticism, something like less plus more is more." This is one rule of thumb I would give to any one who wants to take the challenge. Corti has put it into words perfectly. For any homeowner who wants a hand in decorating, creating a simple, cozy home doesn''t necessarily have to mean splurging on your budget. All it takes is a little creativity, innovation and time, just as this young couple have so effectively accomplished. Philippine Fashion Week 2007 Opting for Options By Valeriano Tomol III "Fashion dictators are things of the past!," boldly declared fashion demimonde''s kaiser Karl Lagerfeld. That simply translates to: it''s hideous to wear head to toe stuff dictated by your designer. Personal style is imperative and "options" is the operative word.

And indeed, prolific homegrown designer PROTACIO presented options at the latest installment of Runway Productions, the Philippine Fashion Week at the Rockwell Tent. His coup de grace collection of women and menswear received oohs and aahs not just from fashion editors but also from the entire fashion circuit who trooped the tent to see and be seen. His 40s Pin Up Girl Collection morphed into the 60s and 70s and was far from dated though watching every piece being sashayed on the three-lane runway awakened in every spectator pangs of nostalgia. Styled with a bonnet, his key pieces were a quilted below the knee skirt, a delicate cut work and embroidery on a belted sheath, a boat-necked satin dress with translucent sleeves embroidered with concentric patterns and a tunic with the same embroidery paired with comfy trousers. His men''s line include a fitted yet comfortable cotton shirt, ultra slim tie and detailing in trousers such as bright color bias tape to complement his earth-toned palette.

So there you have it. Protacio is all about options. Though hemlines vary from the mini to the mid calf to the ankle length and his adornments embraced painstaking beadwork and embroidery, his predilection to the neutral hues made all of it coherent. Bravissimo, Protacio!