Harmony by design

How challenging would it be for an architect and designer to fuse the requirements of feng shui with the distinct taste of the homeowner – yet still leave his signature élan in its every room and on every wall?

Renowned architect and interior designer Ramon Antonio does all this with tasteful innovation and class, with one swish of his architectural genius. His latest challenge was the home of Dante Go, the affable president emeritus of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club.

The sophisticated entrepreneur hosted his housewarming with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of the diplomatic and business corps in attendance.

Located on a sprawling Dasmariñas property, the house is the perfect example of the intermingling of East and West, adorned with modern and antique pieces, dramatic lighting, recurring motifs and an impressive use of space.

Feng shui expert Merlina Merton’s suggestions for a peaceful and blessed home were followed to the last detail and even gave the architect added push to innovate. She indicated that she sees great harmony with continuing good health and consistent prosperity for Go and his family.

Each of the prized pieces from award-winning designers, antiques, family heirlooms and items brought home from different parts of the world picked by the well-traveled Dante Go found a perfect spot in his palatial home.

Asian flavor is evident in a table made of Philippine Dau, a painting inspired by a group of interlocking wood, stylized lampshades and Maranao drums. Eye-catching accents such as antique clay pots from Zambales, a Burmese Buddha, an old guitar from Palawan and Han dynasty terra cotta take the viewer back to fascinating places and bygone eras.

In the powder room, a Japanese Zen sink, black marble and accents of birds of paradise plants exude a tropical setting.

A Western feel, on the other hand, is sensed in plush Italian sofas, headboards and tables, a Cole Morgan painting and desk, modern chairs from American designer John Hutton and silver pieces.

The enchanting den is the office overlooking the garden – very tropical and airy. It also offers a vista of the fountain in the courtyard, which is filled with greens instead of flowers, truly a restful place for the eyes and the mind.

One of several interesting qualities of the house is that each area has a tablespace, which is very unusual. It is used to create contrast, where this fusion of cultures is flawlessly enhanced.

"It is a marriage of European and Oriental, modern and classic, refined and primitive and unlike many marriages – this particular marriage is designed to last for a very long time," the designer emphasizes.

Rightly so, especially when all this painstaking work took all of two years to complete.

In this masterpiece, Antonio not only made the living space his canvas, but made a home that echoes the personality of its owner. The gracious Dante Go and his household live not only in a house full of art and memories, but a home where beauty, goodness and tranquility flow in freely.