How Fa`cebook helped to make over a room
MANILA, Philippines – When Bonggo Calawod went in March 2010 as an expatriate in Dubai, he knew that he would be leaving behind the comforts of the family home he shared with his wife Peggy, son Von Raphael, and sister-in-law Alice.
Thankfully, working as an expat has its perks. As human resources manager of Carlton Tower Hotel, the company provided him with a furnished one-bedroom flat the location of which was according to his liking. He chose a flat on the 30th floor of Beach Tower 2, located along the Al Khan Corniche in Sharjah (the emirate next to Dubai) overlooking the Al Mamzar Lake and the Sharjah cityscape.
With a total floor area of 1,391 square feet and a nice view, the flat is luxurious. But with pieces of furniture limited to the basic, he knew that a lot needed to be done still.
We are family: Bonggo Calawod with wife Peggy and son Von Raphael Then he had a “chance encounter” with Irony Home, Dubai’s lifestyle company that offers a spectacular collection of home furniture and interior décor accessories, as well as design consultancy, curtain making and commercial festive design.
Irony Home launched through Facebook a customer-focused initiative of giving the public the opportunity to win a free room makeover worth about P350,000, an unprecedented marketing initiative in the UAE because it involves social media. And all it takes is to connect with friends and relatives with a creative photo or video of the room to be revamped posted on the Irony Home Facebook page.
Confident with the support of his family and friends, he submitted a picture of his living area.
And the rest is history as his entry gained worldwide support from his friends. In the two months that the contest ran, his family, friends, and their network of friends “liked” his entry on FB. Votes poured from the USA, Europe, Australia, Middle East, Asia and the Philippines, giving him a comfortable lead when voting closed on Oct. 2 last year. He was declared winner.
Irony Home’s furniture pieces create a tasteful blend. In his initial meeting with Rima Dardenne, founder of the luxury interior design store, Bonggo was assured of an elegant and comfortable living area. Interior designers Marlaine Collins and Jing Umali (a Filipina) then collaborated with him to give his place a new look, working on his color preferences of black, red and white.
The makeover was completed while he was at work. When he arrived around midnight, he was in for a pleasant surprise.
The black wallpaper on one side of the living area is adorned with white-framed black-and-white photos of the family’s travels and bonding moments. They are interesting conversation pieces.
Irony Home provided very tasteful pieces of furniture that were custom-made and still allowed for moving around the space.
Bonggo noted, “I didn’t know that putting together different styles of fixtures can create a harmonious and tasteful blend. The big mirror looks great, especially that it has the same design as the TV cabinet. After having seen the painting job that was done initially, I thought that the other side of the living room would look boring. But with the mirror reflecting the black wall and the picture frames, it adds up to the elegance of the whole concept.”
Whether you lake it or not: The Al Mamzar Lake The added bonus of the whole makeover is the tablescaping that was done on the dining table. It was set for holiday dinners. Irony Home provided Bonggo with a new set of glassware, placemats and table napkins, and a centerpiece a silver candleholder which, although Christmas-y in design, is versatile enough to stay there even after the holidays.
Bonggo’s wife Peggy is more than happy with the makeover. She commented, “Beautiful! It’s indeed an amazing transformation. It makes me and Von want to go there soon.”
Yes, Bonggo Calawod has a luxurious home away from home in 2011.
