Design dreams are MADE of these

MANILA, Philippines - With greater convenience and investment flexibility offered by condominium developments, it is not surprising to see homeowners charting new territories and snapping up units at high-rise communities. While these modern residential condos have ushered in a new way of living, the majority of these vertical developments offer mere boxes of living space — cramped spaces devoid of a personal touch.

To show urban dwellers how a high-rise unit can transform into a modern abode that’s comfortable yet full of character, The Oriental Place, Federal Land’s residential property on Chino Roces Ave., Makati City, became the site of the recently concluded 2011 Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) Interior Design Competition.

With a decorating technique that mixes Chinese elements with modern classics, Angelo Del Mundo transformed a two-bedroom unit into a cohesive home perfect for a newlywed couple, a young urban professional or even a startup family. Del Mundo’s design peg is modern Asian and his entry, aptly titled “Urban Asian,” won him the grand prize in the yearly contest organized by Metrobank Foundation and sponsored by Federal Land. The theme was sustainable lifestyle and Del Mundo was able to achieve this by keeping some of the unit interiors intact, infusing key furniture and accent pieces that could be moved to a bigger space in the future.

“I kept the structure simple and treated it as one big space to make the room look bigger,” Del Mundo said. Mirrors are strategically housed in various areas to further enhance the unit’s already roomy spaces.

Deftly blending the charms of old Chinese furniture with practical yet eye-catching furniture, Del Mundo was able to create an atmosphere of vitality and minimalism. Unique finds, such as the life-size bicycle made of rattan, double as accent and extra storage shelf for magazines, food and other knickknacks. The color schemes used (celadon, green and cerulean) give a touch of light and air. Shapes also play prominently in Del Mundo’s design with circles, squares, and octagons popping up in frames, shelf accents, and mirrors throughout the unit.

Keeping the surfaces clutter-free makes the unit look and feel harmoniously whole.

Seeing the already functional and stylish interior of the units, Del Mundo strayed from revamping it, instead emphasizing more on editing pieces, paring down furniture and placing accent pieces to bring life and color to the place.

For startup families, the second bedroom in the 52 sq.m. unit of The Oriental Place may serve as a baby’s room, but newlyweds may opt to alter this into a study area/guest room, like what Del Mundo did with his design. Whereas Del Mundo maintained a sleek and clean interior for his scheme, fellow interior designer Childy Elamparo went into a modern, playful touch that is artfully Filipino. Inspired by her postgraduate studies abroad, Elamparo decided to create a space that imposes a unique Filipino ambience.

“When I got back from Italy, I saw the potential of Filipinos in this field. This is really something that I’m advocating, for us to showcase our strength. We don’t have to copy designs from abroad, we can do our own designs, which can be at par with designs from the international market,” Elamparo said.

Her design, dubbed “Urbanized Filipino Bukid Living,” won the special prize. Upon entering the unit, one is already transported into a relaxed environment.  Elamparo worked with wood furniture and woven pieces, and effectively drew out a color scheme that boosts natural lighting. It helps that units are equipped with wide windows to further attract lighting and a panoramic vista.

Surface treatments help define a room and while Del Mundo opted to change the parquet flooring that came with the unit, Elamparo bleached her floors to distinguish her room areas. Unlike Del Mundo, who veered away from changing the unit too much, Elamparo created a playful wall covering in the living room area. The wall treatment, customized wallpaper, features images from Filipino scenery — kalesa and jeep, among others. Little unique details such as mirrors with coco shell frame, woven hats and toy sailboats made of capiz add appeal to Elamparo’s unit.

Both Del Mundo and Elamparo scored furniture and accent pieces from shops and flea markets around the metro. Outside, the development also boasts upscale amenities such as a landscaped podium garden, fitness center, swimming pool, kiddie pool and pool deck, outdoor play area, water features, business center/library/reading lounge, multi-purpose hall and clubhouse. Add to these high-end features two high-speed passenger elevators, one service elevator, CCTV security systems, ample parking spaces, and a 24-hour standby generator.

The Oriental Place’s vibrant location is surrounded by top educational institutions, medical facilities and commercial centers.  Located along Don Chino Roces Ave., bound by Javier and Santillan Streets in Makati City, The Oriental Place is minutes away from the Greenbelt Complex and near Makati Medical Center, The Makati Post Office, Makati Cinema Square, Don Bosco College and Don Bosco Church. 

The Oriental Place units offer ingenious use of space. As the 2011 MADE Interior Design Competition winners showed, condo living can be far from typical boxy developments and with a little spark of creativity, a perfect mix of style and comfort is possible. 

For inquiries regarding The Oriental Place, call 759-3000 or 830-0000, or visit www.federalland.com.ph.