MANILA, Philippines - The space was dramatically lit, and a four-man band played soft music in the background. By the entrance a large leather sofa emblazoned with the Union Jack dominated, along with other well-known London iconography such as a bright-red fire hydrant, Oxford travel trunks, and a silver French bulldog statuette. A little more to the left, giant chess pieces in distressed finish competed for attention among other pieces of furniture and accessories.
It was the scene of the exclusive opening cocktails organized by property developer Greenfield Development Corporation for home pieces designed by Christofer Laurent Design.
The event held at the Greenfield District showroom in Mandaluyong City was an affair that saw well-heeled guests marvel and appreciate up close the exquisitely designed works of the UK-born furniture manufacturer, who has finally opened an official atelier in Metro Manila, right in the heart of the master-planned city center of Greenfield.
It was in Guagua, Pampanga, the hometown of his wife Jennifer, where Laurent chanced upon local artisans working on a furniture set. He ordered a few pieces with his own design—ornate yet simple, out of the box, and modern. Proudly displayed in his home, it caught the eye of a friend who was a hotel manager at the Regal Hotel in Hong Kong. With coaxing, he bid and eventually won a contract to supply the hotel with furniture he designed himself. Eventually, he landed a contract with the Intercontinental Hong Kong, as well. With his business acumen honed from working in a manufacturing firm back in the UK, his new business venture began.
His design philosophy is simple. “My design comes from the heart—whatever feels right,” he says with a big chuckle. “My personality definitely translates to whatever I am currently working on.” His designs also reflect a preference for mixing organic materials such as plush leather and wood with resin and stainless steel to create truly one-of-a-kind creations.
The designs are modern evolutions of well-loved classical European pieces, as well as designs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. “I always ask myself, how we can reinvent a piece?” he said thoughtfully. He believes that there is nothing new in design—it is a matter of breathing new life into it.
His eponymous studio, Christofer Laurent Design, does full-service interior design specializing in the manufacture of customized furniture. Its 150-sqm. showroom in The Portal commercial hub of Greenfield District holds one of the largest displays of furniture in the country. In quite a short time, it has come to be known for quality pieces and excellent craftsmanship.
“I decided to put a showroom here in Greenfield because I like the place,” he shares—so much so that he has also decided to call the place his home. He enjoys the utmost convenience of being near his place of work, residing in a unit at the nearby Soho Central Private Residences, one of the first vertical communities to rise in Greenfield District. He is also even setting his sights on investing in another unit at the Twin Oaks Place, which is the country’s first smart and connected condominium home.
The wide, open spaces and the central park of Greenfield District appeal to him and his aesthetics. He says the people, too, add to the charm of the community. “It’s lovely here, especially with the night market!” he exclaims.
Atty. Duane A.X. Santos, executive vice president and general manager of Greenfield explains, “We want people to still have a sense of greenery and a haven despite being in the middle of the metro”. He adds further, “Greenfield District is envisioned to be an oasis within a bustling urban destination this side of the metro, at the heart of the new Mandaluyong CBD.”
With inimitable access to major thoroughfares such as EDSA and Shaw Boulevard, and proximity to daily necessities such as lifestyle malls, schools and hospitals, Greenfield District offers unmatched convenience in modern living. This proposition is further bolstered by Greenfield’s state-of-the-art office buildings and residential towers right within the estate.
It comes as no surprise that maverick minds such as Laurent has found a comfortable home for his business in Greenfield District, as he is sure that the growing number of urbanites dwelling in the nearby vertical communities will find his work a perfect match for their modern living spaces.
“We share the same vision of creating beauty,” affirms Santos, as Greenfield District indeed masterfully blends the best of the old world with the exciting possibilities of the future of city living.
For more information about Greenfield Development Corporation, call(02) 53-GREEN or (0917) 53-GREEN, and visit www.greenfield.com.ph.