Designing the Urban Filipino home with Shangri-La Plaza

Shangri-La Plaza Mall brings inspiration to the urban Filipino home with touches of modernity, whimsy and a lot of personalization. Ongoing until Aug. 23 is an exhibit of spaces designed by fashion designer Rajo Laurel, fashion retailer Jappy Gonzales, interior designer Jie Pambid, musicians Karylle Yuzon and Jed Madela, Modern Living TV host Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi, broadcasters Julius and Tintin Babao, PBA courtside reporter Apple David, and National Book Store managing director and Anvil Publishing’s Xandra Ramos-Padilla.

Each personality was given carte blanche to choose from Shang’s wide array of home stores, department store and galleries to furnish their spaces. Participating stores are Bo Concept, Build City, Luxe Room, Sheridan, Rustan’s, Steltz Lighting, Restoration, Tempur, Design Pod, Aristree, Sealy, La-Z boy, Shelter, Ego Italiano, La Sedia, Ariston, GE Monogram, Hacker, True Value, Ashley Furniture, Simmons Gallery, Blims, Slumberland, Saturday Group Gallery, Ingka 5th Avenue, and Shell Canvas.

Shangri-La Plaza EVP and general manager Lala Fojas says, “We always like doing exhibits like this because we’re a lifestyle mall, we want to inspire our customers with their own spaces and homes. And we have so many home stores they can choose from to create their beautiful homes.”

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Visit the author’s travel blog at findingmyway.net Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @iamtanyalara.

Urban Filipino Home is ongoing until Aug. 23 at the mall’s Grand Atrium in the Main Wing.  For inquiries, call 370-2500 local 597 or visit their Facebook page at shangrilaplazaofficialfanpage and on Instagram @shangrilaplazaofficial.

Rajo Laurel , fashion designer

I was teasing Rajo that he has the most expensive vignette in this exhibit because of one item: a big painting by Impy Pilapil leaning on the wall. Rajo was tasked to do a “man cave,” but instead he did what each one of us needs — a creative space in which to be inspired, work or relax.

“The only rule in creating you own creative space is that you should be surrounded by the things you love,” he says. In his case, it’s art, books on design and travel, and greens. To one side of a folding dining table that’s been converted into a desk is a huge pot with plants, and on the other side is a lighted globe. One can easily imagine Rajo doing his sketches of gorgeous gowns on such a desk or planning the itinerary of an upcoming trip with his partner. And let’s not forget the shaggy rug. Rajo says, “Some days we just want to veg and read our books, which we do it on the floor.”

Apple David, PBA courtside reporter

As a basketball courtside reporter, Apple David is used to the noise of screaming fans and seeing athletes in action, so for her personal space, it must be quiet, minimal in furnishing and color. In designing the bedroom, Apple used a gray palette with a touch of red and white. It’s a young, single woman’s space without overt touches of femininity but at the same time it expresses her personality — “a bit toned down but still fun” she says.

Jie Pambid, interior designer

The person Jie had in mind for this space is a single person who loves to entertain. He’s put together a dining room that’s layered with textures, color-on-color and comfortable seating. The beautifully grained wooden table has a tufted sofa, two chairs and a bench, which instantly creates another layer and visual interested.

The table is also a study in different heights with its floral centerpiece, candles and accessories. “The dining room is my favorite room to style because you can do so much. I wanted a little bit traditional but at the same time conventional. With the color, I stuck with white, gray and silver from different china sets.” It’s a cozy, comfortable space that’ll make you want to linger and talk long after you’ve finished coffee and dessert. 

Xandra Ramos , NBS managing director

Xadra’s study is both girly and neutral. On the desk is an orchid plant, its blooms making a low loop as if peering at what she’s writing on her Kate Spade stationery that National Book Store distributes. “They’re so pretty,” she says. But this space is also very neutral — wood and stainless steel are combined on the desk, étagère and console.

The wooden desk has several slots to hide one’s office supplies and keep the space neat. Good lighting is also a must in a study, which a floor lamp provides. “Flowers inspire me, my grandmother’s sayings inspire me.” On the console is a framed saying by NBS founder Nanay Coring, “Kung talagang gusto mong mapatunayan na kaya mo, gawin mo ang makakaya mo.” Xandra adds, “She also always tells me, ‘There’s no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.’”    

Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi, lifestyle writer and TV host

Stephanie designed a room that she knows by heart because she’s done it for her two sons, but this time she had an older boy in mind, around five or six years old. It’s a room awash in blue, white and brown, a space that a boy can easily grow into given the scale and the adult furnishings, such as a leather-covered chest of drawers and armchair. Even the dog is given a stylish bed shaped like a low chair.

“For kids’ rooms I stay away from bright colors because I want a soothing calming space for them, and also because their toys are already very bright. It also needs to feel like a safe haven but you don’t want it to be boring. As a parent, I spend most of my afternoons in my kids’ room and I don’t want to be surrounded by Mickey Mouse the whole time. Today, I still have pieces in my room from when I was younger. I think it’s a misnomer to decorate just for children, it’s good to instill taste in your kids early on. If they’re surrounded by nice things they respect them more, they take care of their stuff.”

Karylle Yuzon, singer

Karylle’s living room is as young and bright as she is, but here’s one surprising thing: it’s also a throwback to the time when we had no iPads to entertain us and instead we had game boards and CDs to play. And she’s using them not as accessories — she’s really into them. On the coffee table are giant pick-up sticks, on the console are games like Taboo, Twister, Scrabble and others. Also, like in her own home, she has a stack of compact discs of her own albums, her mom ZsaZsa Padilla’s, husband Yael Yuzon’s and their friends.

“This is my dream couch,” she says. “For the longest time I’ve been looking for a denim couch that’s a sofabed. We have a one-bedroom home and sometimes we have visitors over and we like to lie down on the sofa and make kwentuhan. We have a lot of toys at home, and I’m trying to build my collection again to add to what my dad gave to me. Even when I’m on a trip, I bring the pickup sticks and my husband and I play dominoes every. We would trash talk over dominoes, it’s so funny!”

Karylle owns three dogs who now stay with her dad, and in this space she’s put a porcelain dog statue, a throwback to when she was a child and she’d accompany her family to Rustan’s. “I always wanted to have those expensive porcelain dogs,” she says with a laugh. “When I was doing this space, I said, oh my god, today is the day!”

Jappy Gonzales, fashion retailer 

For his living space, Jappy went for a few big classical pieces in blue, gray and copper. A tufted sofa is paired with a gray armchair and a round coffee table. 

Jappy says, “It’s classical elegance blended with a modern taste. This eclectic living area is curated with pieces of varying materials and styles, accentuated with lighting that also serves as sculpture. There are very few but carefully  chosen literature and curiosities to complete the space.”