Real Living Space

A lot of Indian fabrics, which are so popular for interiors, are quite beautiful. But most of the ones I see in stores here are a bit too…uhm…Indian—meaning the colors are way too garish and clashing, there is too much embroidery, or too many tiny mirrors on the surface. So it was a real treat that I got to see John Robshaw’s bedlinen. This US-based designer’s textiles (mostly made in India) are the perfect mix of sophistication and subtle East Asian references, with discreet Ikats and block prints, delicate hand painting, and a beautiful palette of muted mustards and inky blues, grass greens, and the occasional turquoise and rust. It’s the bedding equivalent of a wearing a Tory Burch dress after years of dealing with too-bright, candy-colored resort wear.

It’s no surprise since Robshaw combines his design sensibilities with Asian craftsmanship, and creating one piece is painstaking, since almost everything is block-printed and stitched by hand in India.

But all the work is worth it, since the quilts are so soft, and the colors so dreamy!

I also like their handprinted pillows too of exotic animals drawn in a naive style…

You can buy John Robshaw products through Silyado and at Focus Global, Pioneer corner Reliance Streets in Mandaluyong, or contact Silyado at jrt.manila@yahoo.com.

I love watching Thom Filicia’s Dress My Nest–if only I could find out when it’s on! I always catch it by accident since I don’t watch a lot of TV.

The premise of the show is that the way you dress could clue you in on how to decorate your place. I realized today that this is highly effective, but for me it was the reverse! I was wearing something like this…

…except that my top had long sleeves and my shorts were shorter. (My legs, you see, aren’t nearly as long as Looklet’s model.)

And when I got compliments on the whole look, it dawned on me that it was a lot like my house–romantic (ruffles), modern (shorts), casual but sophisticated (platform shoes), classic (black and white). The elements of my work-in-progress living room:

See below for resources

Eclectic for sure. And yes, there are some beach-y touches thrown in, of course. (If you’ve been a loyal reader of RL, you’d know that I’m the one who loves the beach! So I’ve got roll-up bamboo shades and stuff.) I’m not one to stick with one specific look. But it’s cool that now that I know exactly what my preference is, I can pare down my wardrobe to the pieces that truly reflect my style. On a side note, that’s one cool thing about getting older–you get to know yourself more and more!

The next time you’re stumped when it comes to decorating your home, look through your closet. Or think of your favorite outfit. It’ll reveal loads about your personal style.

Modern romantic board resources: mirror here (mine is vintage–got it from our old house), sofa here (mine customized by Mandaue Foam), chairs here (I got the exact same chairs from Dimensione!), rug here, banig pillows here (my round ones from Market! Market!)

Since I can’t seem to access our Twitter account, this will have to do for now! Am in the midst of a radio tour to promote our Jan-Feb 2010 ish. (Btw, have you gotten the first issue of the decade yet? Available at newsstands, bookstores, supermarkets, and wherever else magazines are sold.) Already visited Wave–where I was welcomed by George and Yuri…and given yummy chocolate!–and U92, where I had a really fun time with DJ Eri. Stay tuned this afternoon as I make the rounds of RT, Jam, and maybe Magic!

P.S. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/reallivingph. Or if tweeting’s not your thing, become a fan of RL on Facebook! Just look for “Real Living Magazine.”:)

Have you chanced upon this month’s ed photo? The boss was kind enough to share her space with us so we could greet everyone a happy new year!

(Image by Ocs Alvarez)

The RL staff took a break from hauling sofas and this time made ourselves camera-ready.

Starting with make-up! Here’s Ms. Tish with our makeup artist for the day, Ces Guerrero.

L’Oreal Professionnel Stylist Emar Cabiltes took care of our hair. ( Isn’t he such a cutie?)

Photographer Ocs Alvarez’s sexy wife Bel dropped by the shoot to say ‘Hi!’

And guess who was shooting at the studio right next to us? It’s Ai-Ai Delas Alas! She was in her cover shoot for Good Housekeeping Philippines January 2010 issue.

A few months ago, the country was devastated by Typhoon Ondoy, which brought torrential rains and epic floods that submerged houses and displaced many, many families. Our hearts went out to those whose homes were damaged by the flood, and so we set out to have a special makeover for an Ondoy victim.

The winner, Elnid Esinor, sent us a few photos, including these:

Oh my goodness. Where do you even begin to pick up the pieces? Water and mud from a nearby landslide wreaked havoc on their family home, and even after the family’s month-long cleanup, the experience left Elnid’s younger siblings and her grandmother sad and traumatized.

We brought in interior designer Hannah Acab-Faustino of IDeal Interior Design Services to help give this deserving family a fresh new beginning. With the help of our generous sponsors (Crossings, Robinsons Department Store, Handyman, Spray Works, Felport, and the Merry Maids), she was able to completely change Elnid’s home in just two weeks. Want to see the amazing result? Grab a copy of our January-February 2010 issue, out now, and flip to Real Makeover: “After the Rain”!

We really enjoyed working with this family because they are such good people! And they were so hospitable during the shoot, feeding us some of the best pasta I’ve ever had. Yum!

Happy New Year!:)

What better way to start the year than with good vibes and warm, fuzzy feelings? These are exactly what I got when we shot this image for the Jan-Feb 2010 issue’s Decor Ideas: “Curtain (Re)Call”…

I first caught a glimpse of these oh-so-cute jalousie windows as I was reading a blog entry by OK! Magazine editor Frances Amper Sales. She recounted her visit to Sunshineville, a project of Gawad Kalinga, and I was so fascinated that I wanted to visit the place myself. When the window story came up, I took it as an opportunity to go to Sunshineville, see the pretty windows, and meet the people behind them.

I coordinated with the GK people and one morning, I headed to Sunshineville with stylist Coni, photographer Miguel Nacianceno (who took all these photos), and his trusty assistant Kuya Marlon. As soon as our vehicle pulled up, we were welcomed by GK personnel and the Sunshineville residents. It was such a big, warm welcome that I felt like a UN Goodwill Ambassador! The Mabuhay Ladies, Sunshineville’s frontliners and resident tour guides, rushed forward with their umbrellas to shield us from the sun–they didn’t want us to get all hot and sweaty during our very short walk to their workshop!

At the workshop, the ladies craft bags, placemats, boxes, and other items using old tetra packs. So Sunshineville not only gives them a place to live, it also gives them their livelihood! How awesome is that?

Later, the ladies (umbrellas in hand) gave us a short tour of their village. These women were trained by the Department of Tourism, so they are incredibly pleasant and gracious and funny even–quite a turnaround from the days when they were still “mahiyain,” as one of the ladies revealed.

During the tour, we saw those windows that I had only seen in pictures. How lovely! The film used on the jalousie windows comes from a hardware store. It’s sold in rolls and, inspired by a set they saw on a Pinoy sitcom, the residents followed suit, cutting up the sheets and sticking the strips onto the jalousie panels. Voila! Colorful windows befitting the residents of this happy little village!

Now the Mabuhay Ladies may have been trained by the DOT, but they exuded something that no training could ever teach them–such pride and joy! After all, they used to be informal settlers, and now they own their own homes! And these weren’t just handouts either. Apart from helping build the houses with their own hands, they also shell out around P500 per month as payment. Their homes are something they could truly call their own.

After the shoot, we headed back to the workshop where we were fed puto especially prepared by the Mabuhay Ladies. Wow. We were there for such a short time, but the visit really touched me and refreshed my spirit. Being surrounded by this great positive energy just put me in such a good mood and inspired me! Here’s to more good vibes and a whole lot o’ love this 2010!

Happy New Year, all! Real Living’s January/February 2010 issue is out, and we’re so excited to show what new things we have in store for you, like our four fabulous homes, one of which is designer Wilmer Lopez and Thor Balanon’s funky apartment…

…contrib and neat-freak Arlene Maslog’s how-to article on spring cleaning…

…Tisha Alvarez’s lovely feature on alternative window treatments...

…and last, our new clip-and-save section, the first of its kind in local home magazines—The RL Notebook—a pullout notebook complete with home tips, secret addresses, trends, a moodboard, and January and February calendars you can use as daily planners, all for free! Look forward to it every month!

Buy na! Out now in bookstores and newsstands for only P140. (Photos by Toto Labrador and Miguel Nacianceno)