This 28sqm Condo Unit in Manila is a Modern-Tropical Must-See
IDr. Andrea Santos-Alano of Feliz Interiors transformed the small space into a resort-like haven for a family of three
Many families who live in the province invest in a second home in the city to make it easier for the members to go to work or attend school. Conveniently located near the school of the children and the office of the parents, this condo unit in Manila proved to be a good investment for the owners who live in Pampanga.
In personalizing the one-bedroom space, they requested to make it seem like an extension of their house in Pampanga. “Upon checking the photos of their home, I noticed a lot of heavily and beautifully carved wooden furniture, unique accessories, and a lot of patterns…they are into tropical interior design, culture-rich accent pieces, intricate details, and the like,” shares interior designer Andrea Santos-Alano of Feliz Interiors.
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Taking inspiration from the photos, Andrea focused on giving the condo unit a modern tropical look, with wood as the main design element. She made sure the space is welcoming and relaxing – with a homey province ambiance. “This condo unit gives you the vacation mindset to let go of everyday stressors at work or school,” the designer adds.
Take a peek inside the condo unit below:
Entryway
Upon entrance to the unit, the kitchen is located on the right and the bathroom is on the left. Andrea made sure that all décor pieces follow the modern-tropical theme. “Wood textures are predominant and earthy tones add a relaxing touch as if you’re walking by the shoreline,” she shares.
Kitchen
The kitchen is Instagram-worthy, with its lovely cabinets and striking backsplash. To keep within the budget, the designer simply replaced the cabinet doors, installed new gold handles, and sourced Machuca backsplash tiles. For the cabinet doors, Andrea made sure to replace the MDF boards with marine plywood to make it more durable.
READ: A Tropical-Scandinavian Look for a Couple’s 55sqm Condo
Living/Loft and Dining Areas
From the kitchen, guests will instantly see the living/loft area on the left and the dining area on the right. Look up and a beautiful lighting piece illuminates the space. Andrea used PVC wood ceiling accent to add to the tropical feel of the unit.
Dining Area
“Among all the areas of the condo unit, the living and dining areas are the most challenging to work on given the clients’ requests,” says Andrea. For the dining area, she was able to place a three-seater dining table and a freestanding shelf. “Thanks to the large mirror we installed, we were able to make the space look brighter and larger,” she adds.
The dining chairs are from Home at Manila while the dining table was a custom piece made by Andrea’s favorite sash factor in lower Antipolo.
Loft Area
The area under the loft bed functions as the unit’s living area. Despite the size of the space, the designer was able to fit in a three-seater rattan sofa from Zebedee Handicraft, a TV with media cabinet, and a table.
A sisal area rug anchors the entire living space. To go with the theme, the designer spruced up the sofa with a crocheted pillow cover which goes well with the macrame wall accent.
Storage steps with minimalist drawer pulls lead to the loft area. Since a family of three uses the unit, the design team had to provide an additional bed. “A loft bed was much preferred rather than a makeshift bed or sofa bed,” Andrea shares.
READ: A Calming Tropical-Inspired Dream Home for a Young Couple
Bedroom
A Queen-size bed with drawers from Our Home completes the bedroom. Aside from the closet, the designer added overhead cabinets to create extra storage. There’s also an open shelf where books and décor can be kept.
Mirroring the solihiya details seen in the loft is the lovely solihiya closet made by Ascend Builders. A mirror was also installed to create an illusion of taller space.
“We also dismantled the old partition separating the bedroom from the rest of the unit. We made a new one using fabric wallpaper as a cover and black wood liston as borders,” Andrea explains. The new partition works well with the overall theme of the unit.
READ: 10 Things to Love in Janine Gutierrez’s Tropical-Scandinavian Condo
Bathroom
Since the client didn’t want to change the existing tiles, Andrea had to think of a way to elevate the look of the bathroom. “Thanks to the client’s request to put additional storage, we were able to upgrade the look by adding cabinets with lighting,” she shares.
They added three cabinets in total – a mirror with storage, compartments under the lavatory, and another one above the water closet. Having a glass shower enclosure also helped level up the aesthetic of the T&B.
Interested to work with IDr. Andrea Santos-Alano and Feliz Interiors? You can follow them on Facebook: Feliz Interiors. You can also email her at felizinteriors.info[at]gmail.com.
