This RL Reader Home in Baguio Gives Us Early Summer Vibes

As someone who loves shows and articles related to design and lifestyle, the owner of this condo unit in Baguio found renovating the space as a challenging yet exciting journey. “I already had in mind a rustic, homey feel with a touch of metal after constantly visiting Real Living’s page. When the opportunity came to do this project, I started compiling looks and furniture that I want to place in the different rooms,” shares Irene. The property was purchased for her daughter, but since she already moved back to Manila for work, it became the family’s rest house. Irene also decided to rent it out to family and friends who wish to visit the City of Pines.

Prior to Irene’s renovation project, the condo was left untouched for a long time. “I knew I had to remove the rotten wood and do some rewiring, retiling, and remove all the wooden panels. To cut the long story short, it was a total makeover,” she relates. While Irene had a vision for the space, she enlisted the expertise of engineer Jun Mina as contractor as well—helping her work on the space and keep within the budget. In finishing the project, logistics became one of the most important considerations. “The challenge was sticking to my budget and choosing the materials that went with the look I wanted to achieve. Thinking about the humidity of Baguio was also a big factor in choosing materials,” says Irene. Aside from shopping in Manila, Irene also visited Our Home in Baguio as well as other local stores to source for the right must-haves. “Once you enter the unit, you will feel at home with all the modern conveniences in place, but still feel you are in Baguio with the pinewood wall accent in the living area. I really enjoyed the process of designing the space. I knew what I wanted, thanks to [the tips I learned from] following your magazine,” she adds.

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