A Gorgeous Minimalist Family Home in Antipolo
Fans of industrial and Scandi-inspired interiors will find something to love in this renovated space
Homes go through to different changes to meet the needs of its occupants, while in some cases, families move to bigger spaces to accommodate a growing brood. For Francis Mey and Niki, it’s a mix of the two—leaving behind a one-bedroom apartment, moving into a two-storey house, and working on a renovation project to achieve the home they want.
With the help with a trusted foreman and Niki’s mother, who has experience working on renovations, the couple transformed the outdated space into a minimalist dream home that showcases their chosen themes. “Niki was gearing toward the industrial style and I am more of #teamputi and #teamkahoy. We found a way to meet halfway. We’re very much in love with the overall look of our home,” shares Francis.
The renovated home, which they fondly call SKIEStudio (a name derived from the nicknames of their four kids), is a visual spectacle. It’s aesthetically striking yet has a welcoming vibe makes you want to stay indoors all-day. Since it’s located in Antipolo where it can get chilly, it evokes warmth and comfort, too.
See more of the charming home below:
Living Area
Francis describes their living area as “cozy, calm, and content.” Like a moodboard come to life, it features an inviting sofa meant for lounging, plants that brighten it up, and plenty of natural light. To keep within their theme, soft furnishings in neutral colors add to the overall appeal.
To maximize the space under the stairs, a compact desk and a chair take up space to create a work nook. Despite the space, they were able to personalize it with handpicked décor and framed photographs.
Kitchen
As an ER nurse, Francis seldom has time to relish the peace and quiet of home. “I find cleaning and organizing our kitchen very therapeutic,” she muses. When she was planning how the kitchen would look, she knew she wanted it to be functional. “’Yung shelves and drawers, hindi basta aesthetic lang, may function lahat,” Francis adds.
The kitchen bar, which is made of solid mahogany wood, is a customized piece with wheels underneath so they can move it when needed. It also functions as a buffet table during family gatherings.
Meanwhile, the kitchen countertop has pullout drawers underneath where condiments, pans, pots, and a trash bin are kept. To achieve her dream kitchen, Francis collaborated with J.D.N Wood Works.
“The open shelves make the kitchen look more spacious. Our favorite is the mini coffee nook we have set up. Under the bar, there are drawers where we store the microwave. It also functions as a mini pantry as it’s convenient and accessible, even for the kids,” the lady of the house explains.
Dining Area
A few steps from the kitchen is the timeless dining area featuring upholstered chairs and a round dining table with sturdy wooden legs. The color of the chairs perfectly complements the walls. “We worked on DIY skim coat cement wall painting. We tried mixing skim coats to achieve the color we wanted. One-part gray, one-part white skim coat then mixed with a cup of water. Dried, sanded, then top-coated it with acrylic emulsion. The result was surprisingly good,” shares Francis.
Staircase
Francis has always wanted to have a chandelier to liven up the staircase. Since it can be expensive, she decided to turn her DIY ideas into reality with the help of an electrician. The lighting piece that hangs above the stairs only costs P2, 500.
Kids’ Room
For the Kuya of the family, the room has a loft bed to separate the study and sleeping areas. Under the sleeping area is a desk with computers and there’s enough space to fit in a swivel chair. “It’s a smart decision because it doubled the space and functionality of the room,” says Francis.
Second Kids’ Room
For the girls’ room, Francis worked on a Montessori-inspired space. The mattress is on the floor and there are minimal furnishings to keep the room bright and perfect for playing.
The girls’ room also functions as a play area. “This is where I put my toddler’s toys and books kept inside rattan baskets and storage pieces to keep things organized,” she explains.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is Pinterest-worthy—from how they used wooden pallets to hold the mattress to the color scheme. “It’s very conducive to rest and relaxation,” Francis shares. Instead of the usual lamps, they chose to hang light bulbs on both sides of the bed to free up floor space.
Francis also designed the open closet in the bedroom. They refrained from having big cabinets as these can take up space that can make the room look cramped.
Bathroom
It’s not surprising that many homeowners choose to splurge a little in the bathroom. Francis and Niki have always wanted a spacious bathroom, “’yung pwede kang matulog sa loob.” They completely revamped the T&B and turned it into a hotel-like private space.
They invest in a bathtub and fixtures in matte black finish to go with the theme of the home. To keep within the budget, they also shopped for fixtures and décor from Shopee and Lazada.
DIY Home Office
The home office is charming and functional—with shelves spruced up using wood grain wallpaper bought online. Since there’s a big window, the space is bathed in natural light, keeping it bright and ideal for getting work done.
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Have you recently spruced up your room or renovated your home? We'd definitely love to see the result! Send clear photos (with your full name, city address, and accompanying kuwento) to [email protected] with the subject "DIY Makeover" and we may just feature your DIY project!
