A Series of Improvements for a 650sqm Bungalow

A house that is home to a growing family is bound to experience changes as kids grow up and eventually fly the coop. In the case of interior designer Tess Vargas and husband Louie, their 650sqm lot started out as a bungalow with two bedrooms and a den, and eventually became a sprawling homestead with the arrival of their four sons.

It goes without saying that the house’s décor and design had to be updated as well. The living and dining rooms' former décor—a French-Provencal look of blue-and-white jars and chintzy floral sofas—didn't sit well anymore with her sons as it made them feel like they were off-limits to pretty pillows and soft laces. So out went the blue and white pottery and soft furnishings, and in came the wood furniture, Buddha statues, and intricate panels. A key point in the Vargas home’s metamorphosis was the addition of a poolside cabana, an idea inspired by her sons’ request for a pool table to be placed in the living room. “I would want to see them in the house with their friends rather than be out in places so there was no argument," says Tess.

And while Tess liberally gave her sons free rein to choose their bedroom colors and design, she also added her own personal touch during the house’s recent renovation. An Asian theme was the perfect compromise: the exotic and elegant vibe of each piece appeased Tess’s feminine sensibilities, while the dark wooden fixtures lent a masculine feel. Tess also admits to always being partial to wood – having developed a fondness for choice Chinese furniture in wang wali, elm wood, and sandalwood.

Original article by Coni Tejada. Styling by Issa Villar. Photographed by Jun Pinzon.

 Read the original article (“Keeping Up with the Times”) in the June 2007 issue of Real Living Magazine. To download a digital copy of Real Living Magazine, visit Summit Newsstand at https://summitnewsstand.com.ph/real-living.