A Small Space Turned Into An Artistic, Two-Storey Family Home

It’s always inspiring to see functional tiny spaces, more so if they evolve into charming family homes filled with personal finds and exquisite details. In May 2016, artist Jeng Cabrera and her husband decided to make use of a small space by turning it into a family home. “The former space was constructed [to serve] as my Mom’s office. She passed away and didn’t get to use it. My family had to make use of that small, one bedroom space. We have three kids and they’re growing up fast so we had a need to expand,” Jeng shares. Opting to add a second floor entailed a lot of changes. Walls were torn down, they extended each side of the house by a meter, and pillars were built to support the new floor. “We basically wanted more space. When we were designing the house, I wanted a big kitchen. My husband and I love to cook and we love having people over. We decided to [turn] the old bedroom into a kitchen, with a bar of course,” she adds.

Teamwork helped the family finish the home. Since Jeng and her husband also love to decorate, they had free rein on the furniture and décor that completed the space. “If he likes something, he shows it to me and if I don’t like it, we won’t go with it and vice versa,” Jeng says. The two asked an architect friend to work on the layout and they took it from there. Taking into consideration the project’s budget, the couple joined furniture groups on Facebook and even purchased quality secondhand finds. In building your home, Jeng shares this advice, “Your home is a reflection of who you are. Make sure you like what you see and you like what you feel when you’re in it.”

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