This OFW Brings Filipino Touches to Her Family Home in Seattle
Mikee Patrixia goes through thrift stores for bilao and wooden plates

It's true that with the year-long lockdown that most of us have been bitten by the home improvement bug. You've probably done stuff like setting up a work-from-home station, starting your very own coffee bar at home, made a makeshift gym, and maybe even redesigned the bedroom and kitchen.
This constant need to fix our quarantine nest doesn't just apply to Pinoys in the Philippines. OFWs who are quarantined elsewhere are not spared of this, too. Case in point: Mikee Patrixia's gorgeous dining area.
According to Mikee, the inspiration from her design came from her longing to be in the province. In a post she shared on Facebook group Home Buddies, she said, "I want to feel na nasa bahay kubo ako sa probinsya sa bahay namin."
She shared with Yummy.ph that before settling in Seattle, Washington back in 2014, she grew up in the province of Lumban, Laguna. Fast forward to January 2021, she has now her own house together with her husband and child.
Mikee decorated her dining area with tons of wooden bowls, plates, lighting fixtures, and chairs. She told us that she would usually score these wooden items at Seattle Goodwill, but that you can also find them at stores like World Market or Homegoods except they would be more expensive.
In thrift stores, she bought wicker baskets or the bilao at $1.99-$2.99 (approximately P96.63-P145.19) while the wooden plates were priced at $2.99-$3.99 (approximately P145.19-P193.75).
Check out how Mikee's dining area looks:
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And just in case you're wondering what the rest of the house looks like:
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Did you DIY your bedroom, your living room, or your whole home? Share photos and your story with us! Send them to [email protected], and we may just feature our space next!
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This story originally appeared on Yummy.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Realliving.com.ph editors.
See How This Homeowner Transformed Her ‘Tambakan’ Room Into a Pantry (realliving.com.ph)