Ultimate Makeover

A Php500K Hotel-Like Makeover for a Bare 2-Bedroom Condo Unit

Inspired by posh hotel suites and abstract wall art, interior designer Jackson Cue transformed the bare space into a modern-contemporary vacation home

Photography: courtesy of the designer (Before) and Hilary Buenaflor Photography (After) Interior Designer: IDr. Jackson Cue

Owned by a Filipino family based in the United States, this 58sqm condo unit will serve as their vacation home whenever they visit the Philippines. To make sure they will feel at home and relaxed in the unit, interior designer Jackson Cue got inspiration from serviced residences and hotel suites. The big difference? It will also have a compact yet functional kitchen.

“I also got inspired by abstract wall art so I used a shade of green as an accent color for the whole living space that includes the hallway, the kitchen, and the living and dining areas,” explained the designer.

To achieve the hotel-like ambiance, Jackson also invested in textured wallpapers and floor-to-ceiling curtains. The client didn’t want to have construction work done so the designer focused on bringing the right furniture and décor as well. “Black details were deliberately added to provide character to the space – from the black cathedral mirror to the details of the dining chairs,” he adds.

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In just two months, the once bare two-bedroom unit became a chic and welcoming vacation home that can rival any five-star hotel suite.

READ: A Modern Scandinavian Look for a Couple’s First Home

Modern-Contemporary Two-Bedroom Condo Makeover

Foyer

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The foyer of the unit is reminiscent of fancy hotel lobbies. To make the most of the narrow hallway, Jackson made sure the shoe cabinets are compact and can also work as additional storage for other belongings.


The area also functions as a disinfecting area, with a catchall holding sanitizers and alcohol. Meanwhile, the striking stools serve as seating whenever the owners need to put on or remove shoes. It can also serve as extra seating when they have visitors.

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A full-sized cathedral mirror is propped against the wall so the owners can check how they look before going out. It also moonlights as a pretty accent piece.

Living and Dining Areas

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The living area is completed with entertaining and accommodating guests in mind. Paired with the sofa bed is a compact coffee table to make sure there’s enough leg room. Behind the sofa bed is the inspiration for the unit’s accent color.

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After


A few steps from the living area is the dining area with a table that can be extended to accommodate eight people. From this angle, you can’t help but admire the sleek legs of the chairs which complement the touches of black in the space.

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Opting for furniture pieces with slim legs can help create an illusion of having more space. Completing the living area is a simple yet striking TV console.

READ: A Practical 37sqm, One-Bedroom Condo Home for a Balikbayan Family of 4

Kitchen


Jackson needs to create a functioning kitchen in the unit. “We added hanging shelves to have additional storage space where dishes, glasses, and the microwave oven can be kept,” Jackson says. They also had to cut to size an IKEA LINNMON / OLOV Desk so they can place it on top of the washing machine to create an extra countertop space.

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Master Bedroom

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“We love how the master bedroom became such a cozy space thanks to the full-padded bed frame, comfy sheets, textured wallpaper, luxurious curtains,” shares Jackson.


Given the size of the condo unit, Jackson had to take into consideration space allocation when choosing furniture pieces. “We don’t want to sacrifice the comfort that’s why we still opted to use full-size furniture pieces. The challenge was how to use such pieces without making the space too cramped so we played with proportion,” the designer explains.

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In the master bedroom, since the beds are full-sized, they had to decrease the size of the side tables and TV console. Most of these are slim and wall-mounted to save space.

READ: IKEA Finds Complete This 23sqm Studio Unit

Master Bathroom

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According to Jackson, they initially decided to leave the bathroom as is but while working on the unit, he felt that the T&B couldn’t be left out. The solution? Working on cost-efficient upgrades.


Aside from the décor pieces, the designer also added pendant lamps and pin lights to keep the space well-illuminated. To avoid clutter, BURHULT / SIBBHULT shelves from IKEA were also installed.

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Second Bedroom

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In designing the second bedroom, Jackson employed the same approach he did in sprucing up the master bedroom. Since he used a metal bed frame here, he decided to add weaves on the night table to soften the aesthetic. The night table can also be used as extra seating when needed.

READ: Minimalist But Not Plain, This 24sqm Unit Shows How You Can Achieve the Clean Yet Cozy Look

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At the foot of the bed is a wall-mounted console where entertainment essentials and other belongings can be kept. Mounting the TV also helps free up floor space.

Common Bathroom

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Similar to what’s seen in the master bathroom, the common bathroom was transformed with handpicked lighting and décor pieces. Adding extra lighting helps create a hotel-like vibe.

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BURHULT / SIBBHULT shelves from IKEA were also installed to hold décor and toiletries.

Interested to work with IDr. Jackson Cue? You can email him at dyakks[at]yahoo.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and Instagram to see more of his work.

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