Anna Kattrina A.

Merro

Design Rationale
Design Philosophy

As a residential interior designer, the aim is to transform a space into a home that
will reflect who the client is and cater to his or her specific needs while still
achieving an aesthetically pleasing environment. The space, for the client, should
personally look like, feel like and ultimately be a place called home.

Design Concept

Industrial Meets Nature: An Urban Chic Weekend Home in the City of Pines

Since the expressway connecting Manila to Baguio was finished, nothing prevents
the people from the metro to make the less than 4-hour drive to the summer capital.
The new infrastructure makes it possible for families to travel to Baguio and escape
the heat in Manila, not only for the long haul, but also even for short trips, in
example, the most anticipated long weekend. Thus, David and Samantha decided to
build a weekend home for their family in the newest development by Goshen Land
Corporation, Blue Ridge Mountains.

Blue Ridge Mountains is a 26-hectare property located in La Trinidad, Benguet. The

location is near enough to reach the city in 20 minutes but far enough to escape the
polluted air that has unfortunately settled in Baguios immediate atmosphere. The
premium subdivision is set to use up only 30% of the land for residential properties
and the remaining 70% to be developed into a green zone, maintaining the land and
ultimately providing fresh, cold healthy mountain air, good views and the perfect
environment to relax. The subdivision will also feature a swimming pool, nature and
coffee trails, a camping site, playing courts, a boardwalk and a natural mountain
brook giving the family a lot of alternative activities that they could do together
while on their getaway.

For this project, the industrial style is meshed with elements of nature to still reflect
the familys urban lifestyle but in a fresher and more relaxed, more organic way.
Throughout the house, you will see glass, wood and a few metal works, such as the
fixtures and stair railings, reflecting the industrial style chosen for the home. Real
plants and a slightly distressed finish for the wooden elements, on the other hand,
are added not just for the natural element but also to give the place a homey feel.
The aim is to take away a bit of the edginess that youll get from the industrial
elements.

The industrial style also serves as the perfect canvass for the couples passion for
the arts. In their weekend home, they will be bringing in an integral part of
themselves the art that they meticulously collect so that parts of the house have
been dedicated to displaying these works. At the same time, following the clients
request for maintaining a youthful vibe to the space, not only will this be reflected
by the sleek, modern elements of the style but also in the latest technology that will
surely be installed in this home.

As a weekend retreat, some parts of the house that you would usually find in your
main home have been omitted specifically, working desks and study tables. This
home is meant for relaxation and as an escape from the fast-paced city life and
maintaining those elements will suggest otherwise. In this home, the family should
be able to bond and relax in the true sense of the word.

Design Strategies

A. Layout

Entry through the main door will be from the east facing the west where one will
immediately notice the high ceiling, instantly giving off the feeling of freedom and
space. Your back to the main door, you will find yourself in the foyer and will be met
by a long console table in front, floor to ceiling windows facing south on your right
and a whole wall adorned with part of the couples art collection to your left. This
wall is an ode to the familys passion for the arts, giving any visitor an idea on what
type of people actually live in the home, right off the bat.

Make a sharp turn to the left and the space will seem to expand on all four sides
owing to the sloped high ceiling, floor-to-ceiling windows facing the morning sun, a
slight descent three steps down and the wide expanse from the open layout of the
living and dining area.

From the foyer, you will be greeted by the cozy living room, overlooking the view
from the windows and composed of two three-seater sofas in an L-shaped layout,
end tables in the corners and a coffee table in the center. Fronting the lounging area,
just beside the three descending steps from the foyer, is a nook where the console
piano will be located. This is the perfect spot for those seated in the living room to
watch and listen to whoever will be playing. The open layout of the space makes
enjoying the music from the dining room and the mini bar possible as well,
especially during those times when the couple would be hosting gatherings or
parties, because both areas are only just located across the living room.

Separating the dining area and the living room is a central path with a set of sliding
doors leading out to the garden. To avoid making the space look too bare, a round
center table will be placed in the middle of the path.

Grouped together across the other end of the ground floor will be the dining area
and the mini bar, as mentioned above. The stairway leading to the second floor is
located at the south-east corner of the home, just by the dining area, instead of
anywhere in the middle so that it doesnt interfere with the visual flow that we opt
to achieve in an open layout.

Turning right from the dining room, the mini bar is connected to the kitchen. Since
Samantha loves to entertain, a spacious kitchen would certainly accommodate the
preparations that she would have to do for the parties that she would be hosting in
this home. The kitchen is designed in a U-shaped layout with an island in the middle
where the oven/range is located to make it easier to move between the three most
important elements in the kitchen the range, the refrigerator and the sink.

A small breakfast nook for four is also attached to the island just right for the
family when they want to share an intimate meal together, overlooking the view
from the western side of the house. In the afternoon, this part of the house will
receive natural light through the windows covering almost the entire wall as the sun
sets in the west.

Located beside the kitchen are the only two closed rooms in the ground floor. The
first door from the mini bar will lead you to the childrens playroom, ultimately
baby-proofed and containing a few shelves and cabinets to store toys, books and the
rest of the kids playthings, some bean bags, and a mini playground set. Ultimately,
this room could be converted into a guest bedroom once the children are older but it
could always be utilized as an extra space whenever the family has guests staying
over with them.

The second door, near the western windows, leads to the powder room wherein a
built-in counter will occupy the whole left side of the space. The wall above the
built-in counter will be covered in a glass mirror, not only for grooming purposes,
but also as an attempt to make the narrow space seem wider. Apart from the sink,
located near the water closet at the far end, the washer and dryer will also be
concealed below the counter in the area behind the door. The water closet will be
located at the end of the room.

Climbing up the stairs to the second floor, the wall on your left will also be adorned
by pieces from the couples art collection an area similar to the first wall of
paintings youll see in the foyer which ensures the cohesiveness of the design from
the ground floor till the second floor. On the landing, you will be met by a small
entertainment area composed of one long three-seater couch facing a 50 4K Ultra
HD flat screen television. Right above it is a curved drop ceiling confining the area
into a more intimate space where the family can bond while watching television.
The curved design aims to represent the natural element from the concept, moving
away from the hardness of industrial interiors, for a more homey and relaxed feel.

The whole second floor landing, framed by railings made of glass and metal,
overlooks the open layout below with full view of the living room, the dining room
and the view through the floor to ceiling windows.
Facing the second floors entertainment area, opposite the view overlooking the
ground floor, to the left is the door leading to the childrens bedroom while the door
to the right is the one leading to the main bedroom.

Upon entering the door to the kids bedroom, you will pass through a small hallway
before seeing the rest of the room. Looking to the right, you will see a set of bunk
beds, one on top of the other, built into that end of the room. Afternoon sun will light
the room naturally from the windows facing west. To the opposite corner of the
room, there is a built-in closet for the childrens belongings. Right beside the closet
space is the childrens toilet and bath complete with built-in counters on one side,
the water closet in the far end and, a shower enclosed space on the other side.

For the main bedroom, you will immediately see the queen-sized bed in a central
spot. An L-shaped vanity will be built into one corner of the room, which can also
double as a writing desk if the need arises. The bed is attached to a built-in
headboard that doubles up as a storage piece and a night table as well. Toward the
end of the room is a an open archway leading to the small walk-in closet, which
continues on to the master bedrooms toilet and bath.

B. Lighting

During the day, the floor to ceiling windows and open layout of the home allows for
natural lighting almost throughout the house. Not only does this entail saving on
energy during the day but the natural light, coupled with the view of the mountains,
gives off that liberating vibe, hence, adding to the relaxing feel of the familys
weekend home. At night, the whole house would make use of LED lights for a more
cost efficient lighting system.

The foyer, living area and dining area will make use of large modern chandeliers,
that will go with the overall design, with recessed down lights to provide ample
lighting to the ground floor, despite the high ceiling. The lights in these parts of the
home will make use of soft white LED bulbs to provide a warm homey feel to the
space during the cold nights in Baguio.

Recessed down lights will be used extensively throughout the home for general
illumination. Apart from those located in the highest ceiling in the space, the
recessed down lights in the kitchen, toilet and bath and the rest of the rooms will
make use of tri-colored LED light bulbs that will switch between soft white, cool
white and daylight depending on the current need or mood. This will make sure that
the family will always have the appropriate lighting that will suit the occasion or the
mood, in general.

In addition to the recessed down lights in the kitchen, to be installed on the main
ceiling and the drop ceiling right above the island and breakfast nook, task lighting
will be used by installing under-cabinet lighting that will utilize LED strip lighting
with dimmer. This will ensure that enough light will be used for preparation of
meals. With the dimmer, the under-cabinet lighting could not only be used for the
purpose of task lighting but also for mood lighting during intimate gatherings.

Cove lighting is purposefully added to the kitchen and both bedrooms to add to the
ambient lighting, for decorative purpose and for mood lighting as well. Tri-colored
T5 LED lights w/ dimmer will be utilized for this type of lighting in the home.

In the powder room, back lighting will be used to highlight the far end of the room
where the water closet will be. T5 lights in soft white will be utilized for this area.

Tri-colored track lighting will be used to illuminate the mini bar area to suit every
type of gathering.

In both bedrooms, designer ceiling mounted lights will be utilized as the central
lighting. In the kids bedroom, the design will be balloon-like equipped with tri-
colored LED bulbs as well.

C. Materials and Finishes

a. Wall

Accent walls made of Walnut Engineered Wood Planks

Cement in Semi-Gloss White Paint
Chalkboard Paint for the playroom
Cement in Satin Finish Mint, Pale Pink and White Striped Paint

b. Flooring
60 x 60 Matte Light Gray Tiles these will be used throughout the main
bathroom and the powder room. The gray matte tiles mimic the look for
industrial concrete, which is cohesive with the design for the rest of the
house. Aside from looking like concrete, the matte surface prevents slipping
and sliding, especially when wet.
60 x 60 Matte Ivory Tiles these tiles will be used in the toilet and bath in the
kids room. The white color is utilized than the gray ones in the restrooms in
the rest of the house to brighten up the space for the children and so that it
doesnt look too mature. The matte surface protects the children from
slipping.
Walnut Engineered Wood Planks this will add warmth to the space and
engineered wood is used to avoid major wood movement

c. Ceiling
Marine Plywood this standard ceiling material will mostly be painted in
white and used for the main ceiling
Gypsum Board this will be utilized in the play room and for secondary
ceilings
 Hardwood Planks for Drop Ceiling in kitchen the natural wood will add
warmth to the kitchen and the drop will add intimacy for the breakfast nook
area

D. Furniture Pieces

Long reclaimed wooden console table this will be placed in the foyer,
adorned with simple flower arrangements and a few other ornaments on top
while the drawers will contain magazines and some coffee table books to
keep guests or visitors waiting in the foyer occupied.
Usonian Wooden Bench made of cherry wood, this hard but unbelievably
ergonomic and comfortable bench will be placed by both sides of the console
table in the foyer to keep guests or visitors who will be waiting comfortable.
Alvar Aalto inspired white sofa two of these pieces will be placed in an L-
shaped layout by the living room. Cherry Wood will be used for the wooden
frame and off white upholstery for the seats.
Light Gray Matte Finish Contemporary Coffee Table
Reclaimed Industrial Dining Table the walnut table in a slightly distressed
finish will go well with the urban theme, as well as add a bit of coziness to the
area
Dining Chairs upholstered in White Leather with nail head trimmings the
dining chairs were chosen to be clad in leather upholstery to provide more
comfort than the usual hard industrial chairs that make use of raw hard
materials. The white color of the upholstery ties it with the living room while
the leather upholstery with the nail head trimmings still represent a bit of
edginess that will jive in well with the urban theme.
Gerritt Reitvelds Zigzag chair inspired bar stools in Gmelina wood
Philippe Starck Ghost Chairs upholstered in White
Built-in Wooden closets with Mirrors
Queen Sized Wooden Platform Bed in Cherry Wood this bed will be
attached to the floor to ceiling headboard in the masters bedroom. The size
is large enough to fit the couple comfortably but intimate enough to keep
them close together
Floor to ceiling Multi-purpose Headboard designed with strips of Walnut
Cherry and Gmelina wood, built in with storage and a surface in the center
where the couple can place some frames, their phones before going to bed
and an alarm clock. In the middle, under lighting be used to illuminate the
surface.
Built-in white double bed this will be placed in the kids bedroom, painted
in white. Memory foam mattresses and pillows will be installed, covered with
premium linens and a duvet cohesive with the motif of the room. Personal
stuffed toys owned by the children would also adorn each bunk.
 E. Color Scheme

A neutral color scheme will be used for the house, mostly consisting of gray from
metals, stone and concrete, a darker shade of brown from the walnut wood that will
be used for majority of the house and white paint for the walls, ceiling and for the
color of some pieces of furniture and accessories. This color scheme, coming from
the chosen industrial style, will serve as the perfect backdrop to the numerous art
pieces from the couples collection.

In addition, a neutral color scheme would always make it easier to change up the
colors of a space through accessories. This, especially, makes it easier to accessorize
and decorate the space for every gathering that the couple would like to organize
amongst their friends and family.

For the childrens room, pops of color must be added to keep their room cheerful,
young and generally interesting for their age. The colors chosen are mint green and
light pink, both tints of green and red, respectively. The pink is typical of a girls
bedroom but adding the mint green gives the pop it needs to make it more
interesting. The colors that the two tints came from directly complement each other
but muting them down into their lightest tints makes the overall look sweet,
charming and young. These colors are backed up with mostly white, along with the
brown from the wooden floors that connect this room with the rest of the house.

F. Accessories

Simple flower arrangements

White and wooden photo frames
Wide Glass Mirror with a reclaimed wood frame
Square White Patterned Area Rug this will be placed in diagonal fashion
with the coffee table at its center to highlight these important part of the
house, especially when entertaining guests
Round Area rugs for the kids room
Framed art pieces part of the couples collection, these frames will adorn
the foyer wall, part of the living room wall and the stairway wall to reflect the
personality of the family in their weekend home
Modern chandeliers apart from providing central lighting, these fixtures
should add to the aesthetic appeal of the whole house, going with the urban,
industrial theme as well.
Vertigrow vertical garden this vertical garden will add the nature element
to an otherwise urban abode amidst the laid-back Benguet mountain. It will
be installed on the living room wall, framing the array of art pieces that will
be displayed in the same space. Drip irrigation will be installed for hassle-
and-worry-free maintenance of the plants.