January musings: art & design



THE year kicked off with “everything beautiful” for the home. It won’t be until 2016 that I will finally be living with myself (I know that’s kind of late) but like the old cliché goes- it’s better late than never.



This life-sized clothespin sculpture will make one fabulous conversation piece.
Seen at Zen Department Store, Central World, Bangkok


How about this as a room decor & light source?
Quirky & eye-catching visual merchandising design at Siam Center, Bangkok



With the thought of finally having a place I can call my own, I have been more attentive with the detailing of the places I have been visiting. Whether its decorative bits to brighten up a room or clever ideas that create an illusion of bigger space, my eyes are seeing and storing the ideas. These will be filtered soon and fused to come up with one cohesive look that will work for me.



Design ideas, fabulous world-clas Pinoy-designed pieces at T'nalak Home



The problem at this point is I seem to like everything, and what I really achieve for my dream living space is something Japanese in influence—minimalist, every inch of space highly functional. Realizing the look will require a (whole lot) of discipline. It’s quite challenging actually knowing what a hoarder and how cluttered I am. I still have three years to whip myself into shape and come up with the final design. Time will fly, for sure.



Artworks- wall frame & table lamp made of natural paper at T'nalak Home.


Woven lamps @ T'nalak Home is best when clustered


Chic & unique- "egg-shell" chandeliers. Seen at Vie Wine & Grill Restaurant in Bangkok



What helps is traveling. The opportunity allows your mind to experience the culture of a place, its fashion, cuisine, and its architecture. Hopping form one hotel to another, one room to the next, gives me a peek into what kind of home I will be living in—a small one. It’s like a study tour on how to make the most out of a room and how to decorate and the teachers are very, very good in their lessons. The hotels and boutiques in other countries are very chic and alluring. Yes, these looks can be found in the web but I am a very visual person and I want to see how I proportion against the space.



Voyeur's paradise- Centara Grand's shower area offers a fabulous panoramic view
of the Bangkok skyline....& vice versa.

....and the view at night.



This is why I am hopping at every opportunity to travel. What’s more exciting is getting the chance to stay in stylish hotels (all listed in Agoda.com) that offers the look and feel of my future “condo living”. The only difference is, each hotel room varies in design (which is quite exciting) and these serve as a design inspiration. I’m one lucky b*tch.



Major design consideration-- big windows, natural light, good ventilation.
I wish my place will be as spacious as this @ Suite 8 of Vie Hotel Bangkok.


Loving the wall & window treatment. Believe it or not, this is a fitness center.
At Vie hotel, Bangkok

Or go for this wall treatment- the wall of wines at Centara Grand's Red Sky rooftop restaurant



So far, I am have picked up a few ideas for cabinetry and closets, room color, window treatment and the possible look for the most important room of all— the toilet and bath. In terms of accessorizing my home with décor, I think I have enough pieces, conversation pieces like it’s called. Not until I find a nice piece or two and the previous ones will be given as gifts to a very lucky recipient. Such is the cycle of decorating life.



I don't know why I am in love with candelabras.  This one accents the floor of Vie Hotel in Bangkok


How's this as a peg for my walk-in closet?
Just one of the many chic boutique modules at the newly-reopened Siam Center in Bangkok.


And speaking of home accessories, my favorite local haunt is T’nalak Home in Abreeza Mall. The store is tastefully filled with exciting pieces designed by the country’s best creative minds. To keep the excitement up, T’nalak Home is constantly stocking its floor and shelves with a new lot regularly. I have collected a few pieces of this label this early for my future home and at the rate I’m going, it looks like it will be a mini showroom of this store.


My favorite local haunt for locally made designer pieces- T'nalak Home in Abreeza Mall