“I enjoy the cool weather and openness of the home,” said the owner of the newly-built family rest house in the cool highlands of Eden, East of Davao. It was intended as a mountain get-away for the family of six who sought to escape the confines and heat of the city during the pandemic.
It’s a contemporary rustic weekend cottage in a size that’s easy to manage, according to the owner, who designed it to her specifications with her daughter-architect-baker helping out. It sits on the high ground of the sloping terrain surrounded with towering trees and lush foliage. The house’s orientation to the East allows the residents to enjoy the morning sun, whether they’re at the large second floor bedroom or at the veranda and adjoining deck that hugs two sides of the house.
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| A family's newly-built family rest house in the cool highlands of Eden |
Daylight streams through the large windows and wide glass-panelled accordion door brightening the spaces on the ground floor. The latter gives seamless connection between the indoors and the outdoor dining and entertainment areas.
On the main floor, the absence of walls between the kitchen and the living room creates a great room. The unobstructed line of sight between the two areas, the creamy white walls, easy maintenance bleached wood-finish ceramic floor tiles, good lighting fixtures plus lots of natural light flowing in exude a sense of wide space.
The living area is furnished with rustic furniture from the owner’s collection from the city residence. To complete the look, the kitchen cabinets are designed in the same theme, in a color that matches the rest of the interior appointments.
“Since we love to cook, the kitchen plays an integral part of the house,” said the owner.
Merlgen Euro Designs was asked to execute the owner’s modular cabinet requirements. It’s not the first time the client tapped Merlgen, “They were the ones who provided the cabinets for our modular kitchens in our apartments three years ago,” she said.
Stating her requirements for the kitchen of the rustic-themed rest house, “I need to have a pantry and storage for the kitchen appliances when we are not using it. It will have to fit a couple of cooking ranges and a dishwasher among the other necessary appliances. I need to have space for everything.”
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| (Left) Mirror image. Addition of a mirror gives a perception of big space while brightens an area with reflected light (Right) Open shelving for items used daily & decor |
“The client was very happy with the previous project. Although she is familiar with the services and products Merlgen can deliver, the library of materials has expanded since. So, for their new rest house, we sent them swatches of the new materials for the cabinets and countertop in the colors that fit their design concept,” shared Honeylet Lim, manager of Merlgen.
From the options, the client selected the Elm-colored wood grain finish for the cabinets and the Super White Quartz for the countertops. The finishes will match the tone of the wood furniture, and over-all, complete the rustic look the client wanted to achieve.
The kitchen’s design uses two L-shaped walls of the residence. Along the left wall, overhead and countertop cabinets, and a pantry provide generous space for the owner’s storage requirements. Fitted on this side is the refrigerator while the wide countertop accommodates the coffee maker, oven toaster and microwave comfortably with enough space for other items.
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| The design using two L-shaped walls of the kitchen |
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| Maximizing space for storage, display & fitted appliance |
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| A kitchen design that fits the clients requirement to fit 2 cooking ranges (one detached, the other on the kitchen island), a dishwasher, space work & ample storage |
Fitted along the right wall, the first of the two cooking ranges with a range hood, a dishwasher, kitchen sink and a countertop with cabinets are fitted. Overhead open shelves present space for highly utilized items and decors as well. A white-framed window above the kitchen sink brightens the space with natural light.
Tying the split kitchen spaces is the large island at the center, where the second cooking range is outfitted. More storage space is provided in this freestanding cabinet while the wide counter top also serves as an alternative food prep area and a breakfast space as well. Illuminating the kitchen’s central piece are rustic pendant lighting in the same color as the appliances.
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| Tying the split kitchen spaces is the large island at the center |
In today’s lifestyle where transitional-style space works best, the kitchen has become an extension of the living area, no longer just a cooking zone. Thus, the section has to be well-designed and as “well-dressed” as the rest of areas used for entertainment.
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| More than a cooking zone, the kitchen is an extension of social interaction. |
“Our kitchen cabinets and drawers design requirements were met,” said the owner of Merlgen’s output.
For the new project, the repeat client gave her feedback: “They are very professional and maganda ang trabaho (they did a good job).”
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