find a unit near the her daughter’s university, and turned this college student condo into an eclectic living space. “I learned that it’s more cost-effective to invest in a condo unit rather than rent. I did not want my daughter to commute in the traffic of Manila. It would be stressful for her to wake up early in the morning to go to school and go home late at night,” Lucille explains. 
Lucille wanted the unit to be cozy enough for her daughter, Nicole Marie, to enjoy living in it; a refuge where her daughter can rest and study, especially with the work load she will be given at the university. Though Lucille is into DIYs, she needed more hands to help her design the space. Through a colleague, she met local design firm Lahubre Designs. Interior designers Pam Laserna and Joan Reyes and landscape artist Yvette Hubines (Lahubre is a portmanteau of the team’s last names) worked with Lucille to achieve the rustic industrial space she has long wanted. “She loves DIY projects and completed several interesting pieces made of wood and metal. This provided us with the direction in conceptualizing the design of the space,” shares Pam and Joan. The client originally wanted concrete walls and floor but the building admin did not allow it, so the design team just mimicked its aesthetic by incorporating a German-smear finish to make the living space brighter since there’s only one small window for natural light to come in, and concrete-style porcelain tiles instead. 
“We wanted to emphasize the rawness of the different types of wood used,” Lahubre shares. At 24 square meters, ample storage space is of course needed. “We originally thought of installing overhead cabinets but they made the space look cramped. Instead, we went with open shelves and baskets to hide the clutter,” shares Lahubre. 
Majority of the furniture pieces, accessories, and even the barn doors were made back in Iloilo by Doc Lucille’s go-to carpenter. After a month of renovation, this college student condo turned into an eclectic living space with the various textures and finishes incorporated by the team. Today, Nicole Marie can enjoy living in a cozy space away from home thanks to the collaborative efforts between her mom and the design team.
