Interior Designer Rock Robins.
It all started when Randy, a Filipino born in the States, visited the Philippines for the first time at age 19. Since then, he knew he’ll come back and visit regularly. With his wife Magdalena, Randy decided to invest in a property in Manila to serve as their vacation home before heading to one of the many beautiful spots in the country and around Asia. The owners found Rock Robins’ work online. The owners and the designer first met via email which led to their one and only face-to-face meeting where they sealed the deal during one of their visit in Manila.
“This is a vacation home for my immediate family while they are in Manila,” shares Randy. So, the couple opted for a rustic and cozy space, similar to their home in San Francisco that Magdalena decorated with inspirations from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.
Magdalena wanted something very modern and industrial but also warm and inviting for the design of their home away from home. Shades of black and gray accented with cozy wood elements dominate common areas. A wall clad in black steel-framed mirror contrasts nicely with the warm wood table with light accents, giving an industrial but homey feel to this unit.
GUEST BEDROOM
In the guest bedroom, a feminine night table is a counterpoint to the masculine elements of blue paint and brown wood. Beddings from West Elm and SM were mixed and matched for minimum cost with maximum impact.
MASTER’S BEDROOM
In the master bedroom, Rock made an effort to bring the outside in with small plants and an outdoor lamp in the bedroom. The shiplap wall gives a country feel to the bedroom. Also, the muted tones in the space allows for a better shut-eye. When Asked about his favorite space, Randy replies, “The bedroom because it has a marvelous view of the Villamor Golf Course and the Makati skyline behind it. The room just makes me want to relax with a good book.”
On the side of the room towards the walk-in closet is a work space. “To balance the wood shelves with the wooden desk, we paired it with a ghost chair which is see-through polycarbonate material. This area is a marriage of the old and new. We wanted to show that you could pull it off even if you mix different styles,” shares Rock.
The couple and the designer communicated via emails and Facebook throughout the project and all submissions and approvals were done online. Mutual trust and compatibility was clearly reflected in their communication despite the geographical distance. As Randy explains, “The working relationship was fantastic. Transparency is key here and he’s been able to give us a timeline and manage the project to that timeline. Working with Rock helped to ease our nervousness about managing a project from abroad.”
When asked how she felt about their new vacation home, Magdalena replies, “We are very happy with the design results.”
This story first appeared on CondoLiving Vol. 11 No.2 2016. Edits were made for CondoLiving.OneMega.com.
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