Optimism fosters positivity and inspires innovative ideas. Living Innovations Design Unlimited (LiDU) Inc., believing that design can help make society better, brings this ideal to life through Corner House, a residential project in Iloilo. It demonstrates how a user-focused approach and a celebration of local artistry can translate into a home that nurtures positive living and future joys.
The house was already taking shape when the clients sought LiDU’s design expertise in 2022. Its foundation, framework, and walls were all in place. But for its owners—a family of four—the ideal design had yet to be envisioned.
Having an existing structure presented intricate design challenges. One such setback, as LiDU’s Principal Interior Designer Isabella Robles Go recounted, was the difficulty of working with a pre-determined layout, where space planning was no longer feasible.
“We usually discuss the space planning on paper while it’s still in the planning phase. This one, we came in at the later part, where the spaces are already fixed. So, we can no longer redo space planning. That was quite a challenge for us because there are spaces that are now awkward with regards to the furniture layout,” Go states.
The situation prompted the Iloilo-based design firm to work closely with the family to understand their preferences and lifestyle. This allowed them to devise ingenious solutions to conform to the pre-defined space while maximizing its potential to have character and style.
For Go, the Corner House reflects both LiDU’s design vision and the clients’ dream. By dedicating specific sections to the couple’s passions, the design studio created a space where each individual can thrive and pursue their interests, further enhancing the optimistic atmosphere of the home.
Knowing that Corner House would grow with the family, the interior designer emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in every aspect of the design. She adds that this mindset often leads to a home where lives unfold and dreams are nurtured.
Seeing the Corner House’s favorable influence on its inhabitants, Go envisions LiDU to be implementing holistic design approaches as part of its commitment to optimistic design.
“We will continuously think and convince our clients to use materials that are healthy for them and for the environment. [Additionally], we really have to dive deep to understand the needs of [our] clients and their spaces, because at the end of the day, it will reflect back on how they live and operate in their homes. So, that’s the luxury that we will be providing them—that they are living in a space that’s healthy, they’re living in a space that will make them feel good, and they’re living in a space that they can grow into,” Go concludes.
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Photographed by Ed Simon.
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