Rinna Soriano’s favorite part of her work is sanding. At her workbench, she stays focused, following the grain, adjusting to changes in its direction. Narra, she has learned, can have interlocking grain. A piece of mango once proved particularly difficult until a worker explained that she had reached the point where a branch once grew […]
Corner House: A Flourishing Dwelling
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.
Adapting to Existing Spaces
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.
A Home for Growth and Well-being
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.
Read more: Luxury by Design: Royal Pineda + and the Precision of Purpose
Frequently Asked Questions
The main challenge faced by Living Innovations Design Unlimited (LiDU) Inc. was that the house’s foundation, framework, and walls were already completed by 2022 before they were brought onto the project. Because the layout was already fixed, the design team could no longer perform traditional space planning. This resulted in “awkward” spaces that required ingenious interior solutions to ensure the furniture layout felt natural and functional despite the pre-determined structural constraints.
Optimistic design at the Corner House is rooted in the belief that a home should be a vibrant canvas for growth, well-being, and future joys. By focusing on a user-centric approach, Principal Interior Designer Isabella Robles Go aimed to create an environment that fosters positivity and inspires innovative ideas. This philosophy manifests in the creation of a dwelling that is not just a static structure, but a nurturing space where a family’s lives can unfold and their dreams can be actively pursued.
The interior design was meticulously tailored to reflect the family’s deep appreciation for Filipino art and their individual interests. LiDU Inc. worked closely with the family of four to ensure that specific sections of the home were dedicated to the couple’s passions. By transforming the existing structure into a reflection of the inhabitants’ personalities, the firm turned the house into a personalized sanctuary that encourages each family member to thrive.
Go emphasizes a commitment to using materials that are healthy for both the residents and the environment, viewing this as a form of modern luxury. This holistic approach involves diving deep into the clients’ needs to ensure the space positively impacts how they operate daily. The goal is to provide a home that feels good to live in, promotes physical and mental health, and remains adaptable as the family grows over time.
Since redoing the walls was not an option, the team focused on adding character and style through clever furniture placement and interior finishes. By understanding the clients’ lifestyle, they were able to turn structural setbacks into opportunities for unique design expressions. This collaborative process ensured that the “awkward” fixed layouts were transformed into functional zones that felt intentional rather than forced.
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