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A couple, who loves collecting furniture and books, deserves a residence that reflects their discerning taste. The home needs to exude that fine balance between style and substance and a marriage of form and function, aesthetic and meaningfulness. 

Their polished design sensibilities prompted Architect Anthony Nazareno of Nazareno + Design and Interior Designer Grace Reyes of Grace S. Reyes Designs, Inc. to create a home that not only meets the clients’ requirements but also possesses a timeless design that reflects her and her family’s personalities. The designers rose to the challenge and worked together on a residence that is sensitive to their clients’ passions. 

Mid-Century Marvel: Nazareno x Reyes' Masterful Curation.

Reyes shares, “The clients [are a couple] that I’ve known for such a long time. They wanted something which is personalized, individualistic, nothing that you see in a department store. It’s something that when you see it, it’s theirs.”

A Bold Mid-Century Modern Aesthetic

The home’s understated entrance gives early clues of what lies ahead. Planters by artist Poklong Anading, made of slippers and textured cement, and the tongue-in-cheek “Hinayupak” doormat embellish the entryway. The massive door with a metal, perforated handle reveals a living space with a double-height ceiling.

Mid-Century Marvel: Nazareno x Reyes' Masterful Curation.

The home opens up to a calming palette of grays with pops of ochre on the couch and the rug. An indoor tree sits in the corner bringing nature in as artworks fill the expansive walls. To the right of the foyer, a black staircase made of perforated metal adds a unique element to the home. It is no surprise, then, that Nazareno deems this spot as the best showcase of his synergy with Reyes.

Mid-Century Marvel: Nazareno x Reyes' Masterful Curation.

“I brought the design forward to Grace and our clients, and we ran with it. As [the staircase] is perforated, it somehow feels like you are floating when you walk through it. The stairwell is enveloped in some works of artists I admire like Lao Lianben, Elaine Navas, and Maria Taniguchi,” he says.

Mid-Century Marvel: Nazareno x Reyes' Masterful Curation.

Iconic furniture also pepper the home. Pieces like the Eames La Chaise and the Eames Elephant show that the residents are serious mid-century modern furniture collectors. Meanwhile, functional art pieces like the Mongol pencil bench by artist Kawayan de Guia and the Happy Bird, a playful home accessory by Finnish designer Eero Aarnio, show the breadth of the homeowners’ penchant for furniture. 

Careful Curation

Nazareno and Reyes weren’t just designers in this collaborative effort. They were also careful curators who framed the couple’s life well-lived. Although very stylish, the home isn’t one that is overly glossy to the point of eradicating any traces of the owners’ personality. In fact, a closer inspection of each and every object—big and small—will reveal intimate parts of those that live in the home. By being observant and listening carefully to the couple, the designers of this home achieved an impeccable mix of style and substance. 

Style and Substance: MyHome October 2024.

Read more about this incredible home by ordering your copy of the MyHome October 2024 issue, available via the sarisari.shopping websiteShopee, and Lazada. E-magazines are available for download via Readly, Press Reader, and Magzter.

Photographed by Ed Simon.

Read more: Designing a Dream: Michael Leyva Honors His Family Through His Home

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Jar Concengco

Contributor

Jar Concengco is a Manila-based photographer whose practice spans food, architecture, interiors, and people. He began his photography career in San Francisco nearly two decades ago and has since built a body of work published by publications across the Philippines. His images bring a keen eye for detail and a thoughtful approach to the people and spaces behind each story.

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