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Picture-Perfect Home
My Home Magazine Maiden Issue
December 2000, cover feature and pages 42-49
Photographed by Ava Lugtu
In an upscale subdivision in Quezon City, an exceptional abode stands, reflecting the stylish sensibilities of owners Larry and Nini Gutierrez. A showcase of the couple's mixed tastes, it is at the same time the ideal home for their seven-year-old daughter, Bea.
The architecture and interior design by Popi Laudico reveals simple, modern lines that permit each accessory to breathe and take center stage. While the volumes of space vary, the geometry remains faithfully angular, except for a curved stairway that offers a welcoming contrast.
The exterior package - geometric shapes in relaxing earth tones bordered by growing greenery - alludes to the rich elements within. The main door opens to a processional corridor that allows a glimpse of the various areas of the home. Rustic, neutral-colored ceramic tiles set off white walls, and floor-to-ceiling picture windows emphasize the extra high ceiling. While diaphanous hand-woven abaca blinds let in abundant sunlight, suspended fans manipulate cross ventilation.
To the left of the foyer is the sun-dappled living room. Awash with natural light, it unveils a mix of Filipino antique pieces. Down the hallway to the right is a horseshoe shaped space that holds the breakfast nook and series of shelves that display the couple's cherished collections. Adjacent to the nook is the functional kitchen with gleaming black counter tops matched with bleached wooden cabinets. The formal dining area repeats the look of the living area with its mix of soft and hard, old and new.
A curved stairway leads to the second floor leading to the library-cum-family room. A more personalized space, it vividly captures the character of its inhabitants. Built-in floor to ceiling cabinets and shelves, which are framed by small windows, encase the family treasures-from choice reads to travel mementos-and serve as this area's major feature. The winding steel staircase, meanwhile, leads to the couple's private study.
Three bedrooms dominate the second floor. The master bedroom features a king-size stainless steel bed covered with crocheted spread while Jonathan Olazo's paintings are sandwiched between large windows that give the couple a full view of the living room below. Even little Bea's room is stylish in itself, with a large wooden bed blanketed with crisp white sheets and teddy bears sitting on top.
Larry and Nini aimed to make Bea feel really at home, making sure they built an abode where their daughter wouldn't mind running around, surprising herself with simple home treasures. But more than just a dwelling the house is really like the couple's second "child" with the suave blending of their tastes creating a beautiful and enduring testimony of a fruitful and loving family.
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