A case of history - Aparador in contemporary jargon generally refers to a wardrobe cabinet. The word originates from the French garderobe, which literally means "to guard the robe." It was known as »

A Compact City Retreat - FORTY square meters. That's all the new studio owner had to work with in her new little cubbyhole in one of Makati's newest high rise condominiums. But for »

A Cultural Celebration up North - Sitio Remedios is situated on more than 18,000 sq m of land in Barangay Victoria, Currimao, facing the placid South China Sea in Ilocos Norte, near the northwest »

A festival of mud - Capati, Mendoza and Pettyjohn are part of a growing community of clay artists belonging to the group Putik which helps promote ceramic art in the Philippines. "I think »

A garden in your apartment - There are so many ways to grow plants indoors, so there's no reason to miss the fun of gardening if you live in an apartment or condominium unit. »

A heritage of celebration - Every year, the Tantoco clan, known for pioneering and revolutionizing the Philippine retail industry, meets en famille to welcome Christmas. The family, all 60 of them representing four »

A NoSy life - I've lived at Apt. 34 for 14 years now. It has great spaces, an almost ideal layout. The two bedrooms are a generous 23 square meters each, and »

Blanc Gallery - Tucked away in the Crown Tower Building in Salcedo Village, Blanc Gallery is a small one-room exhibition venue that offers a cultural respite for those wishing to escape »

Business As Usual - An interior designer's touch turns this former office into a corporate lawyer's ultimate power meeting place What an office was doing on the topmost floor of a posh residential »

Downsizing in style - This 90 sq. m. two-bedroom condo is located in Vancouver, B.C., and owned by Annie Gorra, who works in the corporate services department of the municipality of Vancouver, »

Dramatic space - FOR DESIGNER Rajo Laurel, his apartment is "a place to escape. A place that would remind me of New York. It's a fantasy abode devoid of work." That's »

Five easy pieces - Kitchens used to be the most neglected part of the house. Cara Marie Salangsang-Marcelo, manager of the kitchen division of Focus Global, exclusive distributor of internationally known brands »

Getting More from Less - IN HER work as an architect and interior designer, Joy Dominguez displays a maturity of vision that seems almost incongruous in the context of her youthful looks and »

Green Mansions - I didn't expect to find the forest primeval in the foothills of Makiling, but I did. Stretched over large tracts of tropical rainforest, the Makiling Botanic Gardens, as »

Haven for a Free Spirit - A comfortable expanse that reminds you of the freedom of the open air and the rejuvenating charge of early dawn. No doors that divide rooms into enclosed spaces, »

Help on household help - BI and barangay or police clearances notwithstanding, horror stories abound about helpers hired from manpower agencies. Take Carissa M., office worker and mother of two. In 1999, she was »

High living in the city - For those who like to be in the thick of things, The Columns Legazpi Village is the perfect urban address. The 41-story residential tower, which will rise on »

Home At Last - After years of wandering from one venue to another, PETA finally finds a permanent home in a space of functional yet graceful modernity For generations of Filipinos, particularly students, »

Iridescent gem - "I don't like grout," declares jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong. The tiles throughout her new house are precision-placed and cut so that there's but infinitesimal space between. The »

Life in the Open - Stressed out by city life? take some pointers on how to escape to outdoor living from these homeowners who effectively made the move More and more city dwellers are »

Master of the house - THE MASTER bedroom is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the master's bedroom. It is called such perhaps because of the generous proportions usually reserved for it, a spacious »

Memories of Morocco - For years, Maritess Tantoco has been a traveling spirit. In her 20 years as a buyer for Rustan's, her work has taken her to every corner of the »

Minimalist Sanctuaries - The dominance of white, the rich texture of wood, furniture that is pared down so that the materials are appreciated for their lines, color, or texture, all »

Mirror image - Mirrors are making a great comeback as a key element in home interiors. Undoubtedly this is largely due to their ability to create the illusion of space -- »

New shopping destination - With owners Sheila Bermudez-Romero and Trisha Bermudez graciously attending to the guests, Beyond Bamboo recently staged an enticing preview of what it has in store for Manila's discerning »

Party to Modernity - Architect Dan Lichauco throws some of the best parties in town. They're always happening. There's always a throng (more importantly, an interesting throng), great music and a bottomless »

Perfection plus Philippines - Known for his pristinely elegant work, J. Antonio Mendoza is one of Manila's most sought-after designers. A recently completed commission was the renovation of the top-end suites of »

Photographs and Memories - The Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes Jr. (GBR) Museum is located inside the Gateway Business Park in General Trias, Cavite. Both are brainchildren of the museum's namesake, a »

Pick and click - With the launch of eBay Philippines last year, online shoppers rejoiced. Amazing finds! Pinoy prices! It seemed too good to be true, and in a way, it was. »

Pieces of Paradise - For those with a yen for the unhurried, relaxed pace of the countryside, but who aren't willing to let go of the conveniences of city life , there's »

Private Parlors - Most homeowners need a lot of storage space, and a closet area where they can dress up, as well. Although there's no need to dress it up, since »

Public made personal - The first thing to consider when decorating a living room is the sitting arrangement. Normally the room is anchored by sofas and armchairs, while a daybed can serve »

Rare art exhibit at Lopez Museum - A truly significant art exhibit is the Lopez Museum's comprehensive gathering of paintings by the famed architect Juan Arellano (1888-1960), who began his career during the Commonwealth, executing »

Refuge for Two - IT WAS the perfect escape from the political uncertainty of the '80s. Located in barangay Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna -- far enough from the tension caused by the then »

Rustic chic - Inviting sofa beds, comfortable wooden benches, huge country-style cupboards -- these are just some of the furniture you will find at Costa del Sul on Arnaiz Avenue in »

Spirit of the times - Unlike Sito Remedios' Dr. Joven Cuanang, well-known fashion designer Lito Perez is not from Ilocos, but he has become so smitten with Vigan that he now plays an »

Stylish Cocoons - THE FAMILY room or den embodies the casual approach to living in a house, and provides a venue not just for bonding among family members, but for entertaining »

Stylishly multifunctional - To Aurora Go, a kitchen should reflect one's interests and exude an ambiance that can liven up the senses when preparing food. Designed with the help of sister-in-law »

The most private sanctuary - Life in the fast lane has pushed people to work long hours and beat deadline after deadline. Once home, the bathroom becomes a sanctuary where we can take »

Tsinoy Legacies - Dear Mr. Villegas, In my grandparents' house in the Ilocos are a few old things: china, a carved wood chest and cabinet. They've become so familiar over the decades »

Ventura Ventures to Oz - The Ateneo Art Gallery director plays tour guide to a young artist taking his contemporary Pinoy aesthetic to Australia IF THERE'S any wonder why there's such a »

Wit and Provenance - The antique scooters in the lobby are the first clues as to what lies ahead. The Syquia Apartments, built in 1937 in the heart of Malate, are home »

Yeah, Baby! - Old school cool in classically modern shapes and colors »