my job gives me a valid reason to shop

One of the things I love about working for a shelter magazine? I get to "discover" home decor stores. The first shop that became a favorite is DuoDeco Studio. Read all about it here.

Also, churning out issue after issue of home decor/design ideas has ignited in me this desire to really prettify our small nest (I never thought I have this nesting bug in me until I joined Real Living). It's all about creating vignettes that go well together despite the floor size limitations. And mind you, there's really no need to bust the bank. There are so many home stores sprouting here and there that offer ready-made and bespoke pieces that boast of a lot of character sans the hefty price tag. 

Now all I have to learn is how to fend off the urge to buy all those pretty pieces I discover.

when work doesn't feel like work

I finally know what other people mean when they say that they don't feel like working because they do what they love to do. 

Presenting, my second issue!

What's in this issue? Find out here!

the first two weeks

It's been two weeks since I started on my new job/career as Real Living's managing editor, and all I could say is...I'm having a blast! I feel blessed to be part of a great team who knows how to appreciate what our magazine stands for. Sure, turnovers and deadlines can be a pain, but the hardship is compensated by a daily dose of creativity witnessed during shoots and events. And in my first two weeks, I've seen enough to be inspired. How inspired? Let's just say that all those wonderful colors I see almost every day, whether at shoots or visits to exhibits, have translated to how I decorate our own nest. 

The table runner (first photo above) is actually a steal from Landmark: it's reversible and costs only Php199! Such a great find! Meanwhile, the pillows are from Duo Deco (the big, floral ones), SM Homeworld (the ones with green geometric prints), and Mandaue Foam Furniture (the yellow/white one with orange embroidery). Since it's already summer, I decided to update our throw pillows as a means of adding more color to our place. The ones from Duo Deco and SM Homeworld are newly acquired, actually, and I just mixed them with the one from Mandaue (which belongs to our original set). Francis and I also bought new curtains to complement these summery pillows. I was originally gunning for something printed, but decided on a plain, olive green set to temper the explosion of prints and colors on our couch. Haha!

But it's not just our home that benefits from my new job. My closet, too, got a little update, thanks to this year's Manila Fame.

There were so many pretty, locally made accessories (aside from magnificent furniture pieces, of course) showcased, but the one above, which is a neck piece  from Avatar, caught my eye and my heart (haha!) that there was no other option but to buy it.

So yes, I am loving my job. Aside from the fact that there's less stress compared with the previous one I had, seeing pretty things on a daily basis makes it less tedious. The only thing I "hate" about it? I spend on those pretty things. Haha!

poetry on the fridge

I apologize for the blurry photo.

One of the treasures we found in Singapore is this Magnetic Poetry set, which I've been secretly wanting ever since I saw it in a magazine. So when I found the tin boxes in the souvenirs section of the Asian Civilizations Museum (for SGD32), Francis and I immediately agreed to buy it. 

So, aside from forcing me to flex my mental muscles in order to come up with decent syntax  once again, this nifty set also forced us to get rid of unsightly receipts tacked with mismatched magnets on our fridge's door .

Hurrah for Magnetic Poetry!

lights, camera, action!

As the scheduled date of our move-in to our new home draws near, Francis and I get more and more excited. The fruit of all the stress and hard work will soon be "unveiled", so to speak. By stress, I mean this:

I recommend clicking the image above for a bigger picture
and a better idea of what we went through. Hahaha!

These are the many, dizzying choices we had to put up with while searching for the perfect drop light for our dining area--and that's just the dining area. Why that much effort for that particular nook? Because that's the first area that will greet us as we enter our new home, and we want a piece de resistance that will greet us as we come home from a stressful day. And so the weeks-long search ended when we saw this at Alton Lights in Ortigas Home Depot the second time we went.


Francis and I were so, so happy and elated to have finally found the perfect lighting fixture that's a cross between modern (something to offset the woodsy feel of our Baguio-meets-Zen home) and ethereal (the intricate details still has me mesmerized! The design kind of reminds me of the Tree of Gondor in LOTR, haha!). What sealed the deal was the very affordable price: we got it for less than P3,500, as it came with a 10 percent discount! The moment I set my eyes on this, I knew I was in love and would not have been convinced otherwise.

As for the other lighting fixtures, this one from Wilcon-Quirino goes to our kitchen...


...and this one from Bell's Lighting in MC Home Depot is for our living room.


We were also able to purchase two more for our bedroom and the (future) kid's room, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos of them.

Most of these lights will be white, with the exception of the "Tree of Gondor" drop light, which will be warm white. But of course, we didn't fail to consider having warm, mood lighting in the form of LED (more eco-friendly than CFLs!) pin lights. As for the bathroom, our architect advised us to just go for two medium-sized down lights that will be installed on opposite sides of the area (one on the left and the other on the right).

We were originally planning to have one or two organic-looking lighting pieces, but we opted for those that have a modern feel for fear of being horribly redundant. With browns, woods, twigs and a hint of indigenous items that will be used as accents, we don't want our home looking like an old Baguio cabin resthouse.

Francis and I really can't contain our excitement, especially when we saw the progress of our unit improvement! We hope that the next time we pay a visit a few days from now, our lovely lights will have already been installed. Yaaay!

P.S.
Yes, there will be more home updates in future posts, so please bear with me!