A YEAR of being held in our homes because of the movement restrictions has allowed us to experiment and do some minor (or even major) renovations at home. This is partly because spending so much time at home made us see the areas in the house that could be improved for convenience and aesthetic. Partly to blame also for this newly-discovered hobby of renovation and interior designing are Pinterest and the Home Buddies PH Facebook group.
We talked to two young architects in Davao City who both told us that the current and apparent trend when it comes to home design is minimalism and the tropical elements.
“Usually, kadaghanan karon sa clients ganahan og contemporary designs and minimalist. Preferences are going towards tropical design especially ang Philippines na-belong sa tropical countries pud,” said Arch. Lunel Andrew Sayon.
He added that the trend among Filipinos is not only considering the beauty of the design but also the budget and the spending capacity of the clients. He said contemporary and minimalist designs warrant less details hence lesser things to spend on.
“Minimalist designs are emerging especially sa mga tiny houses, socialized housing, and condo type because of the small spaces. Kailangan naay function every corner. Minimalism also prioritizes spaces needed or suited sa client’s lifestyle,” he said.
The local resources available in the country also are a huge contributor to the existing house trends that we have now. Despite design trend changes, those that remain to be on trend are those readily available and are affordable.
“Design trends now are more on the use of vernacular architecture such as bamboo, GI sheets -- typical materials found in the Philippines. Budget-wise, these materials cost less but higher when it comes to labor hence a help to our local construction workers. So win-win practice actually. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is also strong about the bamboo industry right now. Daghan sila programs for the locals to integrate bamboo in construction,” said Arch. Gabrielle Alias.
She also believes that spending too much time at home results in people seeing what’s lacking and how best to improve the house.
“Noon, more on curves, like our grills daming curves. Karon more on straight, modern lines. With more people staying home, mas daghan sila maka-realize na daghan mali sa ilang bahay nila. Daming napapa-less is more. Mas maaliwalas kumbaga,” she shared.