Decorating For the Soul

By JARELIESE MAURO

This year, gain the knowledge of embellishing for the holiday season rather than for the capitalists’ benefit.

James Jao, esteemed architect and interior designer, has yet again coordinated decors using proven philosophies and particulars. This time, his interior designing project is a weekend house situated in the taciturn White Sands subdivision in Mactan, Cebu. The decorating challenge was to create a festive yet relaxed mood, polished yet comfortable, presentable minus the gaudy details. A no frills scheme to match the client’s laidback personality.

Guarding the entrance is a solid narra door with bevelled glass sides. At night, sidelights give the door an illusion as if it was suspended in thin air. Special touches of Metalscape Series painting by Ivan Acuña, a console table imitating a puzzle, and a fat lady accent piece in solid stone bestow the first sophisticated impression of the interior space.

The preference and post of the furnishings and holiday decor are crucial in creating an atmosphere. Since scores of dazzling tones and showy season collection can generate an overly-stimulating environment and increase tension, harmony and repose as themes in the spacious living room were realized.

Fully upholstered in cream linen, an L-shaped chaise longue with beige and torqouise throw pillows grants a full view of the narra staircase and the unconventional 8-foot "Christmas tree" of sprigs moored with a ribbon of pine leaves, golden ponsettias and twinkling lighbulbs. At the crest, about twenty feet high, rests in its magnificence, the octopus stainless steel chandelier with peanut halogen bulbs in all its 12 tentacles. A circular-shaped Italian metal table lights up on the surface to provide the focal point of the room, a white porcelain belen, the attention it deserves. The eyes can also rest on the squat glass table simulating the smooth waves of the sea and on top of it, the diaphanous bowl confining crystal beads, shredded icicles, dried weeds, blue blossoms, and rice. Another Acuña paintning accentuates the den and beneath it are ivory fabric lamps in shiny stand and aperture ceramic vases in matte silver finish containing pine cones, glossy beads meshed in a wire, blue ponsettias, ersatz blue berries and other holiday knicknacks.

Next to it is an another set of sofa which has a muted taste for a color brown format. Spotted black and taupe cushion lines up on the veneer couch. A modern low coffee walnut table, decked with an earthen tea set and dishes shaped like tiny vessels carrying pristine white and corral blue crystal balls and glittered twigs, heigthens the family room’s reputation for a homey feel. Coalescing the space is the shaggy carpet of colors which could remind one of a steaming cappucino. The swirl of white could be the froth, the light brown hue could be the caramel syrup, and the dark shade, a shot of espresso. Besides its velvety caress, the visual feast is an another comeon for the guests to go barefoot and sink their feet into it.

Breaking the monotony of the symmetry is the eight-seater dining table. Its character devotes to make guests experience an intimate conversation while being crooned by the symphony of gushes and trickles of the man-made water falls on boulders, round-shaped jaccuzzi, and the rectangular pool framed in black slakes. Fostering a visual incentive is the landscape of 35 varieties of plants. Christmas collectibles and bunches like figurines, sequins, berries, pine leaves and cones all coated in silver dust tucked in a wreath make the holidays more jovial while it basks under the gentle glow of 30 downlights from the ceiling. Even the sinuous shapes of fabrics and French wire ribbons help fashion the holiday table without overdoing it. Olive green candles in vanilla scent, yellow roses and a hint baby’s breath waft in th room. A cornucopia of cinnamon rolls, cookies, croissant, bagel, mango and a chocolate dome cakes deligth the senses.

"Christmas should be more focused on being with family and friends sharing laughter and recalling memories and planning future activities," mentions James Jao. He encourages to try new traditions such as a minimalist approach on styling one’s home giving importance to attaining synchronization-an appeal in which everything in the room fits together like a glove to materialize a delightful image. Pass up displaying competing objects. This methodology will boost your energy flow ("chi") in your home. Respite and benevolence will naturally take place. Afterall, there’s no tranquility to be surrounded by too many objects that one wouldn’t know where to look next.

Decorate for your lifestyle and not for someone else’s. By enclosing yourself with folks and belongings you truly love and at the same time, abiding by a number of interior designing principles, the peace and contentment you beget will last you through the holidays. In this Christmas Season, the call for Peace has never been more meaningful. Live by the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of love.

Photo:

James Jao from his profile

http://www.architizer.com/en_us/people/profile/james_jao/