Quickly pointing at the floor space next to the bed, Yell Villareal, my classmate and good friend from way back in school, explains that is where her 11-year old daughter, Claudia, positions her mattress to sleep at night.
Claudia shares a room with her sister Julia, 18 years old, for whom the current room was originally designed.
“They are constantly bickering and fighting about the space,” says Yell over our first zoom meeting. “We want to give the girls the room that they dream of and Claudia to have a space she can finally call her own.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Villareal children, like the most, are forced to stay at home, attend remote learning and limit social interaction. With no properly dedicated personal spaces for both girls, the current set up meant more daily discord.
A red striped chair sits behind an oversized black L-shape desk. Two empty antique book cases lean on the right wall. “I’m having an important video conference next week, this room is what I can use. I've decluttered it and this is all I have to work with." It was at 12 midnight when I received a WhatsApp message from my sister in Germany, Reina.
A red striped chair sits behind an oversized black L-shape desk. Two empty antique book cases lean on the right wall. “I’m having an important video conference next week, this room is what I can use. I've decluttered it and this is all I have to work with.” It was at 12 midnight when I received a WhatsApp message from my sister in Germany, Reina.
With three kids aged 15, 11 and 8, all home schooled due to the world pandemic, my sister was in dire need of a spot for her video conferences.
Walking along the shopping streets of Myeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea for the first time, I leisurely gaze at the boutique stores one after another from outside.
My eye locks into this pink building in front of me. Like having some sort of magnet, it draws me to the inside.
As if the almost naked statues with orange shades at the entrance that greet upon arrival don't surprise; you'll find toilet bowls sandwiching the main elevators without much adieu!
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Do you remember the awkward age of twelve when clothes are either too small or too big and nothing fits just right; the age when you’re too old to be a child and too young to be a teenager. Nowadays, this awkward preteen stage is more popularly called as tween.
Designing the perfect bedroom for a tween is like finding the perfect clothing.
Aside from being aesthetically beautiful, the design should be ready to serve the everyday lifestyle needs like organization, functionality and flexibility. There are a lot of physical and emotional changes expected to happen when you’re a tween. So most importantly, the design should be ready for the transition!
"This is a chance to live a fantasy!" I blurted.
Lighted poodles and sheep suspended from the ceiling greet me at the main lobby. I entered Hotel Moschino in Milan and found myself in a dream.
This was summer of 2014. I was lucky to have a unique visual and physical experience of oversized gowns used as headboards and bed amidst forest trees.
Walk with me as I relive the senses awakened by the used to be Maison Moschino in Milan.
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The photo above shows the original turn over condominium unit. Seen are the doors of the two small bedrooms that enjoy the beautiful pool view, the bathroom, and the bare space that is allocated for the living and dining rooms. The living and dining rooms have not much light source with these bedroom doors closed.
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