My friend Rachelle is very talented and very artistic.  She has a very good sense of style not only in fashion but in everything she does.  She is an interior designer so of course she did her own home.  I like it that aside from being very creative, she is also very practical and can work with what you already have.  This is my first time to see a Master bedroom that is so open!!

Previous Entry:  By Rachelle Wenger  November 30, 2008

Since she writes well too, I asked her to write and explain her home as she best expresses it.  Thanks Rachelle for sharing your home with Heart2Heart

By Rachelle Wenger

“Whenever friends of mine or people come here.  They are amazed.  I am also amazed for something that just started as a dream to have been given and made into a reality.  All great things start from a dream.  Most good come from wishes.  Prayers move mountains.  If everyone would hope.  Everyone would believe.  Everyone would have faith.  Then all dreams can come true.  Though The Greatest grants them.  We should work hard to realize that dream.  Most importantly, I think, maintain your integrity.  In all that one does.  Honesty is still the best policy.  The harder you work for something. The sweeter it tastes in the end. Keep dreaming!

Been looking for a bigger place for the kids.  My dream really was to find a condo that looks like a house and with a garden.   I like cosmopolitan living, a penthouse in the city then a country home.

Wasn’t expecting to find the penthouse but it was providential that I found it.  Was supposed to go to a gallery in this tower then curiosity made me see the units until the sales officer offered to show me the penthouse.

As soon as I entered, despite it being in cement and unfinished, I fell in love with it already.  This was what I was looking for.  I wanted the kind of living you see in New York, Paris, Hong Kong but couldn’t find one in Manila until I stepped into this place.  Fell in love with the high ceilings (12 m high) and the roofdeck.  Not to mention the helipad, haha, no heli though. 🙂

View was amazing, I live in the heart of the city/ business district and I have  a view of the mountains and river.

Originally, it was only 2 floors or 2.5 considering the stairs going to the roofdeck.  There was a wall dividing the kitchen from the main living/dining then we knocked that down.  We had help from an architect with the structure but ideas were mostly from us.  All finishing/interior design were from us.

Now, it’s a multi-level space, sort of like 5 floors, 1st would be the living , dining, kitchen, 2nd floor would be the pantry and maid’s loft, 3rd family room, salon/guest room, children’s room, 4th would be the roofdeck ( which is 180 sq m) and the 5th would be the open plan master suite.

All flooring were chosen by us, some ideas didn’t make it anymore but I still want my machuca someday 

1st floor – Italian tiles

2nd floor – narra parquet

3rd – polished cement / narra parquet

stairs- narra

5th – polished cement and narra parquet with the W (Wenger) pattern 

All bathrooms had a different theme and were re-aligned from the original. 

We wanted a white house and maximize the light,

as you know we have 5k plus for electricity bill.  We have solar water heater.  Provisons for solar panel.  Cross ventilation and ceiling fans are very helpful.  It was constructed with being green in mind. 

Take for example the antique window by the 2nd floor guest bathroom, that was put there not just for aesthetics but also for light so as not to use unnecessary light when inside.

Our master shower room also has an opaque glass window so we can shower with natural light.

All our furniture were from our expat life/ travels.  Most stuff from Hong Kong & Bangkok. There are also  stuff from Turkey, China, India, Paris, Rome, Switzerland, Spain, Philippines, Australia  & Bali .  I also got sentimental pieces from my parents like my dad’s typrwriter when he was in school, the clock which my dad purchased from his 1st salary, the sewing machine from my grandfather, the vintage silver pitcher which was from my Mom’s 1st trip to the States and was a gift from my Dad.  They may be old but all working. 

We didn’t buy anything new except for the dining table.  Dining chairs are from our old set and still want to change that but haven’t found the right ones. 

It’s still such a work in progress but getting closer everyday.

Kitchen was all stainless steel designed by Thomas and manufactured by those manufacturing for hotels.  The overhead cabinets still in progress.

The location of the stairs to master suite was designed by Thomas.  We wanted something skeletal and that would look like it’s just floating.  Architect wanted a spiral staircase in the middle of the floor but we fought hard not to make that happen hence Thomas came up with this location & design.

I chose all finishes, wallpaper, flooring, design of closets, tiles, did all the interior decoration, even the details such as the W on the floor to the master bedroom.

Our home is very personal and what I like about it is it speaks of our lifestyle and personality.  It speaks of our history, it’s not something that one can just copy and buy that particular piece cause everything was part of our life story.  Not just something we picked out from a catalog because it was nice.”   

Interior Design by Rachelle Wenger

[email_link]