At home with the confessed ‘maximalist’
SHE could wear any old shirt with jeans and look gorgeous all the same, but what’s the fun in that?
For multi-hyphenate artiste and artist Heart Evangelista, there’s no pressure in joining the ever growing minimalist movement, be it the way she dresses, as a visual artist or even as lady of the house, among her many other interests and responsibilities.
The reason for it all is paradoxically simple: the 36-year-old multi-platform celebrity very obviously thrives in creativity.
Certainly, creativity is why she became the actress we first knew her to be as a teen, eager to display a range of emotions that befit her varying roles. It’s why she was soon hailed a fashionista too — first on home ground and eventually all the way in gai Paris — for had she played it safe in basics and neutrals, or gone stingy with her accessories, there wouldn’t be much for the glossy magazines to explore and chronicle.
And oh, her internationally exhibited paintings—many of which now hang on the walls of legitimate art collectors near and far—; they may indeed show her creativity at best.
Perfect examples of Expressionism, whether appearing on huge canvas, haute couture or Hermes bags, her use of bright, bold and boundless colors truly sets her creativity wild and free, as she depicts the most captivating and mystifying subject of all: Woman.
Ever true to her aesthetic philosophy across these vast artistic endeavors, Heart’s credibility in style and impeccable taste is, therefore, rock-solid no matter the time or space.
Just last week, in fact, yours truly joined one of her first ever public engagements since the pandemic began, where she led a tour of Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) Residences’ newest model units in Ortigas Center.
Unapologetic and rightly so, she declared from the onset that she’s a maximalist.
“I know a lot of people are into minimalism,” she added with great respect, “but this is how I am. I feed off colors, so I surround myself with lots of it even at home. You know, something as simple as having a bowl of fruits on the dining table… I love the sight of green apples or lemons, but anything that’s too dark like say, talong (eggplant),” she chuckled. “I keep them in the ref!”
And off she went from there, showing the Residence’s furnished spaces for twoand single-bedroom units from the company’s newest Ortigas Center properties, The Westin Manila and The Sapphire Bloc.
Done in collaboration with Heart as consultant and brand ambassador, the model units attractively reflect the Residences’ promise of “an elevated lifestyle experience” for “Filipinos to live their best lives.”
“We all deserve it when we work hard as we do,” chimed Heart, who, despite her privileged background is admired in show business for earning her own keep. “I started working since I was 13 and when I bought my first home at 17, siyempre I made sure I was getting my money’s worth.”
A satisfied owner of a unit at Sapphire, she cited location as her first consideration in buying any property. “Even now, the pandemic made me rethink the importance of having a home in a central address like this. A strategic address in the metro means not wasting precious time in traffic so we could spend more time with family and do more of the things we love.” The professed maximalist then zeroed in on the fun she has furnishing spaces according to her lifestyle and personality. She recommends consoles whether in living or dining areas not only for aesthetics but for practicality too.
“If you’re like me who has lots of abubuts (knick-knacks), you’ll love having consoles,” she laughed. “In condos, it’s all just a matter of picking the right size for the space you have, and the Residences has done a great job in their layouts.”
Inspired by this and quality material and fixtures like granite kitchen islands, well-appointed nooks and Kohler bathrooms, among others, Heart happily tapped into her deep, deep well of creativity, helping to beautifully transform the model units into very inviting homes.
Surrounded by splashes of colors here and there, conversational decors, avantgarde mood lights and so on, this farreaching style maven bared her creative soul just a little bit more and said to end, “Home is a place [where] I share [myself] and open up to others, and my home is really an extension of who I am — what I like and my aspirations.”
And with all of us spending most of our time at home these days, there’s much to learn indeed from Heart’s lifestyle and an age-old adage. Make your home truly where your heart is.