They wanted living spaces that articulated their love for travelling and deep appreciation of Philippine history and art

and put them together inside two of her rectangular marble vases. For her birthday, she used fresh cockscomb flowers and red roses, mixed with helix branches. She also has Margarita Fores’ Fiori di M on her go-to list for flower arrangements.

Candles, meanwhile, are also a must because like the flowers, they freshen up a room and are decorative touches to the table setting. They also provide ambient lighting and help in setting the mood. “I plan everything to the detail, so when I host a dinner party, I’m not going to forget to appeal to my guests’ sense of smell,” Grace shares, “Most of the time, I choose something that smells fresh and something that my family or guests will appreciate.” Her top choices include Karmakamet’s Moroccan Otto of Rose Candle, with its warm note of fresh Moroccan roses, and Karmakamet’s Leila candle, which is a blend of Northern Indian Jasmine and Sumatra Island Frangipani.

Clearly, Grace has got every detail down to a T. “When it comes to entertaining, I want to make it an experience,” Grace shares. She makes an art out of hosting gatherings, ensuring that every nut and bolt is in its right place. But the most important element of creating memorable parties, she reveals, is the people. “I like making people happy,” she says, “It’s really all about making your guests feel like they don’t ever want to leave.”