AN EYE FOR DESIGN

CYNDI FERNANDEZ BELTRAN on good design, being a leader, and appreciating her surroundings

Growing up in a family of doctors, Cyndi Fernandez Beltran always felt that she wanted to pursue a career in the arts. Attracted to the world of design, she shares that she had a knack for transforming spaces by being active in decorating activities at school. “It was only fueled more by being exposed to the beauty of design and architecture that I got to see when we were traveling,” she says.

Beltran earned her bachelor's degree in Interior Design at the University of Santo Tomas. She then continued her education in Design and Management in New York’s Parson's School of Design. She believes that her travels and exposure to different cultures at a young age are what inspired her design aesthetic. “It gave me a sense of universality in my design POV,” she says, adding that her design aesthetic has always been creating interest in things that usually don’t go together.

Juxtaposition is something that she gravitates toward, and she tends to put together elements that exude both contrast and cohesiveness. “It’s all about having the ability and skill to mix different period styles but keeping it modern in a way that is clean, streamlined, and whole,” she explains. As the design director of Moss Design House (under which is Moss Home), a multidisciplinary design firm, she finds herself in all the things she is passionate about.

Television shows make working in the design industry seem like a wholly glamorous endeavor, but Beltran says it's not always the case. “Living and working in the design industry can be tough at times,” she says. “Designers are increasingly perceived as problem solvers so it constantly pushes us to keep innovating and making sure we get to discover new avenues to try to keep things fresh and relevant during changing times.”

One of the biggest challenges in Beltran’s profession is finding new ways to innovate and be original. According to her, commercialism and increasing access to massproduced pieces make it challenging to sell artisan, bespoke, and well-crafted pieces. “Consumers are now getting more impatient,” she says, frankly. “Most people would rather purchase home items that they can get offthe-rack versus quality custom design pieces that we all know are more costly and takes more time to produce.”

To combat this, she works to change the idea held by many that design is superficial, or something that only serves aesthetics with little to no science or material consciousness. For Beltran, this is far from the truth. “Design is about solving everyday problems and having deep knowledge about how people move, understanding material use and the technicality of building things with little to almost no wastage is becoming more and more important,” she says.

NEW WORLD

Like all business owners, Beltran had to figure out a way to operate during a global health crisis. Instead of letting herself sink, she found herself looking at the brand, and figuring out what could be done to help the situation. “I look at the pandemic as a catalyst for change. Business as I know it has changed 360 degrees, and I had

to forget or unlearn things I knew in the past to try to re-calibrate myself to think of ways on how to navigate this change,” says Beltran.

Events made up 65 to 70 percent of the brand’s business revenues. But because they happen to be a multi-disciplinary firm, it allowed them to focus and tap into other areas such as interior design and retail. “We were able to re-boot the company and see where the needs of the consumer lie and focus on that,” she says. “This time allowed us to be as collaborative and as creative as we can be to churn out the best business pivots.”

In terms of managing employees, it was important for Beltran to be transparent with her team. One of the ways she did this was to tell them where Moss Design House was and where the brand was heading.

As a leader, Beltran accepts that she might not have all the answers. “But leaders in crisis must show trust, hope, and optimism that leads to positive energy and purpose,” she says.

The brain trust conducted a business continuity plan, discussed at a town-hall meeting, and included different business scenarios. There, Beltran asked the staff for their help, wanting to know what they could put on the table. The changes, soon after, were instantaneous. “What I learned was, there is nothing like a person driven with a new-found purpose,” she says. “Their roles have changed since we created a game plan, and everyone’s goal is to keep the company afloat, which seems to have everyone aligned,” she says. This was a collective effort, she points out, something that came from her team having a clear understanding of the situation and acknowledging that they are part of the solution.

While Beltran would love to continue building things and creating experiences, she is cognizant that this is something that can’t be done in a virtual sphere yet. It has also been difficult to do project management as she is hands-on and prefers interacting with her team. She is also so used to checking the materials they work with, touching and testing them, and mixing and matching swatches and prints. “The adjustment to do all these online without face-to-face huddles felt very limiting,” she says.

Right now, Beltran says her favorite services at her firm are those recently put up during the pandemic, with the vision of bringing design into people’s homes. This includes Design on Demand, an online platform for those looking to refresh their personal spaces without having to leave their home. Through this digital resource, users can interact with their team on a per-hour basis, and ask for guidance on design dilemmas or full-blown renovation projects.

VERSATILE STYLE

While Beltran describes the Moss Home aesthetic as eclectic glamor, or a cross between Modern Art Deco and Mod European interiors, they never forget that they are a Filipino brand. They make sure to inject local traditions by using materials that are easily found within the country like inabel, a woven fabric from Ilocos, or T’nalak, an abaca-based cloth from South Cotabato. These are used as upholsteries paired with modern laser-cut bases. They have also used shells from Cebu as inlays in some of the offerings, or as tabletop obelisk accessories. “I think it is all about creatively injecting beautiful Filipino materials and tweaking it to make the look fit the aesthetics of Moss,” she says.

For people who have a piece of Moss in their homes, Beltran wants them to see the product as an investment. Even one piece, she says, can be such a bold statement that will always stand out in a room. “I want them to feel proud to own a product from Moss because it gives them a sense of luxury and glamor even if it isn’t an international design brand,” she says.

It is heartwarming for Beltran when clients and friends come up to her and say, “It’s so Moss!” whenever they see one of the brand’s products, events, or interiors. “I’m so glad that through the years we’ve built a reputation of producing products that have a clear and distinct design point of view while never losing sight of our aim to produce quality workmanship,” says Beltran.

Considering both reputation and expertise is crucial when it comes to designing your home, but it has taken a backseat over the last year, with DIY projects becoming more prevalent. Beltran cautions that it is important to hire an interior designer if a comfortable, cohesive, and stylish home is desired. “Selecting furniture based on aesthetic and one’s taste may be easy, but the scale, dimension, layout, and most importantly the study of spatial dimensions is something that an interior designer will be able to address,” she says.

It is a common mistake, she says, to purchase furnishing based on merely colors, texture, and design alone. “In reality, the science of choosing to make sure everything is cohesive as a whole, ergonomically correct, and best fitting to one's lifestyle is far more important,” she emphasizes.

ECLECTIC LUXURY

Beltran’s tastes as a designer usually toggle between Parisian flair and Global Influence. (The former is a Mod London aesthetic while the latter is a trend to look out for this year.) Not to say that she limits herself to those two perspectives; While she has always enjoyed eclecticism, she is a big believer in versatility. “My design style evolved through the years, and it allowed me to grow as a designer and gain more appreciation on different aesthetics,” she says. “I like putting pieces together from different eras and telling a different story. It’s always modern but dramatic but with enough restraint to exhibit understated luxury.”

The American designer Kelly Wearstler is someone Beltran admires as she is someone whose home reflects her design POV. “It is bold and yet tactful enough to know that she has not gone too far in her designing,” Beltran explains. “I love how she plays with proportions, materials and how she has set a trend without intentionally wanting or desiring to look trendy.”

As someone who is trained to constantly have an eye on design, Beltran is always studying her surroundings, especially interiors. This makes it tricky sometimes in the home of friends when she might not necessarily agree with their design choices. “But of course, I’m also trained to only speak when needed to, even for friends,” she says. Design, for Beltran, is relative. “All of us have different tastes and preferences, and what might be appealing to you, might not be the same case for me.”

This is true especially when they are communicating with their clients, and listening to them remains the priority. After all, they are the ones who have to live or be around these choices, not the designer.

“As I always say to my clients, I will never insist my design on you. Designing will always be about you, my client, and not about me,” Beltran says. “My role is to guide, edit, and make sure your space reflects your personality.”

“I like putting pieces together from different eras and telling a different story”