Residence of a Grand Dame
Walls paved with mother-of-pearl, a movie house fitted with sport car seats, rare furniture sourced from Italy to India, and a private altar made of antique silver are only a
few of the memorable things inside Louie and Mellie Ablaza's palatial Makati home
Tucked away at a private subdivision in Makati is the palatial home of Louie and Mellie Ablaza. Upon entering the property, your attention will immediately be taken by a large fountain located at the center of the driveway. The structure’s water, blasts so high that it almost
reaches the heavens. Once arriving into the main house, you will be greeted by the staff at the receiving area, a small but grand foyer decorated with crystal butterflies, antique ivory sculptures of religious figures, and fresh blooms. This room is the ideal appetizer for guests, giving them a glimpse of the Ablaza family’s sophisticated world.
At the right side of the foyer, there sits a wooden stand that carries a personalized guestbook. Guests have the option to sign their names and write well-wishes for the home dwellers. Although not usually a custom in many homes in Manila, this guestbook is an absolute necessity for the Ablaza family. They often receive guests during their grand parties, which have grown to become legendary within the social register. When finishing your message, you will be led towards two-large double doors that bring you into the home’s main hall. The room is of an imposing size and filled with beautiful furnishing and impressive artwork. Finally, you have arrived at the Ablaza’s, and as you can see, the myth is very much real.
LEAVING NEW MANILA
“At first we didn’t really want to leave New Manila,” said Jun Jun Ablaza, one of the couple’s three children, who talked about the family’s previous home in Quezon City. “This house was ready for a long time. We built it, but we didn’t want to transfer because we were so used to living in our old house. The main reason we moved was when [dad] was honored Honorary Council [of Zambia]. It was hard for them to keep traveling back and forth to Makati [for meetings, events, and dinners].” With the family business keeping him busy, along with this new social role, it was only natural for Louie and his wife to finally make the move to Manila’s business center to make things more convenient. Jun Jun, who has an impeccable eye for beauty, was tasked to decorate the home.
“I’m very much a maximalist,” said Jun
Jun with a chuckle. “More is more! But for this house, it was all about the details because dad likes it that way. I had to choose each piece carefully because he wanted to keep it simple and spacious.” Jun Jun worked hard sourcing one-of-a-kind pieces for the home and made sure that everything was elegant, without making it too over-the-top. He chose marble flooring because of the clean texture and filled the Mediterranean structure with modern decoration to give it a contemporary flair. “I also mixed alot of different materials like glass, mother-of-pearl and horn,” he says while touring us around the home. It took him three years to finish decorating the entire property.
A sculpture of a mystical giant doubles as a water fountain for the koi pond A repurposed tree decorated with glass bulbs, orchids and crystals is a major conversation piece amongst guest
Venetian mirrors frame the entrance to the dining room
A HOUSE OF COUNTLESS STORIES
The grand hall of the Ablaza home is almost museum-like. Each piece of furniture, painting, sculpture, and fixture has a backstory. For instance, the interesting light fixtures (that look like upside-down lampshades) were actually designed by
Jun Jun himself, who had spare lamps and wanted to cleverly incorporate it into the space. The room’s centerpiece is a large fake tree, repurposed after it was found fallen. Every time there is a party at home, the flowers and décor change depending on the theme of the evening. When Lifestyle Asia visited, it was filled with orchids, glass spheres with candles inside, and Jun Jun’s collection of rare crystals.
Pillars that hold up the second floor's balconies are lined with mother-of-pearl, handmade by expert artisans to resemble tile. Rugs made from different animal hide also decorate the space, seamlessly matching with antique throne chairs bought in India, large silver bowls filled with ostrich eggs, Venetian mirrors, Italian chandeliers made out of crystal, and a very special silver chessboard frequently used by the couple’s grandchildren on Sundays. There is also a view of the pocket garden, which has a large Indian gazebo and a magnificent statue of a mystical giant creature, which also doubles as a fountain for the koi pond.
The artwork that grace the walls of the Ablaza house are by masters of their craft. Some of the most notable is a triptych of paintings by the iconic Arturo Luz which finds its home in walls of the grand hall. There are also striking pieces by the likes of Amorsolo and Isidro. Rounding it all up are portraits of Louie and Mellie created by family friend Rupert Jacinto for his annual exhibition.
MANY RICH CORNERS
To the right of the main hall is the dining room. On the day of the shoot, name cards were set out for a future party, which included the name of many VIPs such as honorary consuls and ambassadors. Jun
Jun took pride in the table set up, which he designed in a record time of 24 hours.
The downstairs powder room
A large, curved staircase gives the home a palatial feeling
The second floor alter is made out of antique silver sourced from a collector from the north Jun Jun's collection of rare antique Sto.
Ninos made from ivory
The private movie theater was fitted with sports car chairs and a ceiling that resembles stars
He even notes that he was fortunate enough to be able to change the flower setup last minute, after deciding that the first design was “too much”. The dining room is probably the most important part of the Ablaza home. They are excellent hosts, so a lot of time is spent between these four walls where they eat, drink, laugh, and share stories with their family and closest friends.
“The walls of the dining room are made out of natural blacklip,” Jun Jun says. He explains that blacklip is a shell, which has an impressive shiny black and rust color. “It was done piece by piece. In one shell, you can only make very few [tiles], since its curved,” he says while holding up one of the shells up. He further explains that artisans spent tireless hours cutting each shell and placing it onto the wall. It is one of his favorite details inside the house filled with so many rich corners.
At the opposite end of the large hallway, right beside the staircase is the family’s private movie theater. Louie, a car enthusiast, asked his son to change out the theater seats with sports car chairs. The viewing room features a large big screen, 10 seats, red carpeting, and numerous Versace throw pillows scattered on the floor for their grandchildren to use. The ceiling was also created to resemble a starry sky, making movie-going experiences at the Ablaza house truly ethereal.
PAYING TRIBUTE
There are four large bedrooms on the second floor—a master’s suite for mom and dad, and a bedroom for each of the siblings. Jun Jun admits that he and his siblings never sleep there, but their parents wanted it built anyways, just in case. He continued to mention he had slept there a couple of times, especially when a party gets too late and he doesn’t want to go all the way back home to Quezon City. On most days, the room closets are used as storage for Mellie’s countless designer gowns.
The most special aspect of the second floor is the family’s private altar which pays tribute to the Santo Niño. The Ablaza’s are devout Catholics and followers of the saint, even joining the Grand Procession at Roxas Blvd every January. For all the blessings they have received, the family wanted to make sure that they had a place of worship in their house. The altar is made out of antique silver that they bought from a collector from the north. Chairs at the chapel are Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chairs. Across the room is Jun Jun’s beautiful collection of antique Santo Niños made out of ivory. The growing collection is now at 10 rare statues, with the most priceless occupying the middle of showroom space. It is made out of solid ivory, carved by a remarkable artist.
The upstairs altar space and chapel truly reflect the type of people Louie and Mellie Ablaza are. Despite their success in business and high social standing in society, they never take their accomplishments for granted. They are still humble, God-fearing individuals, whose home acts as a place of giving thanks to Him.