“HOME IS ME THE KIDS AND OUR HOUSEHOLD WHO KEEP ” US SANE
may have kept the minimalist approach to renovating her home, but the house remains abundant with warmth and love.
Going back to abandoned passion projects was a popular pursuit over the pandemic, with many forced to spend more time at home. For Cecile Zamora, the woman behind Chuvaness.com, it meant a continued immersion in her many passions. One such undertaking is Zamora’s love of turntablism, and those visiting her home will find an entire DJ booth in her living room. Custom-made by E. Murio, the booth is one of her new favorite additions to her house, allowing her to refine her skills while concerts and shows are still prohibited from being staged. To resemble the thrilling ambiance in bars and clubs, she ordered a special light projector from London, adding a beautiful strobe effect to the living room.
“As long as we have good health, good food, and basic necessities, we are good”
While hoping to play for crowds soon, Zamora added design pieces and had parts of her house renovated. What was once an almost empty home from busy schedules outside is now suddenly filled with constant activity, and changes needed to be made to reflect that. To uplift the mood and add a refreshing sight, major renovations had to be done. She, however, maintained her home’s minimalist design, which blends the classic with the contemporary highlighted by bold and captivating artworks.
PART BY PART
“We were in the middle of renovating the boys’ room when the pandemic broke out,” Zamora says. With limited movements around, the family had to pause the renovation as the situation was at the height of alarm and uncertainty. The children then had to move back into their smaller childhood bedroom temporarily.
Fortunately, as the conditions of the pandemic and the safety guidelines were changed in the country, the contractors were able to resume the renovation. When her children moved to the new room, Zamora says the smaller room was transformed into her home gym. “I never liked going to the gym because I’m shy and I don’t want to share space with people,” she admits. Her home gym became her perfect alcove to keep in shape while professional fitness centers remain closed or limited for clients.
Like many establishments in the metro, companies have reworked their policies that allow their employees to work from home. Months into the pandemic and people have adapted to these changes and refigured their home office setups. That space is essential for a multi-faceted woman like Zamora, who had her office setup right next to her bedroom. “This is where I take zoom meetings, open email, pay bills, and work from home. The kids also study here,” she shares. Since online classes started for many schools, she made sure her children have ample workspace in the office, too.
Stepping outside the main house, she reveals how the front garden had to be redesigned. “We’ve been in this house for 18 years and the grass refuses to thrive down there,” she muses. Taking cues from the local trend of turning into fullfledged plant parents, she steered much attention to the garden and had a gardener turn it into a beautiful plantation. What was once an unruly field is now a wellspring of healthy crops that can be used for the family’s daily fare.
“I have my own ideas but I usually collaborate with interior designers and architects to renovate parts of the house”
ABUNDANCE OF WARMTH
In sprucing up parts of a home, the strict quarantine especially in the early days of the pandemic made it difficult to bring in new elements. Yet Zamora knew it was a matter of being creative and knowing what one wants to achieve for the final look. “I have my own ideas but I usually collaborate with interior designers and architects to renovate parts of the house,” she says. Interestingly, she has always had an affinity for home design and architecture. Looking into her Instagram account, she follows several designers, brands, and firms, a majority of which are Japanese or associated with their style. Among those she follows include Suppose Design Office, Puddle Architects, Jamo Associates, and Mount Fuji Architects Studio.
Japanese interior design is known for its minimalism: clean and defined lines, smooth textures, soft hues, and highly-functional spaces. Such characteristics are reflected in Zamora’s house. From the expansive windows bringing in natural light, the smooth wooden floors, and furniture, and to the refined color mixes, the home creates warm and cozy feelings. What makes it even more personalized are the contemporary fixtures and the occasional brightly-colored elements.
“They have their own taste which I understand and they have good taste. I just had to tone it down a little. The rest is up to me”
Although Zamora decides on the overall look of the house, she wants her children to reflect their personalities in their own room as well. “They have their own taste which I understand and they have good taste. I just had to tone it down a little. The rest is up to me,” she shares.
While their house is newly renovated and the atmosphere and energy have changed, there is one essential element that remains the same—the love shared under its roof.
“It’s the people,” she says about her personal definition of a home, “It’s me and the kids and our household who keep us sane.” Beyond design and aesthetics, it is the people who dwell in the home that makes it as such. Like many others who had mulled over the events during the pandemic, Zamora knows her family is what matters the most. “Everything we need is in here. As long as we have good health, good food, and basic necessities, we are good,” she shares.