TASTEMAKER AWARD

RIA PRIETO

A natural creative with a nonchalant penchant for style, the multi-talented content creator, editor and stylist extraordinaire effortlessly translates her affinity for fashion to interior design. Eclectic but cohesive, her stunning home is a clear testament to her talents as an interior stylist—a curated amalgam of retro accents, Filipino flair and contemporary pieces that come together with ease, creating a vibrant space full of personality that makes their space distinctively theirs.

Here, the pairing of a hard but rounded red armchair across a velvety, dark teal couch feels not juxtaposed but married in perfect harmony. A colourful tropical wallpaper plastered alongside checkered bathroom tiles of yellow and white proves that funky never has to be kitsch. The artworks on display are just as diverse, from an industrial neon light installation by Gregory Emvy to sincere, monochrome portraits of The Last Tattooed Women of Kalinga by Jake Verzosa and a colourful tactile piece by painter Jigger Cruz.

Yet, Prieto manages to perfect the balance between aesthetics, functionality and sentimentality, attesting that homes are meant to make you feel comfortable, not restricted. Never dictated by financial value or clout, her style is informed by a simple yet all-important question, “Do I love it?”. Beyond her home, her exceptional and unique taste in design and decor has been realised through exhibits and even collaborations with H&M Home, and more recently, Victor Consunji Development Corporation (VCDC). Styled by Prieto, the main clubhouse at VCDC’S newest project Vie at Southern Place is fresh, timeless and artful—attributes we’ve come to expect from such a creative visionary like herself.

Eclectic but cohesive, her stunning home is a clear testament to her talents as an interior stylist—a curated amalgam of retro accents, Filipino flair and contemporary pieces