![]() The art wall hides the dining area from the entrance, but a little window allows the view to the pool to come in as well as allows seated diners to see who walks through the front door. We even asked them to update the costumes to more urban styles of that time and had them infuse warm yellows and oranges that matched our home.” ![]() “We asked De Gournay if they could create a bahay na bato for us. “The original panorama depicted more of a plantation style home in a rural setting,” Acuña shares. “So, I think this space is really great.”īehind the main seating area are bespoke, handpainted De Gournay panels depicting a historic Philippine colonial era scene originally designed by Jonathan Matti but customised specifically for the Acuña family. “I love this area because I love bringing people into my life and into Philippine culture and showing them who I am,” says Acuña-Sunshine. The living room is done is a purposeful tropical, resort style with one special piece as its anchor. This creates cosy spaces while retaining that sought after flow. While no barriers truly separate the living, from the dining and the kitchen, a clever adjustment of layout allows for subtle concealment of the different areas. You can come in and feel like you can see the whole home.” What we also loved about the piano nobile idea is that it is unpretentious. “Even the doors to the study off the living, we prefer to keep them open, so that there is a constant movement throughout. “We wanted to have an easy transition from one space to another,” says Acuña. The ground floor of the main area is a large semi-open plan inspired by the piano nobile concept from the Italian palazzo, which is also present in the bahay na bato. There should be circulation all around your house.” I don’t believe in having parts of your house that you don’t go into. “We’ve really looked for that sense of flow. “This is where he and I are in sync,” says Acuña-Sunshine. “Programmatically, the ground floor is a space for gatherings and celebrations while the upstairs is more intimate and self-contained.” Both siblings believe in the importance of using all areas and place importance in the ease of movement. “I love the fact that the ground floor is much more public, and the upper floor is where the family lives,” he says. However, going beyond architectural inspiration, it’s the space planning that attracted him to re-interpret this design. The façade is a contemporary representation of the two layers-clad in first a darker Indian stone, the on the second floor a lighter Bali stone. Acuña was particularly drawn to the concept of layering that is found in these heritage homes. The sleek exterior is far from traditional but espouses the principles of the historic bahay na bato or stone house. We all felt that when we go back to visit the Philippines, we all wanted to be in a Filipino home.” Sometimes it’s in the Philippines, other times we travel, but one thing is certain, we don’t like being in places that feel generic. His sister lives in Boston along with other siblings who split their time between the United States and the Philippines. “My family and I all live around the world,” says Acuña. What may seem to the uninitiated as simply a good example of beautiful, modern tropical architecture, is, in fact, a true labour of love that reflects both the family’s personality and local heritage. “Your home should reflect different parts of you.It should carry your energy” - Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine All throughout the house, you’ll find angles that look hard, but are in fact curved and soft.” Her brother immediately quips back with a laugh: “That’s my sister’s personality she looks hard, but she’s really soft.” “I loved that this piece looks like metal, but it is in fact paper. The lawyer specialises in alternative investments, is an Overseer on the Harvard University Governing Board, and runs a neuroscience foundation focused on brain research and movement disorders. “I wanted the sun right there,” declares Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine. She also works energetically and breezes through rooms declaring ‘this needs to be golden’ and ‘that area needs gold’.” It is evident that the siblings have an excellent rapport, as they laugh and banter on their design process for their family home. “We wanted to have that element in the home. “My sister Geraldine’s married last name is Sunshine,” explains Hong Kong-based interior designer and creative director of JJ Bespoke, James “JJ” Acuña. When the delicate paper lattice catches the rays, it demurely shimmers, before returning to its more raw and organic state. As you enter the home, through a warm, wood panelled foyer, you are welcomed by a towering art wall covered in a unique paper installation by artist Wataru Sakuma featuring a mesmerising sunburst pattern.
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