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Set high above the busy streets of Mandaluyong City in the Philippines, this tiny apartment is home to a family of five. Working within the original floorplan, architect Josef Karol Egwaras focused on enhancing the open layout by adding smarter furniture and storage solutions throughout, including a versatile foldout dining table and expandable double sofa bed. In the bedroom, a raised platform bed cleverly conceals a pull out mattress for the youngest child and is surrounded by built in storage, including a neat work from home nook. Drawing inspiration from the family’s much loved colourful gravel bikes, Egwaras chose to echo three primary colours — forest green, mustard yellow and terracotta — in the apartment. These recurring hues are used to signify each child, identify individual storage areas and add personality and vibrancy to the thoughtfully designed small space.
#smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign
Ep 149
Project Name: Alba Home 2
Architect: https://www.studiojosefkarol.com/
Produced by New Mac Video Agency
Creator: Colin Chee
Director: Nam Tran
Cinematographer: https://www.instagram.com/vibetribeph/?hl=en
Producer: Lindsay Barnard
Editor: Sebastian Tibbs
Music: from Artlist.io
A Moon Walk – Instrumental Version by Yehezkel Raz and On Earth by We Dream of Eden
The building is located in Mandaluyong City, in Metro Manila. Here in the Philippines. The residence is a home to a family of five. The parents and their three sons. The family had been living here for four years. They needed help with space planning since their children were a lot smaller
When they first moved in. My idea was to make sure that the space that we’re designing is going to exude the same vibrant personality that the family had, while also retaining the functionality and intentionality of the whole space. My name is Joseph Karol Egwaras.
I am the principal interior designer of Studio Joseph Karol, an interior design practice here in the Philippines. So I know the clients Timi and Lester from the cycling community, Their bikes themselves are very beautiful bikes they have accent colors of rust, of green, of mustard.
So I was inspired by that, having this neutral plane, but then pops of color here and there. This property has an exceptional location at the center of Metro Manila, which is in close proximity to all the major business centers and popular shopping destinations. what truly sets it apart
Is that it’s the tallest tower in its location, providing an unobstructed view of the skyline. The apartment is 28 square meters. The building was built in 2018, The apartment had an open kitchen, a living and dining area, a bedroom and a compact bathroom and balcony.
We kept the existing floor plan and made changes to most of the placements and positioning. The main thing we added were smarter storage solutions throughout the apartment. Once you enter the unit, there are slim cabinets for shoe storage. The wall is painted in an accent muted gold color.
To signify the end of the entrance. There is a wooden hook system for hats, bags and keys. Which also serves as decoration. The living room has a couple of our favorite design features the fluted PVC wooden finish panels, serve as a wall accent
Juxtaposed with a tall living tree, to soften the whole rectangular space. The custom made sofa and cushions is a multipurpose piece, which serves as a couch in the day, and it slides out to become a larger bed at night.
On a corner of the living room area, we put a flexible wall light which you can swing forward… they can use it as a reading light during the night.. the media cabinet is a customised storage unit, which houses clothes, the kids’ personal belongings, their TV. And the cabinet by the end
Has clothes and they’re tall vacuum cleaner. We use clear polycarbonate in one of the cabinetry doors to make it visually lighter, since a lot of the cabinetries are in colour-blocking and full shapes. We designed the cabinetry based on how can we maximize the floor to ceiling height.
To make sure that the space doesn’t look too cramped, we put a mirror on the side. In between the entrance and the living area, there’s a dining table. It’s an extendable dining table from IKEA and the family. Since they eat out
Fairly often, they don’t need the full space of a full dining table. the kitchen has the same fun colors as the living room. We planned out each drawer for each element since there is limited space. We also installed a quarter round mechanism for hard to reach corners to maximize the space.
We have drawers to stow away their portable induction stove. There’s space for tabletop appliances such as the rice cooker and their air fryer. To maintain the overall theme, We chose large, colorful subway tiles and it’s also easier to clean
For the bedroom, we maximized the vertical space by installing floor to ceiling height cabinets. to maintain the same theme we used the same vertical fluted panels there’s also a space between the work zone and the sleeping area The double bed sits a little higher,
So we could add a pull out single bed underneath. that’s where the youngest son usually sleeps. We also added wall lamps by the murals, which they could use a mood or ambient lighting during the night. The office gardener has a floating desk with the mirror backing to reflect the space
Behind it, there’s a full length mirror when you sit down there, you don’t feel the space is too cramped. because the reflections bounce off each other. For the bathroom, we opted for the terazzo-finish tiles that had the same accent colors as the living room. Because of the cramped corner space,
The clients opted for a shower curtain set instead to make sure that it doesn’t close off the shower area too much. We also added cabinetry above the toilet for stock items and we painted it in the same rust color we used in the kitchen
The thing with urban living is that sometimes you don’t need a bigger apartment or a bigger home. For example, here it’s a family of five. They could go down and visit the nearby gym, the nearby playground, and then have a community with the neighbours. Since the building is set, right dead center
In Metro Manila, it’s very easy for them to go to work. And then for the kids, they go to a nearby school. So there is less time on commute or traffic. We love inspiring you with our YouTube videos. So here’s a special bundle from our Store to inspire you even more.
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The bundle is available worldwide from our Store. Just for you. You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. and if you’re an architect or designer with a project we could feature please share it with us at NeverTooSmall.com/submissions
22 Comments
Anong plant un nilagay nyo po sa living room area un tree like? Thanks
Iove the cat
There is something disingenuous about how this living space is presented. Where is the storage that keeps clothes, etc? I do not think the amount of storage shown is a realistic amount for a family of five.
The existence of a substantial demand waiting for absorption, despite prevalent fears of a crash, is a contributing factor making such an event less likely. Unlike in 2008, when hardly anyone, especially the general public, predicted the downturn, the current situation differs. As mentioned in the previous comment, the homeownership rate had its peak in 2004. At present, it stands at a median level, having previously peaked in the second quarter of 2020. Between 2008 and 2012, it declined by 3%, and by the second quarter of 2020, it had decreased from 68% to 65%.
I have a suggestion for improving the living room and the sleeping arrangement, instead of the current small couch bed, why not have 3 single mattresses with wooden frame in square or L shape arrangement like a Moroccan living room, but Boho simple style that will fit with the design of the rest of the house. This way the living room would be like a bedroom for the boys in the night. Each boy will have his own single bed. There will also be more space to sit during the day when the room is used as living room.
ganda
Do I shove my family of 10 in a shed?
Cute but crazy
I reckon this space might not be the most ideal for three boys growing up. This seems like a better fit for a DINK couple instead.
This channel is just marketing communism.
As European who was staying in Manila for a bit, the traffic and public transportation is purely atrocious there. Not surprised they prefer to stay close to everything. As space engineer enthusiast, I would put two single beds above the door in the bedroom, stairs leading to them use as storage and double bed change to another single and move desk along the window. In the living room I would invest in murphy bed, when folded there is proper couch underneath as that bed is for sure uncomfortable to sleep on.
Not sure if it’s the same in Manila but it reminds me of Hong Kong style apartments where the inhabitants are out for most of the day and really only come back to sleep and prepare for the next day
I lite this apartment but for 2 people. Where are all kids sleep? All in one bedroom? Where are boy's toys and clothes? Omg I'm so sorry for them.
absolutely stunning especially the deliberately chosen colors and materials!! i was taught when you run out of space, to build upwards (ex. wall cabinets, tall storage units) yet the design of this apartment carefully balanced that rule without going overboard.
5 people live here!!!!!!???
That thing on the living room can't be called a bed is just too small for 2 kids, i am guessing that maybe they don't live here all the time?
Cute ..but way too small for a family of 5. They eat out all the time? Impossible… if 450 sf could work if another bedroom for the boys…
Masterclass in ikea use. Also, show us the bikes!
I find this design like clear, laconic and calm. And amazingly functional. Like it so much.
Beautiful interior design but I've would have gone crazy insane during the pandemic living in such cramped conditions. Just my bedroom is the size of this whole apartment.
Here in Portugal, it is against the law to live like that with children under 18. They have to own a room, also, the kids don't have space for their individuality or hobbies. I dislike it very much.
What a lovely family 🥰