Straight from the experts: Sustainability influences interior design

I am glad that interior designers are also leaning towards using sustainable products in coming up with eco-friendly designs. I hope more of them would join this worthwhile cause.

Press Release:

People nowadays are starting to be more pragmatic, considering long-term benefits over extravagance. This current mindset reflects a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable aesthetic. Choosing eco-friendly designs in clothing, technology, and especially in the home, they are setting a greener lifestyle standard. Guiding people in designing more environment-friendly and still elegant homes are some of the country’s top interior designers - Johnny Hubilla of Hubilla Design Group, Leo Almeria of Leo Almeria Design Studio and Hisako Hirayama of Design Hirayama + Quesada (Design HQ). Working with more forward-thinking art and furniture stores and suppliers, they show that good home design can express personality while promoting concern for the community.

Fusing sustainable and indigenous designs

“More people are becoming practical and concerned for the environment,” says Johnny Hubilla, a pillar in local interior design. “The trend now is practical and sustainable design. So if you can use fabric, use it because it can be washed. If you can use bamboo then do so because it is durable and can be replaced over time.” Hubilla, founder and president of the Hubilla Design Group, is most noted for his contributions that helped the local interior design industry flourish. He was a former chairman of the Board of Interior Design of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and former vice head for the National Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts (NCAAA) for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Design-wise, his signature style is to leave touches of indigenous materials or native-inspired pieces in his designs.

Leo Almeria, one of the country’s seasoned interior designers and owner of the Leo Almeria Design Studio, also interprets the trend towards sustainability by embracing local or native designs in beautifying the modern Filipino home. “My design philosophy revolves around the lifestyle of the client,” he shares. “For instance, I have to determine if client is sophisticated, casual or executive, so that I make an appropriate plan that fits his/her personality. It should also have touches na bagay sa climate of the country (using local materials that allow ventilation), and show a sustainability-centered frame of mind.” A veteran in the local interior design industry, Leo Almeria continues to design residential and commercial spaces, and guides aspirants by teaching courses at the Philippine School of Interior Design and College of St. Benilde.

For interior designer Hisako Hirayama of Design Hirayama + Quesada (Design HQ), fusing different styles can mean a more timeless look for the home, minimizing the need for constant renovation. “Mix old with the new; do not go with just one style. Try placing oversized furniture in small spaces because it surprisingly expands the space, or create cove lighting for mood enhancement,” says Hirayama. She co-founded Design HQ boutique with Frenjick Quesada, which is now ten years in the business. She is a passionate designer who translates client’s needs into inspiring designs.

Finding pieces that suit the lifestyle

With more of their clients ascribing to the sustainable concept in interior design, Hubilla, Almeria and Hirayama are pleased to know they have a one-stop place where they can source key furniture “anchor” pieces - LRI Design Plaza located along Nicanor Garcia (formerly Reposo) Street. Considered by many architects and interior designers as the ultimate urban design hub, it houses timeless furniture pieces and artwork that go with the trends and changing times. Featuring stores that showcase world-class Filipino products and designs, stores that carry a mix of edgy and modern art, and stores that cater to the eclectic tastes of a designer, LRI Design Plaza is home to a myriad of quality products that can contribute to sustainable home design. As these experts have confirmed, LRI Design Plaza is truly the place to go when looking for furniture, artwork and decors that meet the demands of the times. LRI Design Plaza is located at 210 Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Reposo St.), Bel-Air II, Makati City. For more details, please call 895-1772; 895-5470 or (0922) 857-2559.