The day started with a sumptuous Chinese lunch in Gloria Maris in Greenhills hosted by Leo Espinosa, talented interior designer and certified bon vivant. Because of quite a number of auspicious blessings that recently came his way, he wanted to celebrate with his “angels,” the five women he considers his dearest friends, one of whom is yours truly. Of the angels, newly appointed Secretary of Department of Trade and Industry Cris Roque, was unable to join us since it was budget season.
After the three-hour lunch came the “centerpiece” of the get-together: the visit to Leo’s new abode, a three-bedroom unit on the 18th floor of a condominium along Annapolis Street.
When you get to Leo’s floor, a high-tech security feature in the elevator opens only the door to Leo’s unit, where a pair of black chairs, a pair of wooden frames, and a wooden Santo welcome you in the hallway. As soon as you enter, an eclectic mix of European, Oriental and Filipino décor envelopes you.
A huge painting by artist Crist Espiritu entitled “Geisha” dwarfs visitors, while directly under it is an altar table that has an antique lamp and a crystal vase with fresh Easter lilies. There are also several accent corners with objets d’art that make for interesting nooks and conversation pieces. Pulling all the pieces of furniture together are several Persian rugs of various sizes scattered throughout.
In the living room are two huge paintings by Thomas Daquioag. The first one, per Leo’s request, depicts Jose Rizal sporting Ifugao headgear while wearing a French uniform, with the rice terraces in the background. The other painting is a portrait of Leo himself sporting a Bagobo tribe head ornament while donned in a 17th century French gown, with Matuod beach (where Leo has a beach house) as the backdrop. To the left and right of both paintings are two half-wooden posts with a Chinese inscription that says, “A scholar lives in this house.”
The dining area has a beautiful cabinet dating from the Napoleon era which Leo got from Brussels. It serves double duty as both buffet cabinet and storage for silverware. Similarly artful are the Baroque dining chairs that were shipped from Cannes, France, and reupholstered in Manila. At the center of it all is the exquisite dining table made from Italian marble. With all these conversation pieces around us, what could I do but start an impromptu interview? Here are excerpts.
What is your personal style?
“My personal style is European Pinoy or ‘EuroPhil,’ which is very eclectic. I like to balance the look by mixing ornate European furniture with primitive Pinoy furniture. It’s to balance the yin and yang.”
Where do you like to source your pieces?
“For the Pinoy stuff, I used to go around the Philippines to buy antiques. I go to New York, San Francisco, and Europe to source. Now that I have accumulated a lot of stuff, whenever I have a project, I just go to my warehouse and look for the appropriate pieces to use.”
Where do you get your inspiration when doing a project?
“I ask the client what they want, what’s their peg. I ask them to read interior design magazines and show me their choices so I can interpret it and put it together for them. I had a client who wanted Mexican style, so I went to Mexico to get the feel. I have another client who wants French, Pinoy, etc. At the end of the day, it’s the client who will live in the house and who will pay so I am just here to guide them along the way.”
Can you share some useful tips about decorating?
“The most important thing when decorating and dressing up is proportion. Balance is also important. Keep your colors neutral. Artwork is also very important because you get your color palette from your artwork. It is important that your art pieces emit positive vibes.
“Use upholstered sofas (with lots of throw pillows to put it all together) and dining chairs for comfort. Use lampshades, books, area rugs, fresh flowers and greens for accent. Use warm white bulbs, never daylight as this will destroy the whole look. And please, no plastic cover on the sofa or carpet!”