- Follow us:
Tommy Bahama Home Bedroom St. Kitts Rattan Headboard 3_3 Twin 558-141HB: Nothing could be more ‘Asian’ or Filipino than rattan.
The islands of the Philippines is a tropical archipelago. Such a location can pose challenges in terms of interior design. Building a structure that can take extreme humidity and searing hot days can even add to the dilemma. As if these weren’t enough, the Philippine islands are even constantly bombarded with strong typhoons. All these require forward-thinking in terms of designing homes.
Enter passive cooling. This is a technique that many arid regions can adapt. This is when the design of the home was meant to bring in cool, fresh air. In the case of an Asian design such as the Filipino style, you can beautifully combine natural elements found in the beautiful islands with those of the modern aspects of many homes.
Ventilation Is Crucial
It is important to cross-ventilate. This should readily work with an open space concept so that entertaining guests becomes a lot easier. Orientation is just as crucial. Take into account all the elements such as the sun, wind, as well as where the natural shades are.
Let’s say a house is built diagonally with the majority of the service areas facing the southwest portion of the home. Now, these areas are where the sun is harshest. You can use window treatments to keep the brightness of the sun out during the hottest times of the day.
On the other hand, you can open these same curtains or draperies once the sun has gone easy. There is nothing new to be able to design in accordance with orientation. Most old homes in the Philippines have been built around lighting orientation.
High ceilings were also common in many homes whether among the rich or the poor. This design allows air to pass through and let in the maximum amount of natural light during the day.
Folding Doors
One other unique characteristic of old Filipino homes is the use of folding doors. These accordion type doors are big in the Philippines because they consume less space and they are easy to keep open during the day.
In a place where it can be extremely hot, it is needful to prop open the door so that the morning or afternoon breezes could freely move in.
Accordion doors cost less plus they can look great once you use the right materials. Traditional homes had wooden folding doors while the more modern ones have taken on the sliding, aluminum types.
Maitland-Smith Living Room Capiz Shell Inlaid Occasional Table, Polished Brass Accents, Glass Top 3000-078: The term ‘Capiz’ came from a province in one of the islands of the Philippines.
Tile Flooring
The Philippines was under the Spanish rule for more than 300 years so it is not surprising that the people have been accustomed to all things Spanish. Tile flooring, for instance, is also common in many Filipino homes, especially those that have been handed down to them by their well-to-do half-Spanish relatives.
These old-money homes often have the reddish or terra cotta features of Spanish tiles. There are also distinct patterns in many of these homes. These same patterns, if you would observe, are also widely used in Spanish churches, museums, and colonial houses.
Cement tiles weigh about 1.7 to 4 kilos each. Depending on the size, though, you must be careful in installing these because they can be heavy. Mortar is often used to install these tiles while a sealer is used to fill the gaps.
Filipino Furnishings
As for the furnishings, Filipinos are fond of natural materials such as bamboo, Capiz shells, wood, and potted plants as ornaments. Colonial homes even have antique furniture handed down to them by their ancestors.
If you want to replicate this look, do so by working with a lot of woods, wicker, even water elements. The Filipinos have also traded with the Chinese and, in fact, have intermarried with this race so it is also fairly common to find Chinese elements fused into their interior design.
Follow us on our social media
© McCreery's Home Furnishings | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
