Yup, you are done with Christmas decór.
But you can still check out my article with tips if you’d like. 
Yey! Haha. You can also find the rest of my Christmas Photography in the article as well. For part one and two, click here and here consecutively. Fanks!
P.S. I know I’ve been talking about this a couple of times already but please do extend a helping hand for the Victims of Typhoon Sendong. I cannot stress this enough but they need all our help. It makes me teary thinking what they are going through, to have lost all that they worked for (some their whole lives) in just a flash (plus while they were sleeping) and having to stand up and start over again. Sometimes we can’t appreciate the food we have on our tables or the numerous clothes we have in our closets while they have trouble figuring out where to get their next meal and praying hard that it won’t rain because all the clothes they have left are the ones they are wearing. There are different drop centers in the metro and I heard that LBC offers free shipping for the goods (they need clean drinking water, blankets, clothes, etc.) you plan to donate (however, I still have to confirm this). You can also volunteer for Red Cross if you have time and the resources to spare, click here. Thank you!
Every cafe or hotel owner wants their establishment to be the eating place of choice for all the trendiest customers. They want to be known for their top notch service, serene ambience and sumptuous food, among many other things. This, in the eyes of many, may look like a tall order to fulfill because it all reeks of money. In our current recessionary times, nobody wants to spend money on things that they may still be unsure about. In the hospitality industry, it may not be about the money but about combining creativity with the little things that say a lot.
Tasteful comfortable furniture
Although this may look like an obvious choice, it is often taken for granted and overlooked. This is because; the type of cafe furniture that an eating establishment has can attract or repel customers. Despite limitations in budgeting, if a cafe owner is willing to look around they can be able to find just the right kind of furniture they are looking for and at the right price. The main idea is not to be in a great hurry in this area. The furniture must also be suitable for the space provided to ensure easy movement for both the cafe staff and their many customers.
Targeting a specific niche
When opening a cafe, it is essential to have the ideal customer in mind. This is the person who will be able to appreciate the cafe surroundings and service enough to be able to afford to keep patronizing the cafe at will. The quality and quantity of the offerings at the cafe should be affordable and economical to their ideal customers. They should also be in a geographical location that is easily accessible by many of their niche customers. In the hospitality industry, it is easier to focus on acquiring business from a specific niche customer class than targeting all customers in general.
Interior design
The layout of the cafe chairs and cafe tables is very important in determining whether a first time customer becomes a repeat customer. This is because, many cafes are rather cramped and this impedes movement and compromises on personal privacy. This problem can be forestalled by using a creative layout for the furniture keeping in mind easy access to and from the establishment, easy access to and from the sanitation facilities, and easy access for waiter movement between their many customers. Since space is a premium when it comes to cafe layout, creativity is a bonus when it comes to cafe design.
Color selection
Colors say a lot about the personal taste of the cafe owner. A beautifully designed cafe with special emphasis on color co-ordination talks about an owner who takes the time to create an unforgettable setting for his current and future customers. It also talks volumes about the quality of food that will be served at the cafe. Although the main objective of visiting a cafe is to eat and drink, it is also important to do so in settings that are comfortable and visually aesthetically appealing.
Lighting choices
Cafes ideally should operate virtually around the clock and the type of lighting provided can make them habitable or not. This becomes apparent during the night time because being a public place, the ability to see clearly becomes very important. On top of seeing the kind of food served to them, customers also like to be able to see their surroundings clearly. Lighting can also make a cafe appear cozy and comfortable or shabby and drab depending on the type of lighting devices and their positioning within the cafe.
Samantha Devlin is an interior designer working within the hospitality management industry. She advises her many clients in the hospitality industry on the most fashionable designs for cafe furniture. These include the proper settings for specific styles of cafe tables and matching the most suitable cafe chairs.
P.S. Thank you very much to Sachin of Adage Furniture for sharing this to us and to Samantha for her tips. I hope you found this article helpful (for any of your present and future design endeavours). Have an awesome week everyone!
“Lou Lou Who: I’m glad he took our presents. You can’t hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, beacuse it isn’t about the… the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights. That’s what Cindy’s been trying to tell everyone… and me. I don’t need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family.”
“The Grinch: It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.
Narrator : The the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
The Grinch : Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…
Narrator : He thought
The Grinch : …means a little bit more.”
Merry Christmas to you and to your families, Everyone! ♥
P.S. This may be the awesomest Christmas I ever had to date. I am very very grateful for the gift of family and loved ones!
Haha. Indulge me with my post’s title. Well, it is an awesome gift guide.
We all love to shop for presents during Christmas for our families and friends. Though this gift guide is posted just a few days into Christmas day, I highly encourage doing Christmas shopping early (slowly buying gifts throughout the year and getting them ready for December is a good idea as well) to avoid the hustle and bustle, as well as the stress and long lines at the counter and having more options available.
These are just ideas for presents you can get for the people you love. I love personal gifts and those out of the ordinary. I also love presents with an artisan feel to them, they have a lot of character in my opinion.
Details:
1. Handmade Fleur de Sel Caramels (1/2 lbs. in a Mason Jar)
- I’ve been eyeing these for some time now and unfortunately they are sold out already (*sniff*). They would make an awesome gift, melt in your mouth caramels hand wrapped in natural unbleached parchment paper. I tend to associate Christmas with getting scrumptious baked goods in festive packaging (cupcakes and apple pies!).
2. Colorful Vintage Seltzer Glass Bottles
- Something perfect to add to your collection plus they are really pretty. I love vintage bottles! These babies were found in a flea market in Paris, France. Check them out here.
3. Decorative Pear Pillow
- For something cutesy/plush and definitely whimsical. They are adorable gifts for both adults and kids. They are also handmade (Coolio!). You can find them here.
4. Mug by Hangyu Kim
-Jazz up the mug present option with this. It is incredibly clever and cool. Borosilicate glass and porcelain handles. The handles are detachable and thus drinking coffee wouldn’t be a boring event anymore. Awesome sauce!
5. Primitive Bunnies
- I always have this affinity for old school stuffed animals. They have more character and will be an awesome keepsake for your child. They can also be used as decor for a nursery or a child’s room. They are made from natural fabrics and you can find them here.
6. Botanicals
-This is a cool gift for friends or people who love plants (Trivia: I love terrariums! ♥). You can even make these on your own as well and they wouldn’t require a great deal of care at all.
7. Versailles Fluò by Selab
- I love these pieces, truly eclectic pieces that you can add to your China cabinet. They are made out of fine porcelain and they remind me indeed of Versailles. I love the pop of color!
8. Gourmet Chocolate Bars
- I love these! They come in chic designs and awesome flavors. A truly classy present, I’d love a couple of these babies. Premium Belgian couverture white chocolate infused with ceremony grade matcha green tea. An awesome balance of bitter and sweet.
Your options are quite endless actually, that’s what I wanted to point out with this post. I wanted to inspire you in some way to go and look for more original presents. The recipients will really appreciate the thought.
More importantly though, let us not forget though that presents are simply secondary to what Christmas is really about. A really awesome gift is to help out others by offering your time (join a feeding activity or spending time in an orphanage or a nursing home), that is simply priceless. )
Merry Christmas Everyone!
P.S. It would be awesome if we can help out the victims of Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. If you have extra time, money, food, clothing, do share them and drop them off at designated drop off areas all around the metro. Thank you!
P.P.S. I read this posted around the web, “Convert your fireworks and parties to food, clothing, etc. for the Typhoon Sendong victims in CDO and Iligan”. It is a good thought.
Christmas is indeed a very busy season. I have been having a busy couple of days. I was quite pooped yesterday (and today as well). Dawn mass (seventh day later; we do that here in the Philippines and if you complete the whole nine days, they say that any wish you ask will come true.), hospital for some tests, dropped by PRC to take care of some stuff before they close for the holidays (one thing to cross off my to-do list), awesome hunt for beddings for a king sized bed (I love the stuff I was able to put together, awesome awesome threadcount too! I could post pictures after the set-up.), ham shopping (prime cuts make a big difference), I found some sage as well and some errands for mom (presents, etc.). I also have been having a bit of the sniffles, I hope I don’t get sick entirely. I’ve been taking lots of Vitamin C. Lastly, Georgia has a “situation” and I am frazzled lately because of this (She’s all grown up! *sniff* I miss her Dada too. 
). Also, her fringe/bangs are in need of a good trim because I can barely see her eyes now and she doesn’t like clips so we have to visit the groomers soon. But in entirety, she is alright and I am thankful.
Design/work-wise, I have a couple of things that I need to finish and get over with (Urgent tab for added motivation). On a different note, Gift Guide post up tomorrow!
Yup, random thoughts. Haha.
P.S. I’ve been spreading the word on Typhoon Sendong. It really saddens me that this had to happen, let us all help out in any way that we can. My family and I are donating as well. There are different ways for you to help out (you can donate relief goods such as clothing, blankets, canned goods, drinking water, rice and anything you think will be of some help to the victims of the typhoon) and I have seen a couple of drop off areas in Cebu. Thanks!
P.P.S. Please pray for my mom as well.
Hi Everyone! This was the article I made for Vécu Magazine (A big thank you to Delina!). This was supposed to be posted earlier, but hopefully it can still help you guys out in some way (for those who are doing some last minute preparations). Enjoy!
A favorite event of the year, Christmas is truly a festive celebration spent with family and friends. Christmas dinners, decorating your tree, tinsels and lights, and basically turning your home into a sparkly yuletide confection – although secondary, are certainly just as significant and have become memorable traditions for most households when December comes knocking at our doors.
Achieving the holiday atmosphere you have always wanted can be quite a challenge. To ensure that your home is “Christmas Ready”, preparation is key and a couple of tips should help you be on your way. Happy Holidays!
Your Basics
Try Out A Theme For Your Tree
It can be somewhat overwhelming when you are just getting started, especially when you don’t know where to begin. As a suggestion, you can pick out a theme for your tree and from there you can work your way around everything else. Some people want to go for something whimsical and thus might even get a pink tree. You can go with a Wild West theme or even an Under the Sea one if you wish to go with something unconventional. You can also stick to something simpler, such as picking a color spectrum (think blue in various shades for example) or two of your favorite colors and build around that.
Decorating Trends For The Holidays
Just like in fashion, you can also acquaint yourself with this season’s hottest holiday trends if that is your preference. You can certainly use that as a guide for ideas. According to the Trend Curve, light shades of green and silver have been paired up together. Masculine influences are also present. Think hunting lodge and deer motifs. For a more urban feel, colors like pewter and metallic gray together with black and beige are used. New applications for glitter and metallics are also added in the mix.
Traditional Christmas décor is trendy still and I believe will always be timeless. The return of classic reds and greens are quite evident. According to Sphere Trending, gold and silver are staples. Bronzes with a rosy tint and silvers with a touch of golden sheen are options as well.
The Technicalities and Observing Practices
Warm Lights and Candles
Incorporating lighting will help provide an exceptional atmosphere at night. For indoors, try looking into LED types of Christmas lights. They are very good investments in the long run, though they may appear small but they actually provide very good illumination and are energy efficient. If you are new to installing lights (these apply for both indoors and outdoors), do start out small. Make sure that you are using lights designed specifically for that certain area and if you are using lights from the year before, test them out first. Add dimension by using different sizes, use electrical tape instead of staples to stick lights in place and make sure to not overload your circuits.
Get some candles and consider tea lights, these are affordable for the most part. They add a homey touch and come in a variety of designs, colors and even scents. You can arrange them in groups with varying heights or get large pillar ones and place them near your window.
Décor Longevity
Consider getting décor that are timeless and thus can be used for many years. Products with longevity are important because the economy today is becoming an integral factor in re-evaluating how we spend for seasonal décor. As an example, consider the use of ribbons and bows because of their versatility. They can be used for plants, your chandelier, stair railings and even chair backs. Choose ribbons in patterns and colors that go with your overall design scheme, they will definitely add to the festive feel. You can even utilize plaids or metallics. To save money, choose ribbons that you can untie and re-tie each year. In terms of storing, this will ensure that your bows won’t get crushed and will be ready for the following year.
For Small Spaces
Small spaces can be quite challenging. That being said, a good imagination and a bit of innovation will help. Move your furniture closer together to come up with a cozy corner for your tree. If incorporating one in your space is not an option, alternatives include getting faux tabletop tree or even a wall decal one. Use clear and reflective décor. Clear pieces such as glass lamps or those made of Lucite lend visual weightlessness and reflective ones with mirror panels help make your space appear bigger.
Bring out the Creativity
Dining and the Christmas Table
Christmas dinners with loved ones are priceless and a beautiful Christmas table helps set the mood for a wonderful evening. Opt for classic and good quality holiday pieces that will stand the test of time. This enables you to try out something fun such as using holiday tableware for every meal in December. You can definitely add new pieces to your collection each year and soon you’ll be able to have one or two settings to use. Start out with classic white dishes and a neutral setting and layer color through patterned textiles and textures in your ornaments. Incorporate pieces passed down in your family such as your Grandparents’ china or pieces from your flea market trip. Add candles, greenery, pinecones and a bedazzled touch by using gem ornaments and some gold and silver.
Indulge in Nifty Crafts
You can always incorporate little DIY projects during the holidays and they can range from doing Christmas tree toppers or doing something interactive with your children such as making pasta garlands. Do try out two of these nifty crafts, they don’t take much time plus they look great. If you have fresh fruit on hand and would like to create a centerpiece, simply use some egg white and sugar to coat the fruits and end up with gorgeous frosted fruit. For a more bedazzled effect and this isn’t limited to just fruits, try spraying food with Food Finish. This is a type of food coloring that comes in various metallic finishes and will definitely add luster to your cuisine.
P.S. I am one of Vécu Magazine’s Contributors for December (Awesome sauce! ♥). Do support Independent Artists!
(Photography by Paula Cañete)
Quoted from The Watchers’ website, “Entire villages were washed away when tropical storm Sendong (Washi) whipped south Philippines in early hours of Saturday, leaving a trail of flattened homes, broken bridges and upended vehicles in the poverty-stricken country. Sendong killed more than 650 people in eight provinces in the southern Mindanao region, which is unused to typhoons. Rescuers are searching for more than 800 people missing. Flash floods and landslides swept houses into rivers and out to sea.”
Such a devastating calamity to happen especially during this holiday season. Let us all help out in any way that we can. To all the victims of Typhoon Sendong, my prayers go out to you and your families. Please stay strong.
If you wish to help out, you may do so here and more details here. Thank you!
I love Christmas and I love everything about this amazing holiday. I haven’t been feeling the Christmas spirit yet and I sort of lost track that it’s December already (perhaps its also because we have been worrying about my mom being sick). But in spite of this, some of my future posts will be festive in honor of this time of the year. I decided to do a gift guide after all and I’ll also do the Christmas decór guide I mentioned before. Don’t worry, these two things are actually ready – it’s just a matter of posting really.
Georgia is fine, she is still adjusting to her new cousin (my sister’s new puppy) in the house. He got here safe, good flight. I’ve also been having a couple of busy days lately and I do have some email backlog so I’ll work on that as well. Also, I hope I get to finish the design plans I am working on at the moment so that we can get things done. Sometimes I wonder if this design journal is a planner/to-do list tracker. It sort of is, thus the randomness and the abrupt sentences. Haha.
By the way, I am loving the design concept (for their set) that Ruche is featuring for their Holiday Lookbook. It’s awesome, check it out below!
P.S.Christmas is less than two weeks away. Wow!
Pantone’s color forecast declares Tangerine Tango as the color for 2012. It is a reddish orange shade and it exudes a certain vivaciousness feel. As quoted from Pantone’s article, “Sophisticated, dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenalin rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibilty, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy”. To add, “This luscious reddish orange adds sensuality to fashion, flair to accessories, verve to cosmetics, and lively luxury to interior surfaces and appointments”.
Tangerine Tango hopes to provide the “energy boost we need to recharge and move forward”. According to Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director, “Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the shadings of sunset”.
Do not be intimidated by orange, Tangerine Tango is a good shade to try out if you wish to apply a certain design trend in your space. Add some zest in your interiors by incorporating this color in some way, start off with accessories such as pillows, tabletop knick knacks or incoporate it by getting patterned textiles in this shade. Add some spice and interest by making a bolder move such as using this shade as a wall color, it will work as an accent wall in your kitchen to stimulate appetite. Good neutrals to pair with this shade include a graphite color, cream and even black. Check out the quick mood board I put together below as well as a couple of interiors I picked out from the internet for some ideas.
P.S. I guess this is my first post with a mention about the new year to come. Wow, I can’t believe this year is almost over. Time is beyond fast lately.
I have received some good feedback with regards to a previous post about Interior Design, more specifically the post on why one should hire an interior designer. I decided to post another excerpt from our Directory and Sourcebook simply for educational/informative purposes and to address this particular concern in a sense. The text is by Archt. Ma. Daisy Mah, an Interior Design Lecturer from the University of San Carlos and a very supportive mentor.
Many misconceptions surround Interior Design, the most common of which is that Interior Design is only for the wealthy. Interior Design actually attempts to make man work efficiently in his space but more importantly, feel good about himself in it. For this reason, the designer makes an attempt to know his client very well, understanding his needs and wants. Providing his needs results in a functional space while providing his wants end up in enriching his living. Such is not only for the wealthy. The nature of the job of an Interior Designer is often misunderstood too. Many make the mistake of calling themselves Interior Designers when they simply spruce up the place with new paint, rearrange the furniture, change the light fixture, and accessories here and there. Though tastefully done, this is simply Interior Decorating.
An Interior Designer’s job is more technical, more detailed and more comprehensive. This is the reason why an aspiring Interior Designer is required to finish a four-year course, Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and pass the Professional Regulation Commission’s Board Examination. Another involves the time it requires for the designer to arrive at an accurate design solution. Clients don’t realize that the creative process takes longer than usual, simply because it involves intangible immeasurable qualities such as beauty and originality, yet tempered or compromised by practicality, function and convenience.
Do not forget the economic feasibility of the budget. Such strong considerations challenge the designer to reach his best solution. Perhaps the blame falls on the designer himself. His approach or manner by which he presents his seemingly simple design has inadvertently made the client think of the ease by which his design was conceived.
(Image Credit – Working Drawing by Paula Cañete)
1. I received an awesome email from Tari of Shopaholic and I really appreciated her sweet thoughts about The Sea Green Journal. By the way, they included The Sea Green Journal in their blogroll. Yey, awesome sauce!
You can check them out here. They post articles and tips on a variety of things, so far I’ve checked out their “Pampered Pets” section. *blush* I’m Georgia’s mummy after all. Haha.
Yes, I’m checking out “Design and Decor “next.
2. Got invited as a participant for the first Industry-Academic Forum tomorrow. It’s at the College of Architecture and Fine Arts theater at the University of San Carlos. The awesome professors/coordinators want to initiate a dialog between Cebu’s Building and Design Industry and the City’s Educational Sector. Do check it out!
December is one of my favorite months of the year and I have always loved Christmas since I was a kid. There is something magical about it and I love looking at sparkling lights at night.
I have been getting reacquainted with my drafting table as of late (we have an amazing bond for a couple of years now, we even went to Manila together for review and boards.). Things haven’t been easy lately as well but it’s alright and I just hope things will turn around for the better eventually. Anyhow, I will definitely be doing a post on holiday interiors for your home and perhaps a gift guide of some sort (I’m still contemplating the latter).
Do stay tuned and I wish you all a Happy December!
P.S. I am loving the pictures/works of art in this post. I wanted to save posting Pantone’s Christmas balls for this month and thus here it is. I actually love them and they would look quite awesome hanging on someone’s Christmas tree.
P.P.S. Georgia’s cousin (i.e. my sister’s puppy) is already aboard the puppy plane and we will be meeting him on Wednesday at the airport. I wish him a safe flight and I do admit, I’m a bit anxious for the big change but I do hope they will become awesome friends.
