MANILA, Philippines - Although she prefers to stay in the background, Play & Display president Geena Llamanazares was cajoled by the Home and Garden team to pose for the camera. At first, she demurred, but as the shutter clicked away, she got more comfortable posing amongst the pieces that form the furniture store's holiday collection. Although the photo shoot was unplanned, hence no wardrobe or makeup was prepared, her striking looks and tasteful black-and-white outfit perfectly complemented the lush jewel tones that were the focal point of most of her latest arrivals.
"Even though I did not take up formal classes in design and my background is in business, I always had an eye for details," she says, and reveals that she handpicked most of the pieces that were on display in their showroom in Mandaluyong from the different European designs that she found in furniture shows abroad. It was this passion for design that led her to start the company in the first place.
All of the collections available at the store are sourced from Europe. "We were always traveling to these furniture stores to look for good pieces for our house, and we enjoyed it so much that we eventually decided to make a business out of it," she smiles. And all indications show that her personal taste is right on track. The company started in 1997, and swiftly became known as a place where discriminating homeowners who wanted pieces with pizzazz can source out fun furniture that were a far cry from the usual heavy wood and boring neutral colors. "And it surprised us that it was not just the young couples who go for our style," she shares that one of their first customers was a 65-year-old lady who purchased her chairs in eye-popping colors!
But what she sees is not always what the customers get. That's because she injects her personal style to make the products more appealing. "Sometimes, we modify the design to make it more stylish, functional and practical," she explains, and the manufacturers go back to the drawing boards.
The luxe look
For this season, Geena's translation of the holiday look is all about getting glam with sparkles and shine, which is a close translation of what fashion designers are unleashing on the catwalks all over the world. And no, we are not talking about Malibu Barbie's all-pink gossamer shimmer. The collection is more of what the Gossip Girls of Manhattan's glossy wardrobe would look like if they evolve into furniture pieces. Jewel-tones dominate the collection with plush and inviting seats, sofas and bed headboards, illustrating luxury, especially as there are pieces that are bedecked with large shiny crystals. The dining sets are in black but have beautiful frosted glass details in shimmering purple accents. The whimsical lighting fixtures are done in silver, with one particularly fun piece being a globular hanging lamp that reminds one of a '70s disco ball.
There are also holiday-themed draperies that adorn the showroom walls, done up with silver and gold accents on rich jewel-toned fabric, not the loud red and green Santa Claus/Reindeer/Snowman curtains that pop up around Christmas time. "Often, all you need to do to update the look of your room is to change the curtains," she advises. That will definitely be more inexpensive than having to repaint the walls. Nice draperies and curtains are a good way to pull things together."
Sound advice
Geena gladly shares more advice with homeowners who are looking to dress their nests. "I think that even though you hire an interior decorator, your personality and preference should come out in the choice of design. You should not leave everything in the hands of the decorator, and you should also be able to communicate what you want the look to be, that this is what you want to communicate as a person."
Newly-weds or couples starting their first home should look to the long-term, she says. "I think they should invest in all the pieces they choose, because I have customers who still enjoy the pieces they purchased 10 years ago. I would advise that instead of focusing on just one area, like the kitchen or bedroom for example, they look into investing in every piece they bring into their house."
She adds more advice to those who are starting out in condo homes. "Since the spaces are much smaller, they should not just look for aesthetics, but also for function as well." Those with small kids should look for pieces that can practically withstand torture. "Look for low-maintenance pieces in washable or durable fabrics like leather, " she recommends.
As for the coming trends, she has this to say: "I have noticed that trends just evolve. The elements are basically the same, but they come out with a different twist, like classical becomes neo-classical, and so on. This means that you do not have to redo your decorating entirely, but just add pieces that will update your look."
The Play & Display main showroom is located at 205 EDSA cor. Rochester Street, Greenhills, Mandaluyong, with branches at Glorietta 4 and Alabang Town Center. Call 725-3084/729-6497/809-0939.
