HER HOME TELLS A STORY of inspiration, says actress-interior designer Carmi Martin.
She has been living here since 1988, though she had to leave it for three years till 2003 while she was enrolled at the Philippine School of Interior Design.
Show biz had gone into a slump at the time. “I had no steady income from acting,” she recalls. “I decided to rent out this place and move to a smaller one near the school.”
In fact, she was reinventing herself, pursuing a long-cherished dream.
“My good friend (actress-comedian) Tessie Tomas encouraged me to take up design. Whenever I threw parties at home, my guests always complimented the interiors,” she recounts.
“Minimalist” is how she describes her personal style.
“I hate loud colors. I’m also partial to indigenous materials, like abaca,” she explains.
Adorned with paintings, her home looks like a mini-art gallery.
There are a series of still lifes by Mauro “Malang” Santos and abstracts by Gerry Ingco.
In the living room is a gift from artist Ivan Acuña. In the foyer is a “Mother and Child” piece that she had won in a CBN Asia raffle.
In the upstairs hallway is Carmi’s life-size portrait by Isabel Diaz. “I’ve always admired her because her works are cool and casual,” Carmi notes.
She says she advises clients to “invest” in art by renowned painters: “Paintings add a burst of colors to the house, and appreciate in value.”
She is busier as interior designer than as actress these days. She’s currently in the cast of the new GMA 7 series “Magic Kamison,” but she has four design projects ongoing.
“I am working on a resort (Canyon Ranch in Cavite). Neighbors asked me to do modern and Mediterranean designs for their apartments. A client in Manila wanted a contemporary style for a condo unit,” she says. “I can adjust to suit my clients’ personalities and preferences.”
For sexy actress Rufa Mae Quinto’s den and dressing room, for instance, Carmi whipped up a pop art and “Hollywood” look. (Her designs are posted on her Web site, www.martininteriorsph.com.)
“More than the money,” she says, beaming, “the best reward is when clients thank me for beautifying their homes.”
But Carmi’s dream project is to work on a resort abroad that will feature Philippine materials and murals and frescoes by Pinoys—“a great way to promote the country.”
She has been living here since 1988, though she had to leave it for three years till 2003 while she was enrolled at the Philippine School of Interior Design.
Show biz had gone into a slump at the time. “I had no steady income from acting,” she recalls. “I decided to rent out this place and move to a smaller one near the school.”
In fact, she was reinventing herself, pursuing a long-cherished dream.
“My good friend (actress-comedian) Tessie Tomas encouraged me to take up design. Whenever I threw parties at home, my guests always complimented the interiors,” she recounts.
“Minimalist” is how she describes her personal style.
“I hate loud colors. I’m also partial to indigenous materials, like abaca,” she explains.
Adorned with paintings, her home looks like a mini-art gallery.
There are a series of still lifes by Mauro “Malang” Santos and abstracts by Gerry Ingco.
In the living room is a gift from artist Ivan Acuña. In the foyer is a “Mother and Child” piece that she had won in a CBN Asia raffle.
In the upstairs hallway is Carmi’s life-size portrait by Isabel Diaz. “I’ve always admired her because her works are cool and casual,” Carmi notes.
She says she advises clients to “invest” in art by renowned painters: “Paintings add a burst of colors to the house, and appreciate in value.”
She is busier as interior designer than as actress these days. She’s currently in the cast of the new GMA 7 series “Magic Kamison,” but she has four design projects ongoing.
“I am working on a resort (Canyon Ranch in Cavite). Neighbors asked me to do modern and Mediterranean designs for their apartments. A client in Manila wanted a contemporary style for a condo unit,” she says. “I can adjust to suit my clients’ personalities and preferences.”
For sexy actress Rufa Mae Quinto’s den and dressing room, for instance, Carmi whipped up a pop art and “Hollywood” look. (Her designs are posted on her Web site, www.martininteriorsph.com.)
“More than the money,” she says, beaming, “the best reward is when clients thank me for beautifying their homes.”
But Carmi’s dream project is to work on a resort abroad that will feature Philippine materials and murals and frescoes by Pinoys—“a great way to promote the country.”
