Inside the apartment of design couple Patrick Coard and Kifu Augousti.
The hallway that greets visitors to Patrick Coard and Kifu Augousti’s Manila residence transforms a brief transitional space into an immersive experience. The left wall blooms with an ethereal white sculptural installation. Its delicate, feather-like form seems to float against the taupe wall. Designed by Filipino artist-designer Bea Valdes, a friend of the family, the sculpture was one of the first pieces to find a home in the apartment and has remained a constant, even while other elements of the hallway transform seasonally. Ahead, an oval archway frames the living space beyond, its curved outline creating a portal that draws their guests forward.
The entrance sequence, though brief, resets the senses. It announces, without words, that one has crossed into a unique realm of space. It also provides a preview of the thoughtful design and curation that awaits beyond the archway.
When Designers Build a Home
For this design couple, creative expression is as second nature as breathing. Patrick approaches design with an architectural foundation honed at the Copenhagen School of Design. His philosophy resists categorization, spanning different creative fields. His sculptural works, ranging from monumental installations to intimate home accessories to eye-catching candles, embody this fluid approach and are found throughout the home.
Meanwhile, Kifu navigates her creative path within the context of design legacy. She is the daughter of Yiouri and Ria Augousti, founders of lifestyle brand R&Y Augousti, and has her own eponymous brand, Kifu Paris, within the same brand universe.
“My parents are both acclaimed designers, so, naturally, in my upbringing, I was exposed to a lot of travel, art, and people in the industry,” Kifu shares. “Patrick, on the other hand, really has an incredible and organic artistic and entrepreneurial approach to life, and he really chose this path himself.”
The principles that guide their professional work find their most authentic expression in their personal space. Furniture and accessories from the three design houses—Patrick Coard Paris, Kifu Paris, and R&Y Augousti—intermingle in harmonious conversation alongside unique art installations. The boundaries between functional objects and artistic expression continuously blur.
“Your space is a reflection of you and your family,” Kifu says. “I think one should not feel the pressure to design a home a certain way, and it should always be instinctual and organic from the heart.”
Reimagining Manila
Their move from Paris to Manila three years ago brought the couple closer to Kifu’s maternal Filipino roots and family. It also offered an opportunity to reimagine their living environment, creating a space which they share with their three-year-old daughter, River, and dog Stormy.
“We did not bring any furniture from Paris!” Kifu says. “We wanted to start completely fresh with a new feel and aesthetic. We also think of our home as a revolving and ever-changing space, so we frequently change things.”
When they were just starting to settle in Manila, their living room was nearly empty. A guest would walk into the space and see a few chairs, Patrick’s candles illuminating the space, and the hanging feather-like sculptures. Rather than rushing to fill every corner, the couple allowed theapartment to reveal its needs gradually. This patience, unusual perhaps for anyone but especially for designers with immediate access to extraordinary pieces, speaks to their understanding that meaningful spaces evolve organically.
A Home in Perpetual Bloom
Walking through their apartment today reveals a thoughtful curation that balances bold sculptural pieces with elegant functionality.
The middle of the space features a dramatic dining set-up: a circular shagreen table with sculptural legs, surrounded by contrasting seating elements of tall, sleek black alongside round white stools.
Extending from the main living space is an intimate side room that functions as a refuge. There is a chess set, promoting a contemplative atmosphere. What immediately catches the eye, however, is the extraordinary wall treatment: a collage of industrial aluminum printing plates, arranged in overlapping grid form, conceptualized by Patrick.
“Patrick really goes through a very detailed and intimate design process when he creates. So each piece is really special and has strong affection value,” Kifu notes. “This really creates a beautiful energy in our home.”
Patrick Coard and Kifu Augousti On The Art of Gathering
The couple is known throughout Manila’s creative circles for their adept hosting and dinner parties, transforming their home into a nexus of design, drink, and dance. These are carefully orchestrated experiences where the environment itself participates in the evening’s conversation. “Patrick actually loves to think of a theme or focus point when it comes to a party,” Kifu reveals. “He will usually design something for our home in conjunction with this.”
These pieces, initially created as specific installations for specific events, often find permanent homes within their apartment afterward, each carrying memories. A striking example dominates one wall of their living space. It is a textured wall sculpture in rich colors. Its organic, asymmetrical shape creates a focal point that draws the eye.
“One of the most special pieces in our home is the sinamay mural Patrick created, which was a piece designed in inspiration for a close friend’s birthday party, which we hosted,” Kifu says. “The mix of colors is so unique, and the way the organic material saturates the colors really draws you in. The piece feels like this eye that is almost like a protector in our home.”
Meanwhile, a black installation of twisted, interwoven branches rises behind their deep blue sofa, simultaneously organic and architectural in presence. It was also originally designed for a dinner party they hosted, and now serves as an anchor.
This unique approach makes the space a biographical document of sorts, each design both decorative and archival, marking moments of shared creativity and connection.
Living Their Design Philosophy
In their home, Patrick and Kifu have created a living workspace where ideas germinate, mature, and sometimes even fade away. This can explain the apartment’s dynamic nature. A hallway that featured one installation last season, say floating butterfly-inspired mesh sculptures, might showcase something entirely different today. All this while nurturing family life with daughter River, who is already showing signs of inheriting her parents’ creativity.
The most valuable lesson from Patrick and Kifu’s home is that successful design, whether for exotic material-clad accessories or personal living spaces, ultimately serves human experience rather than abstract ideals. Luxury is not an end but a means to create environments that nurture creativity itself.
This article originally appeared in our June 2025 issue.
Photography by Ed Simon of KLIQ, Inc.
