“Our house has been in the family for three generations. All I had to do was bring it back to life,” says the esteemed jeweler.
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With creativity and craftsmanship inherent among the women of her family, opportunity knocked on Candy Dizon’s door. But, instead of fitting precious gems into handcrafted jewelry, she found herself renovating the family home.
Family matters
Not an entirely new experience for her, Dizon’s first attempt at a home makeover was March 2020. Stuck in New York due to the lockdown, a dear friend of hers asked for assistance in fixing her house. Expecting no help from outsiders, the two started painting the bedroom. A canceled flight after found her doing more, moving onto the main dining room and the kitchen.
Little did she know that she would soon get “hired” by her father. “When I got home, I shared the photos of the before and after with my dad. And then he asked me to do the same to our house,” Dizon shares.
“Our house has been in the family for three generations,” says Dizon of their Mediterranean-inspired mid-century home. “All I had to do was bring it back to life.” And while the task may seem arduous, she reveals that she had no help from an interior decorator or even an architect since all the house needed was a bit of refreshing. Given free rein by the family, she worked on repainting, retiling, and decluttering, together with an able staff for an extra set of hands.
While Dizon’s game plan was simple, the results were stunning— bringing back the home to its former glory. Modern touches such as brand-new tiles, a contemporary palette, and strategic use of space celebrated the look of the infrastructure. “Having friends and family admire the final look was also very fulfilling for me, but at the end of the day, I did it because it made my Dad happy and this gave us an opportunity to bond,” she says proudly.
Changing spaces
Among other spaces at home, the bathroom has been Dizon’s favorite renovated space. With the room having bothered her for years on end, the change has been quite fulfilling. Like the bathroom, the foyer has always been an eyesore for her due to its dark and gloomy aesthetic. Dizon says it has then been used as a repository of mess. Using Machuca tiles to embellish this area, she recreated the space into a lounge area where everyone can hang out and relax.
Outdoors, the garden proved to be a problem area as well—it was mosquito- infested, and all kinds of plants grew untended. After taking out the unnecessary and incorporating tiles to provide walkable spaces, the garden has since become much appreciated by the family, who use it to hold parties. The rewards have been satisfying, with Dizon having few regrets. “I wish I could have done this way earlier in life. All this hard work is taking a toll on my back and knees. I am getting old,” she says, laughing.
Items of note that showcase Dizon’s penchant for art include a newly-purchased Jo Ann Bitagcol work, found in the main dining room. The silk scarf was framed and hung on a high, plain wall, drawing the viewer’s eye straight to the objets d’art.
“For the house accessories, I always go for the Pietro Collection. They have a wide variety of wonderful pieces. For the outdoor furniture, I used RL Crafts and Furniture,” she suggests. “If I had all the money in the world, I would just try to buy one of the Vanderbilt mansions. The one in Newport, Rhode Island, especially, named The Breakers.”
PHOTOS BY ED SIMON OF STUDIO 100
The full story of Dizon’s home makeover project can be found in Volume 1 of Lifestyle Asia 2021.
