home.

You know, something that really fascinates me is houses, particularly their interior design. I'm not entirely sure why, but I've always found them captivating to watch and create designs for.

My interest in houses started when I was young, playing games like Sims 3 on our computer, and Sims 2 on our PlayStation for hours on end. Even now, I thoroughly enjoy building and designing houses in various games, such as Roblox and Sims. Designing houses has always been one of the aspects I enjoy most about playing life simulation games.

Let me give you a quick rundown of our house in real life. Currently, I reside in a small, compact house with my parents and siblings. Growing up, I often felt discontented with the design of our house. To be honest, I felt ashamed of it due to its cramped and narrow layout. We frequently found ourselves bumping into each other in aisles or busy areas like the living room, kitchen, and particularly, bedroom! With this tiny house for the five of us, our house is often cluttered. It is something you'd see on the TV show, "Storage Wars", wherein some of our untouched, piled stuff can be up for auction. Our old sleeping arrangements were less than ideal, with mattresses laid out on the bedroom floor, and the bedroom door would often hit my head, which often wakes me up and irritates me. I really disliked our house. I even mentioned and insisted many times on getting it renovated or buying a new one, coming from the youngest in the family.

Thankfully, several years later, we underwent renovations and extensions in 2018. Although not an extensive renovation, we maximized the space in our backyard to create a larger garage for our vehicles and expanded our living space with a new bathroom, kitchen area, and bedroom space.

You know? After all those rants and complaints about our home, as I grew up, my brain was once struck by a realization. Our house might be narrow and open-concept, but I've come to deeply appreciate it and be grateful for it. It's so important for family bonding and hanging out. We were able to communicate easily, and I realized that some of my precious memories come from our beautiful open-concept home. It is so nostalgic. There is no isolation when it comes to dinner time or casual bonding in the living room. We have created so many memories that I have never been aware of. Despite our busy schedules as my siblings and I have grown older, our home continues to serve as a place for connection and togetherness. An unpopular topic, but this is something that we can rarely find in families nowadays.

As I reflect on how my interest in houses came about, I recall watching a YouTube series featuring modern houses in the Philippines. I was captivated by the real estate agent's detailed explanations and the stunning, unique pieces of furniture and concretes of the houses showcased.

I like transforming houses into warm, inviting homes because I believe our home environment profoundly influences our mood, focus, and overall well-being. Our homes are the comfort spaces or sanctuaries of our daily lives. As for my preferred interior design style, I'm a bit mixed up. But looking back at my previous designs in my games, I lean towards a modern, minimalist, and industrial aesthetic. I particularly admire open-concept houses and Japanese design since I like how they redesign small spaces and the simplicity of it, a blend of their personality. I also like transforming my houses into more eco-friendly ones because I have a deep love for nature! In terms of color, I like monochromatic palettes such as whites or greys, but I love a touch of earth colors for warmth!

Looking ahead to the future, I'm determined to save up enough money to build my dream house or apartment once I enter adulthood.