H&M Holiday 2015

the H&M showroom gets cozy for the Holidays

Oh gosh, it's that time of year again. Who's ready for the holidays? I know I'm not!

Although admittedly, it's hard to get Scrooge-y when you're faced with warm Gingerbread Man cookies and a DIY ornament corner by Craft Manila.

Add to that, Holiday decorating suggestions from H&M.

Last year, I had a wishlist of items I wanted to get from the H&M Holiday Collection, and I was able to buy them all save for one. This year gets scarier because just look at how much more options there are now. You can actually go by theme: classic red, rustic silver or sophisticated gold.

Then again, the living room vignette at the H&M showroom managed to combine all three themes together into a look that's festive and yet clean.

So who says you can't mix and match, especially when you can afford to get them all because H&M Home is so affordable. Some of the items from the Home Holiday collection are out  now, but the rest should be trickling into H&M Home stores soon.

Don't forget to check out the Autumn/Winter 2015 Collection for kids and the A/W 2015 Studio Collection as well. They're perfect for Holiday dressing!

H&M Home is available at SM Makati and Robinsons Magnolia.

P.S. Watch out for H&M Cebu, opening very soon!

John Lewis at SM Home

British retail institution John Lewis finally makes its way to our shores, by way of shop-in-shops inside the SM Home section of the Philippines’ own retail institution, The SM Store, as well as in Our Home.

The first of the shop-in-shops opened last May 2015 at the fifth level of SM Makati, followed by Aura Premier, Megamall, and North Edsa.

From L to R: Katie Jordan - John Lewis Head of International Development, Trevor Lewis-Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy in Manila, Jorge Mendiola - SM Retail President, Pascale Jimenez- SM Retail VP Business Development, Louise Jones - John Lewis Manager of International Development and Siony Yap-SM Home SVP for Operations 

Easily one of the UK’s well-loved stores, given its long heritage (it started out as a drapers shop in 1864) and wide reach, with 43 stores all over the UK, John Lewis is best known for its policy of “Never Knowingly Undersold”, which has been in use since 1925. 

British consumers consistently rave about their staff’s knowledgeable and informed service, the atmosphere of their stores, and best of all, the quality of their goods – which are not just from established brands, but from their in-house brands as well. 

Of the latter, John Lewis takes great effort to ensure products are sustainably made, or quintessentially British, if not both. 

To say that John Lewis is a trusted retailer is an understatement. Judging from feedback from folks who shop there, the common sentiment is excellent value for money, and they give their hard-earned loyalty in return.

That said, it is hard not to shop at John Lewis not only because they treat customers right, but also because the employees, called “Partners” are taken cared of.

Partners are generously entitled to a share of the profits earned each year, and how can you not love shopping at a store that rewards its people like so?

The shop-in-shops in the Philippines are the second international collaboration, following seven outlets inside South Korean department store Shinsegae, and preceding that of three branches that will be opened in Singapore department store Robinsons.

But back to the Philippines.

When you visit the John Lewis shop-in-shops at SM Home, expect to find high quality bed and bath linens and goods, tableware, and home accessories, such as mirrors, candles and photo frames. 

 Towels, a tick-tocking clock, a glass cloche and ooooh, love that brass mirror 

For all ye Kings and Queens of your own abode 

For decanting wine, or some tea, perhaps?

I had to restrain myself from buying stuff I don’t really need. But I eventually caved in because I couldn’t resist this pillow. I kept on taking photos of it, and when viewed up close, the fabric is just thick and gorgeous.

I also just had to get the round mirror with brass frame because it’s so hard to find mirrors that fit my aesthetic.

Prices are reasonable, with duvet sets at about Php10,000, throw pillows at Php2,500 and the mirror at about Php6,000. If you are looking to redecorate your room or spruce up your home, you need to go to SM Home and check out the John Lewis section.

You might as well take a stroll around the entire SM Home floor, because they have just about everything your home will ever need. From Japanese kitchen appliances to ceramic vases, matresses, even mason jars from Italy.

When SM says they’ve got it all, they really got it all!

About John Lewis:

John Lewis has been named Omnichannel Retailer of the Year in the 2014 World Retail Awards. Other awards received include Multichannel Retailer of the Year and Marketing Advertising Campaign of the Year at the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2014 plus Best Department Store at the Drapers Awards 2014.

On 1 January 2008, the Oxford Street store was awarded a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen as: “suppliers of haberdashery and household goods.” John Lewis Reading is also the holder of a Royal Warrant from the Queen as suppliers of household and fancy goods. Peter Jones in Sloane Square, Chelsea, which is part of the John Lewis Group, is the holder of a Royal Warrant to both HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh as draper and furnisher.

Look for the John Lewis shop-in-shops within the SM department stores at SM Makati, SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall, and SM North EDSA. 

For more on John Lewis and SM Home, visit www.smhome.com.ph and Follow @smhome and @johnlewisph on Instagram.

H&M Home in Robinsons Magnolia!

I am so excited about this, I am almost tempted not to share. Heehee.

But fine, in the hopes of gaining good karma, I might as well say it.

H&M is coming to Robinsons Magnolia! But here's the bigger deal. Are you ready for this?

They have H&M HOME!!!

O.M.G.

Back when we were living in the US, I actually had to ask my friend Sarj to get my H&M Home throws, place mats and table linen whenever she'd go home to Europe. It was almost like a precious commodity, even if H&M Home prices are so reasonable. No more waiting! Heehee.

The new store will open its doors on November 20, 2014 at 11am.

The 2-level, 3,000-square meter location will carry the brand’s full assortment for women, men, teenagers and children, as well as H&M Sport and H&M Mama. And just to stress, it will also be the first to offer H&M Home in the Philippines.

Finally, I can get my hands on their rustic table cloths.

I can finally do a chic holiday table setting, without spending a fortune! I can actually afford to do a red theme for Christmas...

As well as a gold theme for the New Year.

I've never tried buying their beddings, so I can't wait to see and feel the fabrics of their sheets and duvets.

The quality of their throw pillows are amazing! I remember Sarj got several for me, for just €5.99 a piece over 5 years ago, and they've lived as long as the Belgian linen ones I have from Restoration Hardware. Sulit na sulit.

I'm not sure I want to brave the crowds on opening day, but I have these pieces on my shopping list. Hopefully, H&M Robinsons Magnolia would still have some left for me!

For those shopping on opening day, you sort of get rewarded for lining up! Expect exclusive opening deals: umbrellas and magazines to the first 500 shoppers, tote bags and gift cards worth P200 to P2,000 each to the first 150 shoppers, and a gift card worth P5,000 await the first in line! Expect also some exciting Holiday deals up to 40% off on selected items.

Opening day store hours will be from 11am until midnight with regular store hours of 10am to 10pm resuming from November 21.

Pottery Barn Kids, for the Mommas & Poppas Really

If Pottery Barn will make you want to renovate your home so you can make it look picture perfect, equally hard to resist is Pottery Barn Kids. 

Imagine having a room like this for your boys?

The rugs and bed linens are just too adorably preppy!

Plus, towels and beach wraps for when you want to bring a touch of Pottery Barn to your weekend trips to the beach.

While not yet for sale, I know Berry will freak out over this play kitchen. There's a sink that's due to complete this play kitchen showcase actually. Even I want this for our play room.

There's a deprived kid inside me convincing me why we NEED this, haha.

How adorable are these school bags and lunch box sets? A classic lunch bag starts at Php995 and backpacks range from Php1,450 to Php3,250.

By the way, bed linens at Pottery Barn Kids are designed to be mixed and matched. You can throw on any combination and your kids' beds will always look picture perfect.

More cute towels and wraps, and linens at the back...

Any girl would be thrilled to have a room like this. Check out that vanity set too, about Php12,500.

Oh and before I finish this post, here's a tip: Bed linens, towels, wraps and slip covers for the Anywhere Chair may be embroidered right in the store for about Php350 if I remember right.

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids are exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and are located at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street Central, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.

Chrysara NEST in Mandaluyong

I first discovered Chrysara, a Pampanga-based export company specializing in home decors, accessories and gift items back in October 2012, at Manila FAME. 

There were so many booths that I fell in love with then, and as you can guess, one of those booths was Chrysara. I loved their vintage-y toys, home decors, religious icons inside bell jars, I even ended up buying these doll busts right on the spot.

When I asked them if they had a store I can visit after the exhibit, they said they had none, but I could go visit their factory in Pampanga. 

Not wanting to make the trek to Pampanga, the following day, I just had to go again to the SMX Convention Center to pick up a mermaid lamp that I put on reserve. I truly was smitten.

Ever since then, the Chrysara booth has always been a pit stop for me every time Manila FAME rolls around.

Sometime last July 2013, I found out that my ballerina friend Rhea Dumdum Bautista was consulting for Alice Reyes Van Doorn, Ballet Philippines (BP) founder turned creative director of Chrysara (who named her company after her kids Chris & Sara). 

Rhea had invited me to the private sale of the newly opened flagship store in Pampanga, and I was like, "OMG, I can totally see myself going to Pampanga just to shop at their store!"

Lucky for me, by November of 2013, I didn't even have to go all the way to the North.

Because Chrysara Nest opened a store right here in Metro Manila, on Col. Buenaventura Stree in Addition Hills, Mandaluyong.  

The store is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm, and by appointment on Mondays.

As expected, it is chock-full of finds, and you can easily pick up something interesting for you to decorate your beach house, kids' room and restaurant with, in one fell swoop.

"Weather worn" oars, surfer dudes, and 20s bathing babes for your Batangas beach house

Vintage-inspired toys for the boys' room

Oriental-inspired decor for a modern Chinese restaurant

It was also fun seeing their pieces, such as the fat lady here...

...in a Wisteria catalog, dressed just a bit differently. Chrysara has been exporting their wares to specialty home stores for close to 30 years now. They even supply my favorite home store Restoration Hardware.

1920s Classic French Glass Cloches, as seen on the Restoration Hardware Catalog, are handmade in Pampanga, by Chrysara

A version of the glass cloche with angel wings ala Restoration Hardware

The santos that Joseph Altuzzara talked about in the New York Times?

Chrysara has versions of that too. I want one, or maybe three. I would totally do an Altuzzara and have these ladies wear my necklaces when I am not wearing them.

Apart from busts and santos, I found that they make gorgeous sunburst mirrors too, that can be customised to a client's specifications.

As well as dome glass jars. Chrysara NEST has these in all sizes, with the medium one costing Php3,500 only.

These are just but a fraction of what you would see in the Mandaluyong store, and practically a drop in the bucket of their Pampanga flagship store, but at this rate, it's hard pressed to walk away without a couple of these gorgeous, and yet surprisingly affordable pieces for one's home, office or store.

For more on Chrysara, visit their website, http://www.chrysaranest.com/ or email chrysara@chrysara.com.

Chrysara NEST Pampanga
Angeles Industrial Park
Calibutbut, Bacolor, Pampanga
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm (closed Sunday)
Tel: (02) 246-8347 ; (45) 636-6036

Chrysara NEST Mandaluyong
776 Col. Buenaventura Street (formerly East Street)
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-7:00pm (closed Monday)
Tel: (02) 724-0172