Pia See is well known for her fashion brand Unif0rm, but it appears to be a lesser known fact this busy mom-of-three is pretty much an interior design genius. Upon going through her home photos, and at the risk of sounding unprofessional, I went ahead and emailed Pia the words: "Your home is so lovely I got goosebumps on my legs." True story - both the goosebumps and the email.
The two things that stood out were these: Pia's choice and combination of different materials, and her use of color hues that not everyone would dare to put in their homes. For the latter, she has an uncanny ability to pick out perfect hues of blues and grays that are less Pinterest-y - and she uses them in bold strokes, too. In terms of materials, everywhere you looked were just details, details, and more details. Not surprisingly, Pia had a heavy hand in custom designing the furnitures and spaces in her home.
Step inside Pia's wonderful mediterranean-tropical home and get to know her and her adorable family a tad bit better:
Tell us a little bit about your home and the people (or animals!) you live with.
As we outgrew the first home we loved, adored, and personally designed, we knew it was time to move to a larger space that made more sense for a growing family.
Immediately after starting our search, I fell in love with the structure of this property. The open spaces both inside, and out, called out to the interior designer in me— with some work and re-imagining, we brought out the Mediterranean styled architecture hidden its bones. We played around with colors, shapes, and textures, to update the look, as well as reflect our personality and values as a family.
At the entrance of our home, there is an outdoor area that welcomes you before you enter the main house. A lot of natural light comes in through the high living room windows, which is the perfect complement to some of the neutral to dark accents we have in the room. We use a lot of natural materials, and hand-picked furniture that all tell their own story.
The open-air basement is where my boys (including my husband) spend a lot of their time with their toys, which sits next to the garden that allow us to enjoy some more sunshine and the outdoors. My mom is staying with us now, and she enjoys her quiet time in the lanai overlooking the garden. We have welcomed some cats too, which my kids lovingly named Junior and Martha, that enjoy the outdoors as well.
When raising young boys, I wanted our home to be a safe place for them to move around and have fun, where their movements are not restricted. The art pieces and furniture we chose are meant to enhance the space, and not for us to feel like we live in a museum. We wanted it to be beautiful, but liveable above all else.
Describe the style of your home in 5 words or less: Intentional, liveable home reflecting Us.
What is the best advice you have given or received when it comes to interior styling? That balance is everything. Not necessarily to have symmetry, but to have the same gravity. Balance means a lot of things: texture, color, prints, structure. I always go for a balance of elements when it comes to designing a home.
What’s in your quarantine playlist? Last October, Unif0rm had our anniversary collection and we shared 3 playlists to match the different capsules we launched. Please check Unif0rm on Spotify.
Flowers or plants? Both. Certain plants are easier to care for, and I prefer low maintenance plants. During the lockdown, we kept bringing in more plants indoors, and it really enhanced the mood and the feel of the space.
What was the biggest design challenge you faced in designing your home? We had to flip a staircase that was situated near the entrance of the main house. There was so much structural issues when we tore down that staircase which delayed the renovation work, but in the end, we were so happy with the decision because it really changed the Chi of our home.
What is the biggest embarrassment in your home? My closet! Raising three boys takes up really a lot of my time, but I will not make excuses for it!
What makes a house a home? It is always about the people living there. In our home, it’s having a happy and healthy family, good vibes of the people give the place positive energy, which we get from great conversations with friends and family visiting, having home-cooked food from secret family recipes, and as I have mentioned earier, having a breathable, living space.
Name the top 5 Instagram accounts you follow for home design. @archdigestpro @vogueliving @kellywearstler @lonnymag @archdigest
Which room do you spend the most time in? Which room do you spend the least time in? Our dining area is where I spend the most time in, that’s where I work from home now. I consider it the “heart” of our home, where we share meals and exchange stories. The least used would be the Entertainment room since we don’t have guests visiting due to the current situation.
If you could source anything from anywhere (regardless of cost or logistics), what would it be and from where? India - Textile Marrakech - Rugs, Textile France - Furniture and Decor Italy - Furniture and Decor Japan - Stone wear and Toys
What’s your ultimate tip for organizing clutter at home? Know when it’s time to let go (and donate), to free yourself from attachment of things. Connection is good, attachment is not.
What advice would you give for creating a home you love? Choose pieces you love. Let your home speak your personality. The best way to make your space interesting is by mixing and layering elements with different textures. There’s no such thing as a ‘perfect ‘home, but a place feels right when it is liveable and allows everyone living there to have space to grow together.
Japs Medina
Author