Carmi finished a certificate course in interior design at the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID). A certificate course is "a two-year course na walang diploma," Carmi explains. "Kung kailangan ko ng diploma, another two years para mag-board exam ako. But in my case, puwede ko rin siyang i-practice professionally. Parang ang nangyari, ang inuna ko kasi is the designing. Naiwan ko is the basic, you know, where you'll take up history, mathematics, English, ‘yong mga literature."

The living room leads to a mini-patio where Carmi maintains potted flora. In it is a wall mirror to create the illusion of bigger space. The overall design, she says, is contemporary. "I like contemporary because for me it's timeless," she says. "For example, itong ayos nang bahay ko, kahit last fourteen years ko pa siya dinesayn, until now, puwede pa rin siya." As if to advertise that the homewowner is an interior-design student, coffee-table books and magazines on house designs and architecture lie on the table, awaiting the eager browser. These publications include Anita Magsaysay-Ho: An Artist's Memoirs; Filipino Style by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni; The Decorations of Houses by Alexandra Stoddard; and Bali Houses by Johnny Francion. A fan of the painter Malang, Carmi owns four of his art works, as well as an autographed copy of the book Malang Vendors and Cities.

Carmi paid P2.2 million to own a unit in this well-guarded Makati condominium. But that was in 1988—19 years ago, to be exact. In 2004, she estimated that the value of her ground-floor property was at P8 million. "Dati, it went up to mga P12 million," she said.

Carmi confesses that her creativity does not extend to cooking. In fact, she barely eats at home. But what she lacks in culinary skills, she more than makes up for in other things. She puts her money to good use, for instance. Besides this loft, she also owns apartment units in Pasay, which she rents out, plus another property in another Makati village. She says she learned to invest after seeing how veteran stars who used to earn millions have ended up impoverished. "Ayokong maging ganoon," she says wisely.

Carmi says her room's black-and-white theme was a trademark of ‘80s design. It also reveals her minimalist bent. "Even with my things, I don't like 'yong mga clutter," she says. "Even with my computer, mahilig ako magtapon sa recycling bin. Ayoko ng kalat. Mahilig akong magliligpit. Masyado akong organized na tao."

The master bedroom, which has its own bathroom, houses a huge dresser, an equally large tokador, an H.R. Ocampo painting, a computer, and a TV set on top of which some of Carmi's clown figurines, most of them gifts, sit. The framed photo of her on the wall is from a personal shoot she requested Jun de Leon, her favorite photographer, to do.