Sam Milby, who's turning 25 this coming May 23, can't believe that he's been in showbiz for almost a year. "Time's been going by too fast. Sobra! I feel like I'm 30 now. I'm still very makulit, but I feel like I've grown up a lot 'cause of the workload and everything."

Interior designer Teresa "Thess" Medina of Khimberg's Design is responsible for the polished look of Sam's Pasig house. She says her client didn't set any limitations when it came to budget: "Lahat ng 'pinapasok ko, go!"

Most of Sam's furniture was made to order and manufactured in Thess's furniture shop.

Before working on Sam's place, Thess says she checked out the young man's tastes: "Siyempre, inalam ko muna 'yong personality no'ng bata. Alam mo 'yong mga futuristic ang mga design, 'yong mga European, parang sobrang metal-metal? Hindi siya gano'n. 'Yong una kong design sa kanya, 'yong mga floating shelves, floating cabinets, 'yong naka-float, ayaw. Gusto pa rin niya 'yong movable, so sabi ko, 'May pagka-conservative pa rin 'tong bata na 'to.'"

What Thess came up with is something she describes as modern contemporary. She also stuck to neutral colors. "Kasi lalaki, e," she explains.

YES! Add-Ons: Wooden Bowl from Kultura; Faux Flowers from Robinsons Department Store

"Bale European design ito," Thess Medina says of the couch. The design was inspired by another couch that Thess saw in a furniture shop in a department store at the Ortigas Center.

Thess installed the formica-laminated accent wall because she found it hard to work on the house wallpaper. "Actually, binili ni Sam na naka-wallpaper. Kaya gumamit ako ng accent wall, para ma-break 'yong wallpaper. Kasi ang hirap, e. Ang hirap talaga mag-design pag naka-wallpaper na 'yong house. 'Buff na lang beige, neutral 'yong kulay."

YES! Add-Ons: Desk Lamp from Aristocrat Interior; Vases, Faux twigs and flowers, Capiz tray, decorative corals, throw pillows, and shaggy area rug from Robinson Department Store.

Adjacent to the living room is a mirror framed in what looks like alligator leather. The console table is made of Philippine mahogany, to which Thess applied wenge-colored finishing.

The candle holders on top of the console table, the stone jars underneath, and the human-shaped candle holder were all bought from a shop in Tagaytay. The blue glass sculpture on the console table is The Couple, by Ros Arcilla.

YES! Add-Ons: Floor lamp from Aristocrat Interior; Faux orchids from Robinsons Department Store.

These two paintings by Epifanio Atencia were hung on the wall on the day of the house shoot. Below the artworks is a baker's chair.

YES! Add-ons: Two metal candle-holders from Kultura; Vase and faux flowers from Robinsons Department Store.

Sam's interior designer takes pride in the tri-colored base of the dining table. She says Sam likes it, too. "Paborito niya 'yan," Thess says. "Ayaw na niyang maglagay ng iba diyan, gusto daw niya nakikita lagi 'yong wood na 'yan. Nagagandahan kasi siya sa tricolor."
Outside the dining area, the bamboo fence on top of the wall is decorated with wooden jars that Thess bought in Tagaytay.

"Ayoko na 'yong mga driftwood na nakaganyan," she explains. "Naislp ko 'yong mga collection ko na maliliit na jars." But the jars occupy only part of the bamboo fence. Reason: "Two hundred pesos each jar, kaya pakonti-konti lang."

Three of the more eye-catching decorative pieces in the kitchen are the jars located on top of the overhead cabinets. The jars were bought in London. Thess says she heard that the jar in the middle, with the dragon design, is an antique: "Matagal na daw 'yan, e. Kumbaga, kung kani-kanino nang partikular na tao 'tsaka lahi dumaan 'yan."

Interestingly, the kitchen doesn't have a stove or an oven. "Walang time para bumili," Thess says. "Very hectic ang schedule ni Sam. 'Buti nga nakabili pa ng aircon."

These winding stairs lead to Sam's bedroom, guest room, entertainment room, and walk-in closet.

An impressive Sony television set dominates Sam's bedroom, but he admits it's rarely used. "I don't watch TV. I don't have cable here. If I ever watch, just a movie to help me sleep. I just put it on and then I'll put the sleep timer on. I don't watch any of it. I just pass out."

The cabinets on top of the television set contain Sam's Xbox. This is a video game manufactured by Microsoft. Says Thess: "'Yon kaagad ang concern niya—sa'n niya itatago 'yong Xbox niya."

Sam's bed and pillows are from Tempur-Pedic. The bed cost a whopping P120,000. Says Thess of the bed and pillows: "Parang marshmallow. Habang nakahiga siya, sumusunod sa katawan. Nakakaalis ng stress."

Sam's working table at right is made of Philippine mahogany. Says Thess: "Ayaw niya ng super-modern design. Kelangan niya lang ng drawers, patungan niya. Gano'n lang siya kasimple." Atop the cabinet beside the working table is a fishbowl with Thess's gift to Sam–a fighting fish named Will, after Sam's character in his movie, You Are the One.

The entertainment room is where the designer placed Sam's framed advertisements, posters, and album covers. Sam woke up one day and the frames were all up!

Sam wanted the L-shaped couches in the entertainment room to come with a headrest. The television set was one of his prizes from Pinoy Big Brother. And the bamboo wind chime—which Sam thinks may be better placed outside the house, where it can make sounds—is a gift from a female fan. "Lahat talaga ng regalo sa kanya, tine-treasure niya," Thess says.

These framed photographs and the sketch of Sam are also gifts from his fans.

In the entertainment room are Sam's awards: (From left to rright) the 36th Box-Office Entertainment Award for most promising male singer and the 19th Aliw Award for best new artist (male).

When Sam was living at the Renaissance Center, the ABS-CBN lifestyle show At Home Ka Dito (hosted by Charlene Gonzalez) did a makeover of his room. All the stuff that At Home gave him has been transferred to this guest room. "'Yan 'yong dinesign nila, kaya ayaw tanggalin ni Eric," says Thess of the bed. But Thess made one modification on the bed's headboard. "Nag-incorporate ako ng laminated formica para mabuhay siya, kasi talagang super-plain."

The closet contains mostly casual clothes from Bench and formal wear from Njork.

Sam wears size 11 shoes. Says his manager: "All his shoes are GBX, except for two pairs of Adidas rubber shoes." This may look like a lot shoes, but Sam says half the time he still doesn't have the shoe requirements for his shows and appearances. The shoe rack's design was inspired by something that Sam saw in a department store.

The bathroom comes with a built-in bathtub. The sink and the mirror used to be on the left side of the tub. The left side is now occupied by the toilet. Just like the mirror near the living room, the bathroom mirror is framed with gator leather.