The bathroom centerpiece is a huge white ceramic bathtub, a cherished
possession that came with a high price tag. Says Rica: "Noong una, when
I was buying it, parang, ‘Oh no, it's very mahal!' But I
really fell in love with it." She adds that she loves taking baths: "'Yong
mga scrub, mga scented bubble bath, gusto ko 'yon."
And
why is the toilet bowl pink? "I don't even like pink. Ang favorite
color ko talaga is purple. But I wanted 'yong medyo may character,
so 'yon lang ang reason why I got a pink toilet bowl."
Gina Bocar, who painted the colorful walls, did the aboriginal-style wall
painting in the guests' powder room. The painting reflects Iya's Australian
roots.
"Gina had a book of paintings like this, and this was the one that we
wanted," Iya says. "One, 'cause it's kinda aboriginal. And Aussie I guess."
There are two bathrooms in the house. This one is inside the master bedroom.
The huge glass panels provide a good view of the neighborhood. It's likely to
be a dramatic view, since the Villarama's unit is on the eight floor of the
Dahlia Park building.
Not seen here is another shower head at the opposite end of the bathtub.
Yes, there are two of them, so that two people can actually take a shower at
the same time. Our photographer Lester is actually amused by that design
concept. "Cool," he says.
April Boy, who says he is neat and organized, likes to keep things that way in
his house. His bathroom is especially spotless.
"Sabi ko noon sa sarili ko, 'pag nagkabahay ako gusto ko parang hotel.
E, 'di ba sa mga hotel me malalaking bath tub? Nagpalagay ako. Pagka-gamit,
pinapalinis ko agad, para ding sa hotel. Ayoko ng me tulo at basa-basa sa
paligid. Ang nakakatawa lang, ang sabon ko dito Likas Papaya. Aba, iyan ang
nagpaputi sa akin! Ilang taon ko na kasing ginagamit."
This communal bathroom next to the hallway has smoked, translucent glass as
door and walls. When somebody's using the restroom, people outside can see the
silhouette of the person sitting on the toilet bowl. Shy guests have the option
of using the toilet in the storage room.
Like brother Patrick, Cheska has her own bathroom. Naturally, everything in it comes
in pink or in shades of pink-bead curtains, shower curtain, candles, towels,
bath rugs.
