Constantly dealing with the pressures of stardom can be quite taxing. That's why celebrities can't be blamed if they regard home as a sanctuary—a place where they can be themselves without worrying about the public's prying eye.
They can well afford, of course, to lavish their homes with expensive gadgets and collections, which for most of us would take weeks, even months, to purchase. But the stars work hard like anyone else to have their own home. Be it a house or an apartment, it's where they're free to create their private space for rest and relaxation.
PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) lists down some celebrities and their favorite spots at home.
JAY-R. Professionally, Jay-R is a hard worker. But when free of commitments and work-related stuff, the Prince of R&B is a self-confessed laid-back guy who would rather chill out at home than go out partying.
Jay-R—who was born and raised in the States—shared in an interview with YES! that the moment he received an offer from GMA-7 and a recording deal from Universal Records, he immediately packed his bags and flew over to stay for good.
"You've got to leave home to grow," said Jay-R, "so that's what I did."
Living on his own, Jay-R prefers space over clutter. "I like a lot of space, so that when we throw a party, everyone's gonna fit," he smiled.
One of his favorite spots in the house is definitely the entertainment room. Here he just relaxes while surfing TV channels, watching videos, and listening to his favorite records. Jay-R also has his own recording studio, and you'd think the guy just can't stop working even when he's supposed to be relaxing.
"Anything that has to do with music is not work for me," Jay-R mentioned to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in a past interview. If anything, the home studio is still a sanctuary to the Prince of R&B.
DINA BONNEVIE. Veteran actress Dina Bonnevie's abode of many years was built on sweat and sacrifice.
"My dad wanted to lend me money, and I said, ‘No, I don't want to borrow money," revealed the highly respected actress and ex-wife of ace comedian Vic Sotto. Two politician suitors back then even volunteered to spend for the house's construction but to no avail.
"I'm very proud to say na even in God's name, kahit singko wala akong inutang. Pera ko lahat ang nilagay ko dito. Nobody helped me build the house. Pera ko lahat!" she told YES!
Various objects she bought during her constant travels abroad adorn Dina's house.
Dina loves hanging out in the kitchen area where she whips up her culinary skills at a whim.
"I cook almost everyday. That's my passion. That's my only dream unfulfilled."
Dina's daughter, Danica, more than made up for her mom's unfulfilled dream. Aside from formally studying culinary arts, Danica managed to put her studies to good use when she put up a café in Quezon City.
HEART EVANGELISTA. Heart Evangelista's decision to live independently raised eyebrows a few years back. Speculation had it that the young actress was merely rebelling against her strict parents who disapproved her relationship at the time with heartthrob actor Jericho Rosales.
But the chinita actress and endorser stressed that living alone was necessary for her to mature and learn how to really live in the outside world. She bought a condo unit in Makati City, which she designed and decorated herself. Mixing youthful exuberance with class, Heart's nest became a true reflection of her personality.
As for her favorite spot, Heart said she's fond of the entire place because it's her very own home. But it's in the bedroom where she's particularly mesmerized with the picturesque view of the city at night.
"Ang ganda kasi ‘pag gabi. I wish nga may terrace, kaya lang mataas na masyado ‘pag magka-terrace," she beamed.
DENNIS TRILLO. Dennis Trillo confessed that he's not fond of bar-hopping or hanging out in some of the metro's hottest spots.
The matinee idol would rather spend his free time watching films—obscure as well as popular titles—from his vast collection of videos. In the past, coping with his grueling work schedule, Dennis would travel back and forth from far-flung San Mateo, Rizal.
One day, it dawned on the hard-working actor that his setup wasn't practical at all. And so, he scouted for a condominium in a more accessible area. Dennis eventually found a unit in Mandaluyong city.
Now that he had a living room all to himself, Dennis excitedly dressed up the room where he would watch his video collection and crank up his slew of rock records. This entertainment area instantly became Dennis's favorite hideaway.
Dennis's manager Popoy Caritativo told YES! "'Di ba, andito ýong entertainment niya, andito ýong playground niya, may gym equipment siya, yong stereo system niya, lahat-lahat. Basta andito na lahat, kaya ayaw niyang umalis. Dito na siya. Dito na ýong home niya."
ALFRED VARGAS. There's more to Alfred Vargas than the hunk. Unknown to many, Alfred is a genuine lover of the arts and a voracious reader. He is also very much into photography for which he has a solid educational background.
"I find humans the most interesting of all subjects," he shared. "I love shooting [photos of] old people—mga lolo, mga lola. And young people—babies, children, mga naglalaro. Natutuwa ako when I see them. May emotions, e. Mas madaling ma-capture 'yong emotion."
Alfred's artistic sensibility is also reflected in his own abode, as shown by his collection of paintings and books. At first, Alfred thought of getting a condo unit but later decided to buy a house.
Obviously, one of Alfred's favorite spots in his house is the living room where his collection of paintings adorns the pure white walls. Alfred often spends most of his time though in the entertainment room, which doubles as his private gym.
Alfred's designer Michelle explained, "The treadmill is placed there because he sometimes wants to exercise while watching TV or while studying his lines. So the room has two purposes talaga."