Wilmer Lopez’ studio became a living story board for his shop, Space Encounters, which sells Scandinavian-inspired furniture and pop Asian decor. (Photo by RENZ MARCELO)

If you want to have an idea on what kind of aesthetic sensibility a designer has, don’t look further than the space which he calls his office, studio, or workshop. A thick portfolio won’t compare to an already executed space which, through a myriad of selected details, is able to convey the designer’s ideas, inspirations and aspirations. He may have created other spaces which don’t necessarily reflect his personality—a designer has to accommodate his client’s wishes after all—but it is ideal to work with a designer whose taste resonates with you.

Visiting the studio of Wilmer Lopez, arguably one of the leading interior designers of the country—is an encounter with creative space. Make that an encounter with space creatively as well for the client is not only meant to look and snoop around but to participate in what the space means to him as well. The walls are splashed with different colors (aqua, lime, pink and turquoise), the furniture come from different styles and eras, and the décor holds the spirit of the East and the West. It is not pandering to a specific taste but in a harmonious way encapsulates different style ideas, inspiring a visitor to select a particular detail (Mao Tse Tung memorabilia, Scandinavian chair or a Bangkok movie poster) from which a new space can be inspired by.

Located in the second floor of high-rise condominium, the studio was meant to be an office to show his clients what he can offer (Wilmer is the go-to guy for evocative model house units). Through months, it evolved as a kind of a living story board to his new project: a furniture shop called Space Encounters located at Unit B Mezzanine of Padilla Bldg. F. Ortigas Jr, (former Emerald Ave.) in Ortigas Center which will have a soft launch on Nov. 28. Putting together furniture pieces, décor, knick-knacks and other curios from his extensive travels to Europe (Denmark, Sweden) and Asia (Shanghai and Bangkok), Wilmer was fully able to realize the vision for the shop.

“When I got the right design for the accessories, concept, furniture (among other things), I got the space at the Padilla Building,” Wilmer said. “I was actually thinking of creating the shop since 2006 but the idea was not fully developed then. But in the last few months, I was finding objects related to my overall vision of it. Everything else fell into place and now we are opening in two weeks.”

Space Encounters mirrors the fun, playful attitude of his studio except that the latter is larger, with more inventory of stuff and thus, more possibility of mixing and matching details. The shop sells Scandinavian-inspired furniture (some of which are upholstered in vintage fabric), quirky lamps, colorful accent pieces, and some of the current design items from abroad. Now that many are becoming design-savvy in terms of their clothing and accessories, they can extend that love for design into their interiors as well.

“I actually created this shop for condo dwellers who are in the look-out for very unique pieces they can integrate into their space,” Wilmer remarks. “I want to give them the freedom to decorate their flats using the décor we sell in the shop as a starting point. We cater to different characters and I’m sure anyone will be able to engage with at least one item.”

More than a shop, Space Encounters is really Wilmer Lopez personified—he pulled all the stops to create the shop of his dreams. Even typhoon Ondoy didn’t stop him from coordinating a shipment and being on his toes in making sure that everything is in tiptop shape. Thus, the shop offers the abilities of Wilmer on a commercial scale; he thinks that the shop will also open doors for him to design restaurants and boutique hotels whose brands emphasize a playful and yet tasteful streak in their interiors.

Wilmer is bracing himself with the response of clients and shop-goers. He admits that the “concept is new” and that the market that he is aspiring for still has to be found, if not created. Design sensibility is in the upswing but it hasn’t peaked yet—the prominence of Scandinavian design throughout the world, for example, is still largely unfamiliar to even upwardly mobile Filipinos.

But Wilmer is as positive as the vibe emitted by his studio. Having given his all to his latest endeavor, he only has to wait until opening time. He has, however, been able to please one crucial client: himself.