Sonder Evennys Agustin proved modest can also mean stunning.
The Civil Engineering fresh graduate recently gave his room a Japanese-inspired makeover, and he shared the photos on Facebook on September 5, 2020.
His viral post showed how he transformed his dark, plain room into a modern man cave equipped with bespoke wooden furniture and Instagrammable walls. Sonder said that before the bedroom makeover, his space in their family's house in Iloilo was a "dungeon unpleasant to sleep in."
Sonder had been dreaming of remodeling this bedroom since 2013.PHOTO BY Facebook/Sonder Evennys AgustinIt had yero or roofing sheets for its ceiling, and its walls were all unpainted. It barely had any furniture except for his wooden bed without a mattress.
He revealed this in an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) on September 8, 2020 via Facebook Messenger. "Matagal ko na itong gustong ayusin simula palang noong nagstart akong mag-aral ng civil engineering. But because wala pang budget, hindi ako nakapagmakeover agad," he shares.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWith the help of his friends Jolo Corpuz and Florence Villa, Sonder went on to build EastCoast Craftsman, a collective that earns money through commissioned work from various clients. "Bale nag-accept muna ako ng commission work para makapag-ipon at i-set ang goal ko na matapos ang room ko.
"It took me six years to earn the money for the renovation," he recalled.
Since the soon-to-be engineer can't take the board exam this year because of the pandemic, he decided to push through with his renovation plans last May.
"Dahil fresh graduate ako, May 2021 na siguro ako makakapag-take ng board exam. I decided to makeover my room because I want to be productive this pandemic and have a comfortable place to relax in," he told PEP.ph.
'Ultimate room makeover'
The trio created a 'wood' accent wall using vinyl tiles.PHOTO BY screenshot from Sonder Evennys Agustin youtubeIn a YouTube video he uploaded on September 5, Sonder detailed how he, Jolo, and Florence renovated his 20-square-meter room. They began the makeover by securing the roof with plywood, covering the floor with gloss tiles, and painting the walls blue-gray.
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Sonder first painted his room's north wall with an image of a foggy forest. "But it didn't work, so I removed it and replaced it with [an illustration of] a mountain range," he said.PHOTO BY Screenshot Sonder Evennys Agustin on YouTubeHis set of "floating bookshelves" also wowed the netizens. He and his friends made it using "metal racks mounted on walls."
The metal racks gave the illusion of floating shelves.PHOTO BY Facebook/Sonder Evennys AgustinADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWSonder personally built a "floating bed" using "stock plywoods pasted together. The design is inspired by Chris Salomone, a great woodworker," he remarked.
This "floating bed" was made with "stock plywoods pasted together."PHOTO BY Facebook/Sonder Evennys AgustinHe also crafted his version of a "floating table" using the woodworking tools his family gave him last May.
To match the floating shelves and bed, Sonder also created a floating table.PHOTO BY Facebook/Sonder Evennys AgustinHis small team completed his contemporary bedroom with a mural of The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Many consider this piece by Japanese artist Hokusai to be a representation of Japanese art and culture.
The highlight of the room is a mural inspired by The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Japanese artist Hokusai.PHOTO BY Facebook/Sonder Evennys AgustinWhat other parents are reading
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWSonder told PEP.ph that his room makeover, which they finished in 30 days, cost him PHP80,000 all-in.
Looking back, he couldn't be any happier with the outcome. He said in his YouTube video, "It felt like I'm in a different dimension... I'm so happy that I made a place that I can call paradise. "Maybe some of you may have a different [understanding] of paradise, but for me, this is the kind of place that I have ever wanted before.
"This is not just a room nor a renovation. This is a tale for a lifetime."
This story originally appeared on Pep.ph.
*Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.
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