Cecil Ravelas: A Quiet Confidence in the Space

Ann Dee Santiago brings something beautifully honest to Rustan's Designers' Circle showcase: a kind of joyful grounding.

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There's a spark in her—a gentle giddiness that quietly announces she's happy to be here, to be doing this, and to be sharing it with others.

Her vignette—a lush lanai setup—feels like an ode and a calling to and from nature.

Unlike more formal interior spaces, this one carelessly waits. It invites. It reminds. There's an assortment of foliage and blooms, earthy tones here and there, the splash of yellow makes you feel truly alive. Santiago's concept works because it understands that the ultimate luxury isn't in rarefied finishes or gilded furniture—it's time. Time to gather. Time to listen. Time to simply be.

"What's the problem that needs to be solved?" she asks at the start of each project. Her lanai solves a problem too many of us have grown used to: the disconnection between self, nature, and community. She bridges it with wicker, cushions, greens, and art—that painting by Tara Soriano commands the vibe at this lanai.