Mr. Richard Handley on “Inside Cebu’s Opulent Home

After burning his bridges, he found a home.

Oh yes, it is also possible that a soul could get tired of European panache and seek refuge, and possibly a home under the Philippine’s tropical sun.

"I’ve burned my bridges", quipped Richard Handley, a British national who left his job as a corporate photographer and sold his house in England to purchase a house in One Edison Place in Lahug.

"I’ve looked at three or four options, searching for condominiums and apartments. At first glance at this house, I immediately knew that this is what I wanted," said Richard.

And a two-story is what he got, complete with three bedrooms (a master’s bedroom that has a terrace), three bathrooms, an open and spacious living, dining and kitchen area and just about every space conceivable, a medium-scale house may have all carefully and thoughtfully planned to fit in 100 sq. m. of land.

It was the house’s design and architecture that captivated Richard. The perceptiveness of the house’s design is visionary. It is successful in its attempt to utilize the limited space without the feeling of being cramped, instead, the whole house feels very spacious.

Though the house is undeniable modern in design, it was able to fuse some classic elements (like the dark-wood and rough iron materials used for the staircase and terracotta roofing) to shun the edginess and (sometimes) dull cacophony of sharp lines that is characteristic of modern and futuristic designs.

"I love the open space concept of the living, dining and kitchen area. It is somewhat similar plans in Europe and England but definitely what I have now is more spacious."

It was only last March that he got the keys to his new home. He is still busy putting his pieces in place and is still waiting for some furniture to arrive from Europe.

Perhaps, this is just what he wanted –a new culture, a new lifestyle, a new experience, and a new home.