02-05-2025
Home tour: inside Mark Wilson's art-filled abode in Makati
Wilson reports that his design firm, Wilson Escalona, has been rebranded as Mark Wilson Studio. With this shift, he has decided to rebrand 68 his career. He is eager to continue exploring and innovating in the design world, building on his deep understanding of Filipino craftsmanship and culture.
Wilson's interest in art collection and jewellery design has allowed him to reconnect with his heritage, further enriching his design process. Through his collection of Filipino furniture and his study of its construction, the designer has developed a profound appreciation for the country's rich cultural history, which now informs much of his work.
'Yes, I appreciate my Filipino heritage now more than ever,' he says. 'It's another layer of love because it is informed. It's both emotional and intellectual because there's so much richness now in how I understand our culture,' he adds. The designer's abode in Makati reflects his deepened connection to Filipino heritage. In Wilson's living room hangs a 6x6-foot painting by Liv Vinluan, recently announced as one of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Thirteen Artists Awardees for 2024.
Above A full view of Wilson's bedroom (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
The painting sits atop a molave dulang (Filipino low table) from Ramon Villegas. Also on the table are two Reflect Candle Stands, a 12-inch mother-of-pearl shell set on top of a kamagong stump from his line CARO WILSON. He likes the juxtaposition of a black wood base with a white pearlescent 'reflector' because it feels classic, elegant, yet natural and raw.
'My collecting interest has shifted from Filipino antique furniture to collecting artwork from emerging artists. It's nice to be ahead, to say I placed a bet early and my bet came through; it's also a nice feeling to support artists in the early stages of their career,' he says. 'I get a beautiful painting on my wall, and I enjoy it. They [new artists] are the ones who need support. The dead artists who have already received fame and recognition don't need it anymore. I'm more of a risk-taker I guess.'
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Above Wilson's guest room features a 1997 Charlie Co painting, After 100 Years, reflecting on a century since Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain. In front of the painting is a narra and balayong round table with antique Ilocano inabel blankets, flanked by a balayong armchair from Batangas (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
Above Wilson's guest room features a 1997 Charlie Co painting, After 100 Years, reflecting on a century since Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain. In front of the painting is a narra and balayong round table with antique Ilocano inabel blankets, flanked by a balayong armchair from Batangas (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
In his guest bedroom, Wilson has a Nepalese Buddhist thangka, flanked by a pair of 19th-century molave windows from Bohol. Beneath the thangka is a 19th-century Balayong bed from Batangas. Below the molave windows are Colombian side tables in woven grass, on top of which sit brass and travertine lamps from Germany—an eclectic mix held together by the designer's adept understanding of texture, pattern and colour.
His dining room provides a peaceful view. In this area, one can see a narra table, stripped and bleached white, like the narra floors original to the apartment. The dominant natural light colour provides a gallery-like setting for the room, which holds artworks by Paquing, Clarence Chun, Michelle Reyes and Liv Vinlunan. Abaca placements from CARO WILSON, dyed a rich plum colour, dress the table, while a Sung Dynasty crackle-glaze Celadon beggar bowl sits at the centre of the composition.
Above A leather sofa from George Smith, custom-coloured in Wilson's favourite jade green (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
Just by the window is a Maria Makilingthemed artwork by Bob Feleo. Silver utensils from Christofle, which the collector purchased at the Marche aux Puces in Paris, are his favourite cutlery. For Wilson, a razor-thin line separates a 'collector' from a 'hoarder'. He likens this to a concept once discussed by the late American fashion designer and entrepreneur Virgil Abloh.
'There are some people who end up filling their houses. Virgil Abloh talks about the concept of tourists versus the specialist. Not in a negative sense, the tourist always visits, explores and keeps a broad collection,' he says. 'A specialist, on the other hand, stays in one place and delves deep. Neither is better than the other, but I believe people could be both tourists and specialists, although not necessarily in the same fields,' he adds. As for his guest room, Wilson shows a 1997 Charlie Co work called After 100 Years. In front is a narra and balayong round table with antique Ilocano inabel blankets, flanked by a balayong armchair from Batangas, with a table and chairs from the estate of Ramon Villegas.
Above An 18th-century ivory and molave Madonna anchors the
antique mesa altar (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
'When it comes to interior design, not everything has to be imported, especially when it comes to wood,' Wilson says, 'While upholstered furniture can be harder to source locally compared to pieces from UK, Italy, China or America, I believe in having Filipinomade furniture and products in an interior as much as possible.'
For Wilson, design—whether for his personal space or a client—is a service that addresses both functional needs and aesthetic desires. 'Design is a service,' he says. 'It's about understanding the needs of the people and how to address them, but it's also about delighting them with spaces that go beyond the practical.'
Related: Dynamic Duo: Rita Nazareno and Gabby Lichauco's creative partnership
Above A 19th-century narra and kamagong escritorio with a 19th-century ivory, silver and kamagong crucifix on top (Photo: Jinggo Montenejo)
The key, he says, is in the details—the choice of materials, the way a room is laid out and the ability to surprise and delight, all while fulfilling the core purpose of the design. This process of service and self-expression is not just about creating beautiful things but about building an emotional connection between the space and the person who inhabits it. Wilson will no doubt continue his creative pursuits in the coming days, providing a wider avenue and more meaningful conversations for Filipino craftsmanship.
'Mark Wilson Studio is expanding into Landscape Design, as we have been doing Landscape Lighting since 2013, and we have so far done three landscape projects. I enjoy that. CARO WILSON is also going very strong. I guess you could say our Cordillera Bracelet has become our most well-known item; we have a show coming up this April to commemorate our seventh year as a company,' he concludes.
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Credits
Photography: Jinggo Montenejo
