The thing about a home filled with vintage finds is that everything appears to be intentional and yet holds a certain kind of serendipitous charm. Such is the bright, warm, and cozy home of photographer Shaira Luna - a vertiable feast of thrifted treasures ranging from the novelty, the salvaged, the deconstructed, repurposed, reclaimed, and everything in between.
Shaira’s home (which also happens to be the one she grew up in) is something casual visitors will find understated. Newly renovated white walls, high ceilings, and an assortment of furnishings give the impression of a cozy yet airy ambiance. Upon closer inspection, however—or in this case, thanks to Luna's genial anecdotes—we see a home that has been carefully shaped, carved, and even sometimes frayed with time. These are the kind of nuances that can never be fabricated.
In her living room, a cozy corner stands out as it houses art pieces brought to life by Luna’s husband Cocoy Aranas. Above a vintage file cabinet he restored, Aranas’s handmade Narra Lego man stands vigil. A part of many projects started during the pandemic, the carved figure is kept company by more of Aranas’ creations. One that he’s been doing for years has to do with his wife’s photography. Both fans of thrift stores–who can forget Luna’s P100 thrifted wedding dress–the couple has framed deconstructed vintage cameras. “He'll come back from a trip to Bangkal or Japan Surplus and show me all these cameras,” Luna shares. “And then he’d be dismayed because I’d say, ‘I don’t have use for them because they aren’t working’, so he ended up deconstructing them into works of art.”
Shaira's Bright, Sunny, Purposeful Home
01 - Weaved Tray Basket, 02 - Salcedo Wooden Tray, 03 - Liboton Wall Mounted Wooden Shelf, 04 - Ginger & Lemongrass Soy Candle, 05 - Celestial Soy Candle, 06 - Umbra Ribbon 30cm Brass Wall Clock, 07 - Desert Flowers Mixed-media Painting, 08 - Signal to Noise Mixed-media Painting, 09 - Into the Woods Mixed-media Painting, 10 - WESCO Mini Grandy Storage Box, 11 - Seed Design Carry D Bedside Table Lamp
Apart from Aranas, though, it seems the entire Luna household has a penchant for deconstruction. “One detail you might notice throughout the house is how much our dogs have ruined the wood,” Luna says with a laugh. “So if you see the solihiya, my dogs did that artwork.”
Shaira's Bright, Sunny, Purposeful Home
12 - Value Round Bar Chair, 13 - Tripod Wood Base Floor Lamp, 14 - EGP Lounge Chair, 15 - Freya Mustard Sled Base Chair, 16 - Melted Round Stool in Honey Brown Finish, 17 - Fernando Light Wood Shelf, 18 - Isarog Wooden Mid-seat Stool
Moving into the dining area, an old Narra dining set sits centerstage. Luna says it was her first big home investment. Another thrifted find from Bangkal, the low table and casual benches inspire conversation and sincerity, much like the hostess herself. “I just think it grounds everything,” she smiles.
Shaira's Bright, Sunny, Purposeful Home
20 - Halo Design Radix-8 Pendant Lamp Smoky, 21 - Halo Design Kali-8 Pendant Lamp, 22 - Akua Wooden Table, 23 - Mach Wooden Desk, 24 - Bess Natural Wood Bench, 25 - Amika 10-Seater Dining Table
Behind the table, restored wood double doors open into a breezy lanai. Another example of how their home effortlessly marries stories and experiences is the dark wood doors Luna’s home has had since the 90s. Next to it is another of Aranas’ pandemic projects. A salvaged wooden dresser with hints of Art Deco in its silhouette. The piece now houses doggie diapers. From puppy pads to Yamaha pianos, Luna’s grandmother’s old instrument completes the dining space. “I firmly believe we are caretakers of a lot of things in this house,” Luna says. “So we try to give everything a bit of love.”
Similar to the two rooms before it, the kitchen has also been given a brighter iteration. “This area I never would have had people in before we renovated,” she confesses. “Now, we painted it white and we’ve kind of streamlined the cabinets.” While Luna deems the space “tiny”, their DIY upgrades have made it seem anything but. White cabinetry, light wood tabletops, and stainless steel islands from surplus shops give the kitchen a relaxing and open appearance. Since nothing is as it seems in this house, a Tool-ganizer, traditionally found in work sheds, is used as a nifty storage solution.
Away from more communal spaces, one other room in her home that brings her joy is their renovated 60s-inspired bathroom. “This is another part of the renovation that I’m quite proud of,” Luna states. “I feel so happy when I’m in here.” The realization of a long-time dream to have a bright and sunny bathroom, this modest space has been fully maximized to be as invigorating as possible. Apart from retro yellow tiles, the bathroom also has light wood cabinets, paneled mirrors to give the illusion of more space, and different light settings–although Luna is rightly particular toward more homey warm lighting. As such, soft yellow light floods the bathroom and most other rooms. Along with this specific lighting, baskets in homage to Jane Birkin’s style, and splashes of 1960s yellow are perhaps some of the most unifying elements to be seen throughout the home.
As a house that is wont to utilize every space, the landing has been remade into a more casual living/listening room. Next to records and a record player, a large mirror leans against the wall. “We have here a mirror we found along the road, “Luna explains. “I think we got very lucky because these have inlays.” Records of The Beatles, Tennis, and St. Vincent, to name a few, are flanked by old speakers that have been given a more mid-century spirit thanks to custom-built narra stands that Aranas also made.
Based on how lovingly the records have been organized, it’s no surprise that Luna says she is a fan of album art, and framed pieces in reference to this abound. On one side an album jacket thrifted from Eco Park in the US is framed. Across this, an entire wall serves as a mini gallery for the Beatles.
In a home that exudes a quiet joy throughout, Luna names her wardrobe as the space that makes her the happiest. Previously a roof deck, today, this covered space is a walk-in closet. A collector of perfumes and eyewear, a bookshelf along one side now stores dozens of beautiful fragrance bottles and vintage glasses. In this sacred sanctum, Luna also points out a functional accent piece that both seem to stand out yet fit right in - a white Nintendo Game Boy. “This is so out of place, but I really love Game Boys,” she explains. Indeed, there is no pretense for the sake of sticking to one theme in this home. Keeping the Game Boy company is another recent Luna find. Sourced from a vintage shop in Las Vegas, the decorative white pin actually holds a color wheel inside. This, the ever-stylish Luna says, helps her dress. Speaking of fashion, since this walk-in closet also acts as a dressing area, inconspicuous white wall panels camouflage the rest of the photographer’s clothing collection. “These walls–they’re not really walls, they’re doors to my clothes,” she points out. “They’re portals to my imagination.”
Shaira's Bright, Sunny, Purposeful Home
26 - Sol Brown Rectangular Carpet Rug, 27 - Fadel Multi Rectangular Carpet Rug, 28 - Elephant Planter, 29 - Round Hoomin Pet Bed Side Table, 30 - Abacama Handwoven Pet Dog Bed - Taglagas, 31 - Abacama Handwoven Pet Dog Bed - Anahaw, 32 - Bali Bench
In a time where falling into the trap of cohesion over personality is prevalent, the Luna household is a champion for the mish-mash. While there’s nothing wrong with aiming for a certain look, Shaira encourages homeowners to simply buy what they like and find interesting. “If you like something buy it, learn to love it; if you don’t love it anymore find somebody who will. And don’t be too precious about pegs,” she advises. “We just plucked out things from flea markets and swap meets, and just enjoyed them.” If one thing’s for sure in this home, it’s that every inch is intentional, every nook has seen a story, and every item has been well-loved and celebrated.
