Home renovations today go beyond choosing finishes and furniture. As homeowners create spaces that adapt to different needs, designers and architects are also considering how elements such as cooling can be integrated into a home from the very beginning.
This was the focus of Carrier’s three-day Home Design Studio pop-up at Uptown Mall, BGC, where homeowners and designers explored how air conditioning can fit into contemporary residential spaces without compromising their overall design.
At the launch, Metro Home TV host and ADesign senior partner Anton Barretto and interior stylist Marilen Montenegro joined a fireside chat on emerging home-design trends, flexible spaces, wellness-focused interiors, and the importance of planning for air conditioning early in the design process.
Montenegro noted that homeowners are increasingly looking for spaces that reflect how their families actually live, including dedicated areas for wellness. Open-plan layouts are also becoming more common, with flexibility allowing rooms to shift between different functions.
“Homeowners prefer open plan layouts with provisions to close them off so spaces can be flexible. They can transform into separate areas or open up into one big space as needed, depending on how the intended use for the day,” Barretto said.
That flexibility also makes early planning for cooling important. Barretto pointed out that deciding where an air conditioner will go can affect other parts of the home’s infrastructure, including piping, compressors, and electrical requirements.
Montenegro likewise stressed that cooling requirements should be considered alongside the physical characteristics of a room. “You have to think about things like the ceiling height of the space, how many square meters it is, and from there, how much horsepower would then be needed to cool it,” she said.
The Carrier Home Design Studio brought these ideas to life through two interactive room setups furnished with pieces from contemporary lifestyle brand Fashion Interiors. Each space featured the Carrier Slim, allowing guests to see how its vertical form can help maximize floor space while keeping walls open and layouts uncluttered.
The Carrier Slim also features 3D Airflow for quiet and even cooling, along with Breeze Away to help prevent direct drafts. It carries a 5-star energy rating, while its range has expanded from the previously available 4.0HP model to include 2.5HP and 3.0HP capacities.
Through the pop-up, Carrier showcased how cooling can be treated as part of the home’s design process—rather than an element added only after everything else has been decided.
