MANILA, Philippines?Rust and gold are the colors of Christmas in the Belo home this year.

For three years now, since they moved into the 1,888-square-meter property in a posh Makati village, the Belos have relied on designer Adel Cordova for their holiday decorations.

?In the beginning, I had requests. I once chose violet for the color scheme because it?s my favorite color?ang pangit. After that, I decided to just listen to her,? celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. ?Adel doesn?t change everything every year. She incorporates materials previously used.?

Vicki said the decorations are set up as early as November. Christmas gifts are prepared ahead of time, too. ?We used to give friends home-baked cookies?we have three heirloom recipes. But a feng shui expert advised against that. This year, I?m giving fruit salad,? she said.

Apart from the 8-foot-tall Christmas tree in the living room, a smaller one?in black and white?stands next to the main door. ?It?s a Dolce & Gabbana tree,? said Vicki, ?but my mom doesn?t like it.?

Meanwhile, all over the house are prized art pieces by, among others, Malang, Bencab, Arturo Luz and Anita Magsaysay-Ho. ?At first, I was very much into Malang?big hands and big heads, childlike. Then I went in another direction?Arturo Luz, very minimalist. Now I?m into Bencab. I adore his painting of two lovers, which I?ve hung near my daughter?s room,? she said. ?I used to like sculptures more than paintings. But they?re impractical and expensive.?

The two-story mansion was designed by Ramon Antonio. Vicki said her daughter Crystalle went with Antonio to Thailand and Cambodia to buy a lot of the accents and fabrics for the house. The fabrics for the curtains and upholstery are from the Thai silk retailer Jim Thompson.

?The look of the house is modern Asian. Dominant colors are maroon, red and brown. The floor is tiled in white,? explained Crystalle. ?It?s like a doll house: When you stand from a certain angle, you can see where everyone is and what lights are on.?

Vicki added: ?I wanted a vacation house in the city. I wanted the feeling of an Aman resort. This is also why the furniture pieces are kind of low?so people can slouch. I remember my lola had the most beautiful furniture but she would cover them with fabric or plastic and nobody could sit on them. I vowed it would never happen in my house.?

Vicki said it?s a good sign that she hasn?t gotten bored with the house. ?The workplace is always busy. Edsa traffic is bad. When I?m home, I can breathe,? she said.

Crystalle said Antonio is also their landscape artist. ?He?s known for pocket gardens, which sort of brings nature into the house?exactly what my mom needs.?

Vicki said it?s normal to see her, Crystalle and her son, Quark, holding business meetings here. ?We have a cook and a lot of house help (10 maids, four drivers) for that purpose,? she pointed out. ?My kids and I are all very busy. I encourage them to hold their meetings here because it makes me feel safe and secure to know that they?re just around. They can also bring friends and hold parties here anytime.?

The doctor said hers is the ?ugliest part of the house.? Crystalle?s sleeping area, the smallest of four rooms on the second floor, also has a modern-Asian theme. It has a veranda that looks very cozy and romantic.

?Quark?s room reflects his personality. Mine is like a hotel room,? said Vicki. ?I keep trying to improve my bed. I want a bed that hugs me. My favorite is the one I?ve slept in at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. I bought similar sheets and mattress pero ?di ko pa rin makuha ang feel. I talked to the Peninsula people and they said I could order a bed from them. My next gift to myself would probably be that, but I need a special occasion to buy it. It?s a crazy price for a bed.?

Vicki pointed out that the house ?is really for the kids.? The land was bought by her ex-husband (Quark and Crystalle?s father), businessman Atom Henares. Vicki built the house. ?We will give it to the kids,? she said. ?I still want my own house. I want to have a big aquarium because I?m scared of scuba diving but love to watch the fish. I want the aquarium to be gigantic ? ceiling to floor ? and full of salt water fish. But that would cost a lot. A friend of mine had one built for $20,000 10 years ago. I wonder how much it would cost me today.?

Email mcruz@inquirer.com.ph