MANILA, Philippines?It wasn?t exactly love at first sight for TV host-actress Valerie Concepcion.

Initially, she recalled, she wasn?t keen on transferring to this new house in the periphery of Quezon City.

?I thought it was too far from my work in ABS-CBN,? she explained. ?But my parents loved it.?

Since her parents Marietta and Rodrigo and her siblings Erika, Paolo and Royet, not to mention four-year-old daughter Fiona, all adore it, Valerie has grown fond of the place, too.

?Now, I consider it my dream home. I realized that this is the perfect place to raise my daughter,? she noted. ?It?s a very peaceful village. There are no more people out on the streets as early 10 p.m.?

Her family was in the market for a new home for over two years, she related.

Mom Marietta said she fell for the house on her first visit. ?When I checked, it complied with all basic feng shui rules regarding the position of doors vis-à-vis the sunrise and the number of steps in the staircase. We also wanted a spacious garden and garage.?

The two-story house, which stands on a 344-sq. m. property, is just perfect for the family, Marietta pointed out. ?It?s not too small; it?s not too big.?

Then came the task of sprucing up the place.

They hired designer Lota Buenaflor who whipped up a stylish, eclectic look for the place.

?The exterior is Zen and the interior is modern Asian,? mom Marietta explained.

?Our decorator is talented,? dad Rodrigo said. ?She has lots of clients.?

Fine china collection

Along with Ed Santuangco paintings, the decorator also suggested that the family start a collection of Noritake fine china, now displayed in the dining area.

Some of the furniture pieces were bought in Chinatown, Valerie volunteered. ?We got my bed and dresser, as well as the massage chair, in Binondo.?

Good finds, she described the bedroom furnishings. ?They were reasonably priced and the bed and dresser look like antiques, even though they?re brand-new.?

Valerie wants to feel like a princess in the bedroom, so she had a canopy installed over the bed. She spends most of her free time there, watching movies on the DVD player, reads books (the ?Twilight? series is a current ?addiction?) and surfs the Net.

She?s no homebody, she admitted. ?I like going out with friends, but lately I find myself staying at home on my days off. I?ve turned into a bum and lie in bed all day.?

Since Valerie and her family moved in only a month ago, she?s always raring to go home after a hard day?s work. During the Living Stars visit, Valerie brought out her own digital camera to take photographs of the house as well.

The home is also decorated with mementos from her career: Valerie?s two Star Awards for TV trophies (Best New Actress 2003 and Best Host 2008), plus framed magazine covers and movie posters.

Among the most cherished framed pictures are those of Valerie?s first commercial endorsements for Babyflo and Crissa at age 14 and 15.

In a lot of ways, the house is testament to her patience and diligence?particularly, how she was able to recover even though she quit the biz at age 16 when she gave birth to Fiona four years ago.

?When I staged a comeback after giving birth, I told myself that my goal was to buy a house for my family,? she looked back. ?That?s why I?m so happy that I got to fulfill my dream. It may not be a mansion, but it?s a place we can call our own.?

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