Three years ago, the homeowner's boyfriend gave her two adjacent studio units as a fourth anniversary gift. It has since served as her home as well as a place for her boyfriend, who works abroad, to stay whenever he's in Manila.

But even with the units at her disposal, the homeowner still wasn't completely satisfied. "Walang storage (There's no storage), and no arrangement. Boring talaga (It's really boring!)!" she lamented. One unit served as a storage area, while the other served as the main unit, with a living area, dining area, kitchen, and a makeshift laundry area. At night, she would position a mattress in the free floor space.

The homeowner longed to fix up the main unit so that she could somehow give her boyfriend her own little gift. Real Living brought in designer Kristine Neri to see what she could do with the space. Check out how the makeover turned out in the gallery below.

Get more home makeover ideas from the August issue of Real Living Philippines, out on stands now! You can also subscribe to the magazine's digital edition.

Also in the issue:

Quick Change Living/Study Makeover
33 Dinnerware Picks
Cool, Exotic Homes Plus an Elegant Condo

(First published as "A Superpoked Space" in the "Real Makeover" section of Real Living Philippines' October 2009 issue. Words by Tisha Alvarez. Styling by Coni Tejada. Photography by Miguel Nacianceno.)