Some rooms are trickier to decorate than others. For one homeowner, the lanai was her biggest interior puzzle. "I was quite frustrated with how our veranda looked and a bit overwhelmed about putting it in order and making it stylish," she reveals. The lanai functioned as an additional living, dining, entertaining, and work area, but the furniture pieces seemed randomly thrown together. "There was no unified style. Also, I felt defeated in the perennial battle against the clutter that was dumped at the end."

That end was a blocked-off area, which used to be a spot for barbecuing before the lanai was built as an extension of the house. Bookshelves occupied a lot of space, and the brick structure served no function whatsoever. "To top it all, my son transferred his work table and desk to the veranda," the homeowner says.

Real Living brought in designer Lisa Salvador to help the family create a more streamlined space. See how the makeover turned out below:

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

Also in this issue:
Five Essential Pieces
27 Furniture Picks
3 of Our Favorite Homes Revisited

(First published as "Bright Ideas" in the "Real Makeover" section of Real Living Philippines' April 2010 issue. Words by Tisha Alvarez Angluben. Pictorial direction by Coni Tejada. Photography by Jun Pinzon. Adapted for use in Female Network.)