"We wanted something new, something that we could call our own," says the homeowner, when asked why she wanted a makeover for their home. She had been living in the same house for about 15 years--first with her parents, and now with her husband and two young children--but the style hand't evolved much over time. She still had her parents' old furniture: a sofa set which had seen better days and plenty of wooden pieces. Five years ago, husband and wife made the bold move to repaint their walls from a dusty old white to bright yellow and purple.

"I think I saw it in a magazine, so ginaya ko (...so I copied it)," she recalls.

The couple had been wanting to redo their space, but they couldn't afford a big renovation. The homeowner's mother, a Real Living subscriber, encouraged her to join the contest. Since she was so busy, she never got around to writing the letter, so her mother did it for her. Luckily, their entry was chosen, and designer Grace Moslares was soon knocking on their door.

See how the makeover turned out in the gallery below!

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

Also in this issue:

103 Instant Wall Updates
3 Easy Room Makeovers
How Expensive Is a Renovation Really?

(First published as "Change Is in the Air" in the "Real Makeover" section of Real Living Philippines' June 2009 issue. Words by Tisha Alvarez. Styling by Issa Villar. Photography by Miguel Nacianceno. Adapted for use in Female Network)