CIS Capstone Project: Interior Styling in Practice at Oppein Philippines

SoFA Interior Styling Students Apply Spatial Styling Principles Through a Professional Showroom Experience

The final capstone project of SoFA Design Institute’s Certificate in Interior Styling (CIS) brought students beyond the classroom and into a professional interior environment, giving them the opportunity to apply their knowledge of styling, composition, proportion, materiality, and spatial presentation.

Led by IDr. Che Ellson, the capstone project was hosted by Oppein Philippines at its showroom in Makati. Students were given access to selected living room settings within the showroom, allowing them to experience how styling decisions can enhance an existing interior while responding to its established design language.

The project provided a practical setting for students to translate their classroom learning into a completed styling concept, while gaining firsthand exposure to a professional showroom environment.

Styling Existing Spaces Through a Curated Design Approach

For the capstone, three groups of students were assigned different living room settings within the Oppein showroom.

Rather than redesigning the spaces entirely, the students worked with the existing interiors and developed their own styling direction through carefully selected decorative elements, accessories, artwork, and other visual details.

The exercise encouraged students to consider how individual elements contribute to the overall character of a room. Through the thoughtful placement of objects and accessories, they explored principles of balance, proportion, scale, color, texture, composition, and visual hierarchy.

This process reflects an important aspect of Interior Styling: the ability to build upon an existing space while maintaining coherence with its furniture, finishes, architecture, and intended function.

Three Groups, Three Styling Approaches

Each group developed a distinct interpretation of its assigned living room, demonstrating different approaches to composition and spatial presentation.

At the conclusion of the project, students were recognized through three awards:

• People’s Choice Award: Ivan Ronquillo & Michelle Lachica

• Professors’ Choice Award: Glenn Calingasan & Rommel Rodriguez

• Oppein’s Choice Award: Ariza Aban & Mary Chua

The three recognitions represented different perspectives on the students’ work, from audience response and academic evaluation to the perspective of the industry partner hosting the project.

From Styling to Design Presentation

Beyond creating the physical styling of their assigned spaces, the students were also required to present their concepts and articulate the thinking behind their design decisions.

The final presentations were reviewed by IDr. Che Ellson, IDr. Aaron Paglicawan, and IDr. Jeric Santiago, giving students the opportunity to explain their creative direction, discuss their styling choices, and receive feedback from experienced design practitioners and educators.

The presentation reinforced that Interior Styling extends beyond decoration. It involves a considered approach to spatial composition, visual communication, research, selection, and the relationship between individual elements and the larger interior environment.

For emerging designers, being able to communicate the intention behind a completed space is equally important to the styling itself.

A Professional Environment for Applied Learning

Hosting the capstone project at the Oppein Philippines showroom gave students an opportunity to work within an actual professional interior environment rather than a conventional classroom setup.

The experience allowed them to observe residential furniture and interior applications at full scale and understand how products are presented as part of complete living environments.

The SoFA team was also welcomed by Ms. Vicky Ledesma-Tanchanco, General Manager of  Oppein Philippines, together with Ms. Ann Tirona, PR Head of  Oppein Philippines.

Through the showroom experience, students were able to explore different residential applications, including living spaces, kitchens, storage systems, and bedrooms, while considering how furniture, cabinetry, finishes, and functional elements contribute to an interior's overall composition.

Exploring Residential Interiors at Oppein Philippines

Oppein Philippines is part of OPPEIN, a whole-house custom cabinetry and modular furniture brand with residential applications across living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and storage spaces.

For Interior Design students and emerging practitioners, a showroom visit can provide valuable opportunities to study products beyond images or samples. Experiencing furniture, cabinetry, materials, and spatial configurations at full scale allows designers to better understand their relationship to proportion, functionality, circulation, and visual composition.

The Oppein showroom provided this context for the students, allowing them to see how individual products can be integrated into cohesive residential environments.

For students developing their own design vocabulary, exposure to professional showrooms can also help expand their understanding of the possibilities available within contemporary residential interiors.

A Welcoming Setting for the Final Presentation

As part of the gathering, refreshments and a cold charcuterie selection were prepared for the students and guests, providing a welcoming setting during the final presentations.

While the refreshments were not part of the students’ design outputs, they complemented the occasion as the groups presented their completed styling concepts and shared the thinking behind their work.

The focus of the capstone remained on the students’ ability to develop, execute, and communicate their respective interior styling concepts within the showroom environment.

Connecting Classroom Learning With Industry Exposure

Experiences such as the CIS capstone project demonstrate the value of connecting design education with professional environments.

Working within a showroom challenged students to consider the relationship between their creative ideas and existing products, spatial conditions, materials, and functions.

It also provided an opportunity to experience the level of consideration required when developing an interior composition, from the selection and placement of individual elements to the presentation of a cohesive overall concept.

For students pursuing Interior Styling, these experiences can help bridge the gap between understanding design principles and applying them in real-world settings.

Continuing the Interior Design Journey

The Certificate in Interior Styling offers learners an opportunity to develop their understanding of how interiors can be curated, composed, and visually communicated.

Through design exercises, studio-based learning, project development, critique, and industry exposure, students are introduced to the principles that inform contemporary interior styling and spatial presentation.

The CIS capstone at Oppein Philippines provided one such opportunity, allowing students to work within a professional showroom and translate their learning into a completed styling project.

As future cohorts begin their own creative journeys, SoFA Design Institute continues to create opportunities for students to explore Interior Design through different learning environments and areas of practice.

Whether you are beginning your exploration of interiors, developing an existing creative practice, or looking to strengthen your styling skills, SoFA offers different pathways to continue your design education.

Explore Interior Design at SoFA

• Certificate in Interior Styling

• 1-Year Introduction to Interior Design

• B.S. Interior Design

• B.S. Interior Design – Professional Track

• Specialized Interior Design Programs

Explore Oppein Philippines

For Interior Design students, professionals, and enthusiasts interested in residential furniture, cabinetry, and whole-house interior applications, the Oppein Philippines showroom offers an opportunity to experience its products within a complete spatial setting.

Makati Showroom
3F, Karrivin Studios Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City

Visit the showroom to explore its range of residential interior solutions and experience how furniture, cabinetry, materials, and spatial planning come together within a complete interior environment.

The next chapter of the CIS experience may begin in the classroom, but design takes shape through practice, observation, and engagement with real spaces.

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