Hurray Design’s brand is hinged on “design made happy.” And in the midst of a global health crisis, when people are mandated to stay quarantined at home, a slice of happiness can make a big difference in brightening up people’s lives during these dark times.

This idea of happiness can take the form of a well designed or impeccably styled home, where people spend the most time these days. If before people liked to fix up their houses even when they practically just used to stay there on weekends, what more now when many of us have transformed them to accommodate workspaces, recreation areas, and even plant havens (we’re sure a lot of you have become plantitos and plantitas)?     

It’s been almost seven months since community quarantine was implemented in Metro Manila. That’s more than half of the year mostly spent indoors. The “new normal” lifestyle has made people realize the heart of the home. Along with ensuring their physical health are taken care of, they’ve also turned their attention to giving their houses the TLC they deserve; after all, a happy home can be good for one’s well-being, too.

In a recent interview with ANC host Marie Lozano, Hurray Design co-founder and creative director IDr. Rossy Yabut-Rojales shared how this team not only adapted but also shaped the new normal ways of carrying out their roles as design experts. 

“As the pandemic struck, we immediately had business planning sessions to address and adapt to the situation. We have been doing regular Work From Anywhere (WFA) at least partially for the last couple of years so in a way we were able to function like business as usual,” Rossy says. Because of this, they didn’t have to deal with a sudden shift to a purely online-based work setup.  

Still, in a time of great uncertainty and when the most basic needs are what top people’s list of priorities, it has been a challenge to make people see clearer the value of investing in a home upgrade or makeover now.

Hurray Design maximizes this phase not just by introducing new offerings but also by educating themselves on how to better design homes. They’ve been looking into special considerations for health and hygiene, safety and security, organization and orderliness, maintenance and upkeep, as well as space planning.

With the safety issues today, Hurray Design also quickly conceptualized a new service that specifically caters to those who are in the mood to redecorate while they’re stuck at home. Rossy says of their Interior Styling Service, “For those who want to freshen a selected space, prepare a new condo for move-in, and those with limited time and budget, the Interior Styling Service is very timely.” Closely related to this is another new offering, the Modular and Concierge Services which allow them to deliver only a certain scope of the project a client needs. 

With the pandemic also inspiring creativity among the team members, Hurray Design found time to undergo a brand and process refresh, to help them bounce back brighter. Their website, www.hurraydesign.com, is expected to be a go-to source for useful design-related content. Their social media pages are even more of a treasure trove of beautiful, peg-worthy spaces today. They’ve also explored new, more creative ways of presenting their visions to their clients through compelling virtual meetings. 

Last but not least, Hurray Design has embarked on holding informative webinars on topics like incorporating greenery into your interior spaces or even the advantages of using quartz stone for your home. Rossy explains, “This is a series that has been going on every two weeks to educate our market and share our knowledge, work with partners, and generate new clients as well. Topics are broad but we make sure they’re relevant to the situation.”

No one can say for sure when the pandemic will come to an end. That’s something we don’t have control over. But for things that we’re capable of changing or improving, like the homes that keep us safe and sane these days, why hesitate? Happiness can mean a cozy and comfy home office, a redesigned living area to bond with your family, or a renovated kitchen for your newfound passion for baking.