Spotted: Nikki Martel, living in full color
Mid-shoot, Nikki Martel casually slides under the glass coffee table, making it, somehow, the most glamorous spot in the room. “It’s giving Serena van der Woodsen,” the photographer quips. With tousled hair, an easy smile, and just the right sweep of eyeliner, we all saw it. And with her apartment as the backdrop, the scene really could have been straight out of “Gossip Girl.”
Bold, layered, and unapologetically maximalist, Martel says if her home could speak, there would be “a whole lot of joie de vivre, with a high dose of je nais se quoi.” Yes, a mix of “joy of living” with a dash of “I don’t know what.”
And in true Blair Waldorf form, she continues, “New York is my great love, and Paris is my soulmate.”
Now Tiffany & Co.’s marketing manager in the Philippines, her beaming energy mirrors her home’s palette. The walls reflect her love for color—from the deep red shelves, to the lime green doors, soft butter yellow ceilings, and the shades of blue (including, of course, some Tiffany blue).
“It kind of shows me that in life, there are really no boundaries,” she says, as the space, “will not take no for an answer. Everything can and will make sense with the colors, textures, and patterns.”
Articles of inspiration
Martel’s one-bedroom apartment brims with articles of inspiration (but doesn’t overflow). She points out her collection of the culturally sharp, luxurious Assouline coffee table books, from “Paris Chic” to “Swans: Legends of the Jet Society,” with pages romanticizing the bygone era of worldly elegant, soigne glamor.
Adorning the walls are vibrant abstract paintings. On one shelf is a small print by Artu Nepomuceno, his surreal photograph of ballerinas beneath the grand halls of the CCP. Nearby is a delicate watercolor by Anna Bautista, depicting a bleeding heart dove perched on a Tiffany jewel.
Stacked on the tables are travel books from Bangkok’s historic Mandarin Oriental to guides on Vienna, Portugal, and Provence. The books are interspersed with silver trays and bowls with balls of Ferrero Rocher. On the dining table are the prettiest crystals and crockery, which she has so generously topped up with chocolate croissants.
Near the center of the room, she points out her late father’s favorite lighter, which he had had for over 50 years. And in the bedroom, a crocheted cushion rests on the duvet, declaring, “I literally can’t.”
“It’s really a visual feast for me,” she says. “In every nook, I want to be inspired—like I’m in a different place in the world. My little escape from my everyday reality.”
In a space that reminds her of her favorite places around the world, her living room is painted a combination of blue and red, inspired by one of her favorite Chinese restaurants, Manoa at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong.
She also borrows from the home of Dries Van Noten, “a swanky private boudoir with red lacquered walls, bursting with colors and textures.” She cites Paris as a visual reference for the eclectic Hotel Costes to the lavish Bar Les Ambassadeurs.
“I want to be transported [to] places I adore—New York, Paris, Hong Kong,” the frequent flyer states. “I want it to feel like it’s giving me so much energy. The kind of energy that I absorb when I travel.”
Life by vibes
For eight years, Martel lived in New York, studying and working in fashion and public relations. Early on, she interned for PR consulting for brands like Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler, and Versace.
A pile of early 2000s Harper’s Bazaar print magazines takes up storage, recalling those early days as an intern. On the other hand, a Café Gitane coffee table book, documenting the thriving downtown culture in the ‘90s and 2000s, is “a core memory of college years and living in New York City.”
Later on, Martel worked in PR with Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs. And like the city, her home mirrors its ever-changing rhythm. “Living in New York for a good eight years remains to be the greatest teacher and best chapter of my life. Hands down!” she exclaims, “I left my heart there, and it will always be ‘home’ to me… It gave me confidence to be bold and courageous in anything.”
Expect something new on your next visit, be it a cool new object or refreshed arrangement. “My personal design is a microcosm of New York—something always new, vibrant, full of energy. The only thing constant is transformation.”
Now working for Tiffany and Co., she starts her day at 7 a.m. with silence and stillness. Then she works from 9 to 6, ending the day with a workout. “I am def not an Excel-tab planner. I am a 100 percent vibes-only kind of person. I’m all about energy,” she says, “and there’s never the same day for me, which is why I love my job.”
To get into her creative flow, Martel does cardio or strength workouts, savors a good iced cappuccino, lights up a Trudon candle, and/or “stares at a nice arrangement of white hydrangeas”—which might just be her signature flower, from the way the blooms are scattered in vases around the room.
Her boss energy seems to translate to her personal style too, as she cites a preference for “structured blazers, vintage Issey Miyake tops, killer heels, and anything Comme des Garcons, Dries Van Noten, or Chanel,” Martel states. “And ultimately—my dad’s watches. Specifically, his Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watch. And his last gift to me, a green Kelly.”
Memories in every corner
If there’s one thing that stands out in our hostess’ home, it’s that most of the pieces feel personal. We’re not seeing uniform-catalogue items, matching furniture sets, or overly staged decor. Underneath her design choices is a sense of connection.
In her bedroom, on an aquamarine background, are illustrations of graceful foliage with cherry tomatoes, butterflies, and birds. A gift from her father, the walls are decorated with the quintessentially French designs of Manuel Canovas. “This is very memorable to me, because I got this wallpaper for my bedroom when I was supposed to move into my dad’s most recent apartment. But then things changed… I never really got the chance to use this wallpaper. And finally, now I’m able to use it… It’s such a nice feeling that every morning I wake up and it’s the first thing I see.”
Among her paintings, she shares her favorite is a work by Malang, which came from her dad’s art collection. “I remember when he got this painting, it was always one of my favorites,” she shares. “Sadly, when he passed, it was something that I literally told my family I knew in my heart that I had to have.”
Nearby, Martel also has a painting of Lee Aguinaldo, from her brother Paolo, whom she shares she is very close to.
Taking inspiration from hotels and travels around the world, as well as special places for both Martel and her whole family, she brings elements of design excellence into her own home, but not without some sentimentality.
As New York’s electric energy reverberates alongside soft, elegant Parisian charm, the host completes the space with a haze of Manila warmth flowing from her, with traces of the many places she has traversed.
And maybe just like Serena Van der Wodsen, Martel has mastered the art of living beautifully, on her own terms. And if “Gossip Girl” were narrating? The sign-off would be inevitable: “Spotted—Nikki Martel, living her best, most colorful life.”
And we wouldn’t expect anything less.
Creative direction by Ria Prieto
Makeup by Thazzia Falek
Hair by Jay Wee
