We all know how the recent years turned many of us into absolute homebodies. Suddenly, our four walls had to be everything at once — an office, a school, a sanctuary. And let’s be quite honest, spending all that time indoors made us look at our living spaces with a far more discerning eye. We didn’t just want functional anymore; we wanted beautiful. We wanted inspiration.

Not too long ago, SM Home threw open the doors to their fully redesigned SM Makati flagship, and let me tell you, it was nothing short of a revelation. The relaunch, aptly titled “Rediscover SM Home,” was the most comprehensive transformation in the retailer’s history. It was an invitation to “come back, look again,” and completely reimagine how we live.

At the helm of this chic transformation are two women who have their fingers firmly on the pulse of the modern Filipino homemaker. Janice Yang, the dynamic business unit head for SM Home, understands this new mindset perfectly. “After the pandemic, we saw a change in shopping behavior,” Janice explained. “People expect that when they go to a home store, it has to look good, and it has to inspire them to actually do better in their homes.”

And inspire, it certainly does. Gone are the days of sterile, grid-like aisles that feel like a warehouse. The ever-stylish Kitty Bunag, head of Visual Merchandising for SM Home and Kultura, has completely reimagined the spatial flow. Instead of grouping items strictly by product category, the floor is now a sweeping, experiential journey curated into eight distinct zones — from the Living Room and Bedroom to Kitchen and Dining.

“With the internet, it’s easier to browse online,” Kitty pointed out. “So when you come to the store, you look for a different experience. That’s what we’re trying to give the customers — the feeling of actually walking through a home.”

Walking through the new flagship is a deeply calming experience, thanks to an earthy color palette and organic wood textures. When I asked Kitty about the inspiration behind these natural tones, her answer was perfectly profound: “Because that’s what the world needs right now. Your own home and sanctuary.”

Of course, a sanctuary must be filled with the right pieces, and the curation here is an absolute dream. SM Home has seamlessly blended our trusted household staples with a highly desirable new tier of brands tailored for elevated living. Imagine perfecting your morning ritual with an espresso from Breville or Hario, setting a stunning dinner table with exquisite Don Bellini and Bonna tableware (perhaps paired with a bottle from Philippine Wine Merchants), and retiring on a plush Serta mattress enveloped in the upscale, mood-setting scents of HiEssence diffusers.

But the absolute pièce de résistance for the tactile shopper? The Linen Touch Bar. It is a genius little experiential corner in the Bedroom zone where you can run your fingers over every fabric type and thread count — from crisp cotton to silky bamboo — before making your choice. It’s all about informed, intentional luxury.

In a move that truly elevates the space, SM Home has also become a patron of local art. They’ve integrated a stunning gallery featuring original works by Filipino artists right into the living zones. “This is the first time SM Home will have real artist paintings being offered,” Janice beamed, noting that shoppers can now seamlessly purchase these pieces to bring a touch of local brilliance into their own spaces.

And because a beautiful home also requires a bit of know-how, they’ve introduced the SM Home Masterclass — monthly workshops featuring experts who teach everything from prepping the perfect baon to styling a child’s study room.

With SM Aura and Megamall already boasting this sophisticated new look, and branches like Estancia and Zamboanga soon to follow, this is just the beginning of a nationwide lifestyle upgrade. As Janice so perfectly declared: “We are rebuilding SM Home, starting with Makati, because Filipinos deserve a home store that is built for real life.”

Take my word for it — whether you are embarking on a full renovation or simply looking for that one perfect centerpiece to tie a room together, the new SM Home is a destination you simply must experience.