Julia Barretto House: Inside Her Three-Story Manila Home and the Family Rest House
Julia Barretto built her own home in Antipolo starting in 2017 and moved in during 2019 at age 22. The three-story house blends Japanese-inspired minimalism with Filipino warmth, includes a converted home office, and sits close to her mother Marjorie’s residence. The family also owns a rest house in Bulacan.
Julia Barretto House: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Julia Barretto |
| Home Location | Antipolo City, Rizal, near her mother’s residence |
| Construction Started | October 2017 |
| Moved In | September 2019, at age 22 |
| House Style | Three floors, Japanese-inspired minimalism with vintage accents |
| Interior Designer | Nix Alañon of FTA Design |
| Family Rest House | River Garden Rest House, Calumpit, Bulacan |
Where the Julia Barretto House Is Located
Julia Barretto owns a three-story house in Antipolo City, Rizal. She built the property near her mother Marjorie Barretto’s home. Julia has said she chose the location on purpose. She wanted her own space, but she also wanted to stay close to family.
In an Instagram post, Julia addressed followers who asked why she still lives so close to her mom. She wrote that her mom is her best friend and her biggest source of strength. That answer explains a lot about how she approached her home. It gave her privacy, but it still kept her near the people she loves most.
Why Julia Barretto Built Her Own House So Young
Julia started working in show business at nine years old, and by the time she reached her late teens, she had already built a steady career as an actress. That early start gave her the financial footing to plan her own property well before most people her age would consider it.
Julia has described the process as a personal milestone rather than a simple purchase. She has said the house represents proof that she could build something for herself through her own work, separate from her family’s name. She has also said she still hopes to build a second, family-oriented home someday with a partner, keeping this current house as a marker of an earlier chapter in her life.
That framing matters for understanding the house itself. Julia was not building a forever home meant for a future spouse or children. She was building a personal space meant to reflect who she was at that specific point in her career, which explains why so much of the interior reflects her individual taste rather than a shared vision with anyone else.
Julia Barretto House Construction Timeline
Julia first announced her house project in October 2017. She was only 19 years old at the time. Construction took roughly two years to finish.
Here is a quick timeline of how the project came together:
- October 2017: Julia shares the first photo of her newly purchased land
- May 2018: The first floor foundation is complete
- December 2018: Construction reaches a more advanced stage, with rooms taking shape
- July 2019: Julia announces she will move in soon
- September 2019: She officially moves into her new home at age 22
She has said she saved for years before starting the build. Julia called it “mandatory savings,” money she set aside specifically to fund the project from the ground up rather than take shortcuts.
Inside the Three-Story Julia Barretto House
Julia’s home spans three floors, and each level serves a different purpose. Glass panels cover much of the exterior, filling the house with natural light throughout the day. Julia has said the design also improves airflow, since bamboo stalks near the lanai help keep the space breezy, or as she put it, “mahangin.”
She has also pointed out that all that glass affects privacy. Julia mentioned in a 2022 interview that the open design means the property needs careful landscaping to keep the interior shielded from outside view. The bamboo does double duty here, working as both a design feature and a privacy screen.
Common areas mix vintage furniture with modern pieces. Julia said her taste changed over the years she spent planning the house, since she started at 19 and did not move in until she was 22. She worked closely with her interior designer to update choices as her preferences shifted with each stage of her life.
The Design Story Behind Her Home
Julia partnered with interior designer Nix Alañon of FTA Design for the entire project. Alañon has also worked with other known Filipino clients, and that partnership shaped several key decisions throughout the house.
Julia has described her design approach as quality over quantity. She said she invested in good furniture pieces early, even while working within a set budget. That approach let her build a home that feels considered rather than rushed.
The overall look draws from Japanese minimalism, but it still carries warmth. Writers who have toured the home describe it as tropical and Japanese-inspired at once, a combination that fits how Julia describes herself: an old soul who values calm, uncluttered spaces.
Julia Barretto’s Home Office on the Third Floor
In 2022, Julia converted the entire third floor of her house into a home office. The space was originally meant to be a theatre room for watching movies with guests. When the pandemic limited social gatherings, she shifted the room toward remote work instead.
Julia explained her reasoning in simple terms. She did not want to work from her bedroom, since that made her too comfortable to stay focused. She also ruled out the dining room, since she wanted to keep that space reserved for meals with family rather than mixing it with work calls.
The home office includes a few standout features:
- A dedicated desk area with visible books and scripts kept as reading reminders
- Personal items, including her Kindle, placed within easy reach
- Green plants that bring a fresh, calming feel to the corner
- Open shelving used to display keepsakes and mementoes from her career
Julia worked with Nix Alañon again for this project, carrying the same design language used throughout the rest of the house into her new workspace.
The Barretto Family Rest House in Bulacan
Beyond her own home, Julia is connected to another well-known Barretto property. The family owns the River Garden Rest House in Calumpit, Bulacan, about an hour’s drive from Metro Manila. Julia’s mother,r Marjor, i.e., purchased the villa more than 20 years ago and has restored it over time.
In 2022, the Barretto family briefly listed the rest house on Airbnb for three weekends around the Christmas season, priced at 25,000 pesos per night for up to 16 guests. Marjorie said the rest house holds deep meaning for the family. She described the decision to open it up as a way to share their space and Filipino hospitality with more people, including guests from overseas.
The property includes four bedrooms with private bathrooms, a large outdoor pool, an open kitchen with a grill, and a gazebo that looks out over the Angat River. Local materials such as pawid roofing, bamboo, and capiz shell windows appear throughout the villa, alongside antiques and paintings passed down through the family.
Julia described the rest house as one of her favourite places to unwind. She said she enjoys watching the river from the gazebo and seeing her family spread out across the property, whether they are reading, talking, or swimming together.
Five Styling Lessons From the Julia Barretto House
Design writers who have toured Julia’s home point to a few habits that shaped the space. These lessons apply just as well to smaller homes working with tighter budgets.
- Start with neutral furniture, then colour through art. Julia’s living room uses a piece by artist Carlo Saavedra to colour into an otherwise neutral room.
- Bring pieces home from travel. A vase and a small stool from Baguio give her living room a personal, collected feel that store-bought decor cannot copy.
- Display keepsakes instead of hiding them away. Dried flowers and mementoes appear throughout the house, adding warmth to otherwise simple rooms.
- Plan outdoor space around how you actually use it. Julia’s outdoor areas balance greenery with room for gathering, rather than choosing one over the other.
- Keep organised and visible. Woven baskets and open shelving give the home a tidy, lived-in feel rather than a cluttered one.
None of these ideas requires a large budget. They rely on intention more than money, which is part of why design writers keep returning to Julia’s house as a reference point years after her first home tour aired.
How Julia Barretto’s House Compares to Other Celebrity Homes
Julia Barretto is not the only public figure whose personal design choices have drawn attention. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s historic Tulsa property, covered in this profile of the Gentner Drummond house, shows a very different approach built around preserving decades of history rather than starting from scratch.
Other public figures take a more transitional approach to where they live. Reality personality Marley Biyendolo’s home life, detailed in this look at the Marley Biyendolo house, centres on moving between two cities rather than settling into one long-term family base the way Julia has.
Sports media personalities handle the spotlight around their homes differently too. Dan Katz’s approach to his Chicago property, outlined in this feature on the Dan Katz house, shows how some public figures choose privacy over sharing their space at all, a contrast to how openly Julia has documented her own home over the years.
How Much Is the Julia Barretto House Worth
Julia has never publicly confirmed the exact cost of building her house. Based on the size, location, and finishes described across her home tours, the property likely falls in the multi-million peso range for a custom three-story home in Antipolo.
This figure is an estimate, not a verified number. Julia and her family have not released official construction costs, and property values in Antipolo have shifted since the house was completed in 2019. Most of the detailed footage of the home, including the widely viewed Karen Davila vlog tour, dates back to 2019 through 2022, and neither Julia nor her team has published a newer full walkthrough since.
Final Thoughts
Julia Barretto’s house tells a clear story about patience and planning. She started the project at 19, waited two years to move in, and built a home that reflects how her taste changed over that time. The result is a private, three-story space that still keeps her close to family, paired with a rest house in Bulacan that connects to an even longer family history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Julia Barretto’s house located?
Julia Barretto’s house is in Antipolo City, Rizal, near her mother Marjorie Barretto’s home.
When did Julia Barretto move into her house?
She moved in during September 2019, when she was 22 years old. Construction started in October 2017.
Who designed Julia Barretto’s house?
Interior designer Nix Alañon of FTA Design worked with Julia on the home, including her third-floor office.
Does Julia Barretto own other properties?
The Barretto family owns the River Garden Rest House in Calumpit, Bulacan, which they briefly listed on Airbnb in 2022.
How much is Julia Barretto’s house worth?
The exact value has not been confirmed publicly. Estimates based on size and location suggest a multi-million peso property, though this figure remains unverified.
