Julia Barretto House: Inside Her Japanese-Inspired Home

Julia Barretto began planning her first home at 19 and moved in at 22. The finished three-story property pairs Japanese-inspired simplicity with Filipino furniture, personal art, and rooms planned around the way she lives and works.

The Julia Barretto House is well documented because she has shown its main spaces, walk-in closet, and third-floor office in public tours. Those tours reveal more than a polished interior. They show how the house changed from a young homeowner’s building project into a calm and practical place of her own.

Julia Barretto House at a Glance

Property detail	Verified information
Home type	Modern three-story private residence
General location	Near her mother Marjorie Barretto’s home in the Philippines
Construction began	October 2017
Moved in	September 2019, at age 22
Design direction	Tropical Japanese style with Wabi-sabi influence
Interior designer	Nix Ala?on
Notable spaces	Open living area, lanai, walk-in closet, third-floor home office
Public price or value	Not disclosed
Latest documented status	No reliable public sale or move has been reported through August 2026

Where Does Julia Barretto Live?

Julia Barretto built her home close to her mother Marjorie Barretto, but dependable coverage does not establish a precise public location that should be repeated. The general family connection is more important to the story than a private address.

During the build, Julia explained that living nearby would let her keep her independence without losing daily contact with her family. That choice shaped the project from the start: this was a personal home, but not a move away from the people closest to her.

She Started Building the House at 19

Construction began in October 2017 after years of planning and saving. PEP.ph reported the project in progress in 2018, when photographs already showed a multi-level structure taking shape.

Julia later told Karen Davila that she started the process at 19 and finished at 22. She credited her mother and then-manager with encouraging her to save and invest instead of spending everything she earned.

The timeline is unusually clear:

• October 2017: Construction begins on the future home.
• May 2018: Julia shares progress from the emerging first floor.
• December 2018: The multi-story build is close to completion.
• September 2019: She finishes moving into the house at age 22.
• November 2020: Her detailed walk-in closet tour is published.
• 2022: She shows the third-floor office and gives a broader tour of the completed home.

The project was funded through savings from her work, according to Julia’s own account. No reliable source provides the land price, construction cost, or current market value.

Inside Julia Barretto’s Japanese-Inspired Home

The completed house has a tropical Japanese look shaped by white walls, warm wood, glass, natural fibers, and muted colors. Julia has described the style as influenced by Wabi-sabi, a Japanese idea that values simplicity, natural materials, and the beauty of things that are not overly polished.

That influence appears in the balance between clean architecture and textured objects. The rooms are not empty, but they avoid visual noise. Wood grain, woven surfaces, pottery, bamboo, and art bring warmth to the pale base.

Large glass panels allow daylight into the main level. On the lanai, tall bamboo softens the white boundary wall and gives the glass-fronted home more privacy. Julia also noted that the planting helps the outdoor area feel breezy.

The result is more personal than a strict minimalist interior. Vintage pieces and handmade objects sit beside modern furniture, so the home feels collected rather than furnished from one showroom.

The Living Room Uses Art as Its Main Color

Julia’s living room starts with cream seating, white walls, and wood accents, then uses artwork to add stronger color. A large abstract painting by Filipino artist Carlo Saavedra hangs above the sofa and acts as the room’s visual center.

The center table follows the home’s Japanese influence. Coverage of the tour credits the piece to interior designer Nix Ala?on. Smaller wooden objects brought home from Baguio make the setting feel less formal.

The Dining Area and Kitchen Keep the Main Floor Open

An eight-seat wooden dining table anchors the dining space. It is paired with rattan chairs made in Baguio, continuing the mix of local craftsmanship and simple natural finishes.

Julia placed a vessel with branches at the center of the table. The arrangement came from her mother, which gives the room a family connection without adding busy decoration.

Beside the dining area, the kitchen uses gray cabinets, white counters, and built-in appliances. A sculptural exhaust hood over the island also works as a light, giving the functional center of the room a clear focal point.

The Lanai Extends the Home Outdoors

The covered lanai carries the same relaxed design beyond the glass walls. Rattan seating, an abaca rug, and bamboo planting create a shaded place that still feels connected to the interior.

A hanging chair by Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue is one of the best-known pieces shown in the home tour. It adds a sculptural shape without fighting the simple setting around it.

The bamboo has a practical job as well as a visual one. It filters views toward the glass and moves with the breeze, giving the patio shade, privacy, and a softer edge.

Her Walk-In Closet Was Planned Like a Private Boutique

Julia designed the walk-in closet with two entrances: one from her bedroom and another from the hallway. The second route lets stylists or assistants enter the closet without passing through her private sleeping area.

The room uses illuminated glass cabinets for shoes and bags. Julia specifically requested store-like lighting so the displays would feel clear and organized. Clothing is divided into dedicated cabinets, while an island stores accessories and sentimental items.

A vanity sits near windows for natural light. Drawers hold makeup, skincare, hair tools, and daily supplies so the work surface can stay uncluttered. PEP.ph’s closet coverage also notes that organizer Issa Guico Reyes of Neat Obsessions helped arrange this area.

The closet is not only about fashion. One drawer holds keepsakes, including old shirts that belonged to her grandfather and a childhood blanket. Framed dried flowers add another personal layer to the otherwise clean room.

The Third Floor Became a Dedicated Home Office

Julia converted the entire third floor into a work area after the pandemic changed how she handled meetings, scripts, and business from home. The space had first been planned as a theater and lounge for guests.

She did not want to work in her bedroom because it felt too restful. The dining room was also unsuitable because she wanted to protect it as a place for meals and time with family. Moving work upstairs created a clearer boundary between home life and professional tasks.

Nix Ala?on returned to design the office. Julia’s desk holds scripts, books, and a Kindle, while shelving provides space for storage and personal pieces. Plants and a restrained palette keep the room connected to the rest of the house.

The office is one of the home’s most useful changes. Instead of preserving the original theater plan, she gave a whole floor a purpose that matched her daily routine. Real Living’s office tour documents how and why the conversion happened.

Filipino Furniture and Art Give the Interior Its Identity

Local work appears throughout the house rather than in one display area. Carlo Saavedra’s painting supplies the living room’s main color, while a golden money-tree sculpture by Michael Cacnio stands near the dining area.

Kenneth Cobonpue’s hanging chair gives the lanai a recognizable Filipino design piece. Furniture and decorative objects sourced in Baguio add rattan, wood, and handmade texture to the rooms.

These pieces keep the Japanese influence from feeling copied or generic. The layout may value calm and simplicity, but the art and furniture connect the interior to Filipino makers and Julia’s own travels.

PhilSTAR Life’s full-tour report and Philstar.com’s design account independently identify these artists and major furnishings.

Does Julia Barretto Still Live in This House?

No reliable public report through August 2026 says Julia has sold the property or moved to a newly documented main home. The most detailed public record remains her series of tours from 2019 through 2022.

That does not prove every room looks exactly the same today. Furniture, art, and room uses can change. It means only that a later sale, listing, or confirmed replacement residence has not been established by dependable coverage.

The house has never been publicly listed for sale, and no verified asking price or current valuation is available. Attaching an estimated price based on nearby homes would ignore differences in lot size, finish, age, and exact location.

What Makes Julia Barretto’s Home Distinctive?

The home’s clearest distinction is the link between its design and its timeline. Julia began the project at 19, completed it at 22, and continued adapting it as her needs changed.

Its Japanese-inspired structure provides a calm base, while Filipino art, locally sourced furniture, and family keepsakes stop it from feeling impersonal. The third-floor office shows practical reuse, and the closet balances display with careful organization.

Common Questions About Julia Barretto’s House

How old was Julia Barretto when she started building her house?

She was 19 when the project began. Construction started in October 2017, and she moved in at age 22 in September 2019.

What style is Julia Barretto’s home?

It has a tropical Japanese design with Wabi-sabi influence. White walls, glass, wood, bamboo, natural fibers, and muted colors shape the interior.

Who designed Julia Barretto’s house?

Interior designer Nix Ala?on worked with Julia on the main home and later returned to design her third-floor office.

How much is Julia Barretto’s house worth?

Julia has not disclosed a verified construction cost or current property value. No dependable public listing provides a sale or asking price.