Cyril Sontillano is well known through social media as a small space plant guru, (his cute cat is a fan too) . Sontillano hopped on Instagram to begin his search for a modular shelving unit when he came across a Modern Shelving post. He followed the post to Modern Shelving’s website and was interested in what he saw.
“I was drawn into the easy set-up and the ability to move with the shelving system,” says Sontillano. “What I love about the Modern Shelving designs is that they are made from quality materials, and they could also fit any aesthetic.”Â
Sontillano began chatting with the Modern Shelving team to create a shelf system that would perfectly match his needs. He opted for a white on white design, but specified that he needed something that would accommodate his plant room/home office needs as well as house his cat’s automated liter box. Once he was happy with the design, Sontillano placed his order.
“I installed it myself and it went pretty well,” says Sontillano. “I spent more time moving the plants from my old shelf to a space where I could keep them while setting up my Modern Shelving system than the actual set-up needed. What held me back was the endless possibilities as well—it is so customizable that I could adjust the shelf by the centimeter even! It’s so unbelievable.”
Growing up in the Philippines, Sontillano developed an appreciation for the flora and fauna around him. When he relocated to California, he liked the feeling of being surrounded by tropical plants as they remind him of home.
 On his shelves in his plant room/home office, Sontillano houses tropical plants from different varieties of monstera, philodendron, anthuriums, and epiphytes like hoyas, huperzias, and dischidias. He has over 200 varities of plants, including succulents and rare cacti.
Although Sontillano works in healthcare during the day, he pursues his passion as a content creator after hours, spending a lot of time in his home office. He loves how practical and functional his shelving unit is and that he can easily adjust the shelves to the size of his collection. He loves the look of the high-quality materials and finishes.
“Everything that I have envisioned turned out better than I imagined,” says Sontillano. “I love that it looks so clean and blends in with my aesthetics as well. My shelving system could grow with me regardless of if I change my aesthetics or use.”
