At every moment in life, people are surrounded by furniture. From bed frames to coffee tables, these home accessories have truly made their mark as necessities in everyday life. But these pieces aren’t just arbitrarily placed just for the sake of having them nor are Filipino furniture designers just making furniture solely for flaunting their Filipino talent. Furniture designing has become integral in creating furniture that blends well with daily life, in full visual cohesion, for designing, perhaps, your condo for sale in Tagaytay.
With the natural materials and local materials the following furniture designers use, the industry of furniture design becomes elevated to a realm of creative and contemporary identity, shifting the Philippines and its materials to truly a world-class standard.
But before getting to know the presently famous Filipino furniture designers, one must first define what truly makes Filipino craftsmanship.
This is the Filipino Furniture Designer
Furniture design has now extended beyond simply creating. The Filipino furniture maker of today knows the beauty of incorporating the national identity into their creative process and craftsmanship.
These Filipinos now look within the borders of the country instead of looking outward to the world, and inside they uncover the raw material of their modern pieces: natural fibers, wood, rattan, bamboo, and all that nature has to give. All of it becomes featured in their style and design, transforming their own industry of design into an amalgamation of concepts and ideas inspired by the Philippines.
Here Are Some Well-Known Filipino Furniture Designers
Kenneth Cobonpue
Photo from sugbo.ph
In the furniture designing scene, there is almost no person who doesn’t know furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, who works with abaca, rattan, and bamboo as the primary medium of his works.
The recognition Kenneth has received has come from multiple Hollywood celebrities to design institutions in Asia, kickstarting his worldwide fame as an interior designer. Some of the awards he has received for his skills in interior design are Hong Kong’s Design for Asia Award and the American Society of Interior Designers Selection, along with the first Asian Designer of the Year title given by the Maison et Objet in Paris.
Unlike his present stature, Kenneth Cobonpue was initially enrolled as a Business student at the University of the Philippines, but given his passion for the Fine Arts, a shift followed. However, he was not accepted. But the silver lining to this is him enrolling in an Industrial Design program at New York’s Pratt Institute and him graduating with an honors degree, providing him the necessary knowledge and tools to go above and beyond furniture design.
Kenneth’s work can be viewed on his website. Take a look at his works and you might just find the perfect pieces to complete your space at your condo for sale in Tagaytay. Bringing his art and brand to your home may just be the perfect addition.
Gabby Lichauco
Photo from esquiremag.ph
Similarly coming from Industrial Design as Kenneth Cobonpue, Gabby Lichauco is a graduate of the same program with a master’s degree from Milan’s Scuola Politecnica di Design. He is known for his craftsmanship in furniture design and interior projects, along with his being the head of openstudio with Lynn Duarte, a design company that practices the industry of modern designs through sustainable and intuitive processes.
Stanley Ruiz
Photo from handpickedbyronandchris.blogspot.com
As an industrial designer that used to be based in New York, Stanley Ruiz establishes a fusion between traditional techniques and contemporary designs. With this, the designer is curating a new brand that redefines the industry of design based on the context of one generation to another.
Vito Selma
Photo from esquiremag.ph
With the use of wood, Vito Selma creates highly complex and creatively designed furniture, becoming a true industry leader. He is based in Cebu and has since developed his craft, reaching the world stage and getting featured in multiple magazines worldwide.
Budji Layug
Photo from homecentralinc.wordpress.com
Interior designer Budji Layug treats his collection as art and this has brought his status as an interior designer to new heights. As a pillar in the industry of interior design in the Philippines, Budji’s materials primarily come from bamboo, continuing to bring pride to his country.
Apart from that, Budji is also known for Budji + Royal which is a design and architecture brand that he leads along with Royal Pineda, both of them being the titular names for the company. With their brand, the two aspire to come up with products in the light of “modern organic” sensibility, innovation, research, and technical expertise.
The Essence of Filipino Craftsmanship
Not many young people are aware of this aspect of Philippine design and how global it has now become, hence more articles and perhaps centralizing and uplifting their Manila fame would grant these local-turned-global designers more recognition in their own country. These designers just happen to have taken a huge leap directly into the world stage, essentially shifting the country’s local materials to a global standard.
As these innovators grow and continue to innovate, supporting their industry through the way of personal consumption, public promotion, or simply just admiring and appreciating their works as evidence of their impeccable craftsmanship would guarantee homes would no longer have to search elsewhere to beautify their homes. Filling your condo for sale in Tagaytay is made easier by directly choosing the local, instead of purchasing those that have to be shipped from other countries just so you could sit and rest comfortably inside your home.
In essence, Filipino craftsmanship puts Filipinos first in line, giving them the opportunity to contribute to this industry through the production of the necessary materials that are already grown, found, and made in their homeland.
But the recognition for the industry is just beginning here. As these Filipino designers establish an identity for the country on the world stage of modern designs, patronizing their products and having their craft be part of Filipino homes would ensure that the industry is here to stay, develop, innovate, and create.
This is Filipino Craftsmanship, art by the Filipinos, for the Filipinos.
Read more: The Most In-Demand Interior Designers for Your Thematic Home
