Design Folder: Your Online Design and Decorating Resource

humble katsa to sophisticated lamp

Who knew katsa or muslin cloth,  could look this sophisticated?! The Fandango lamp (above), designed by Danny Fong for Kenneth Cobonpue’s affiliate brand for lighting and accessories Hive, has several layers of “petals” that were made from muslin cotton cloth.

We saw the lamp in Kenneth Cobonpue’s booth in CebuNext last March (below) but we thought it was made from some sophisticated organic fabric.

Fong also recently debuted a set of pendant lamps inspired by chess pieces. The Checkmate lamps (below) are finished in hand-laid salago fibers for the exterior, and gold-leafed surface for the lamps’ interior.

Visit Kenneth Cobonpue’s Hive brand for other equally interesting items.

cobonpue’s rapunzel chair

These chairs look plush and comfy! I wonder if he was inspired by Disney’s Tangled…

The chairs are made of braided fabric–braided wool for indoor chairs and braided acrylic fabric (Sunbrella) for outdoor chairs. You can download the full specifications here.

bamboo car from cobonpue

We were told about this Kenneth Cobonpue car during the CebuNext show. Cool right?!

” ‘Phoenix’—the name Cobonpue has given his automobile design—has a form made of rattan, bamboo, steel and carbon fiber. It projects this era’s thrust towards artisanship and craftsmanship, biodegradability and environment-friendliness, as opposed to assembly-line production and high technology—the contrast between man’s handiwork and machine. By coincidence, the car is unveiled at a time when the world is facing the horrors of potential nuclear calamity, the fallout from a technology reduced at the mercy of nature.” Source

Read the rest of the article here.

*Photo courtesy of Kenneth Cobonpue

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cobonpue x maroon 5

Kenneth Cobonpue is on a roll!

First, there was Brad Pitt’s home. Then, the Ocean’s 13 set. Now, his Voyage Bed gets the spotlight once more in Maroon 5′s ‘Never Gonna Leave This Bed’ video! Above is a sneak peak. Enjoy!

And have a happy weekend

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rant and rave

The other night, in a report on Kenneth Cobonpue over at Bandila, I saw three of Design Folder’s pictures of the furniture designer’s pieces, which we took during our trip to Cebu last year. YAY!

Unfortunately, they didn’t bother to ask for our permission before using the images nor did they credit the photos to df. Booo!

Ironically, in the report, Kenneth Cobonpue mentioned something about copyright and intellectual property rights. Tsk tsk, how sad.

* screenshots via Bandila’s video

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profile: kenneth cobonpue

Who doesn’t know Kenneth Cobonpue? He’s like the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippine furniture industry!

In college, I first came to know about Kenneth as part of Movement 8–a world-renowned group of eight Filipino furniture designers who elevated the image of indigenous materials and gave modern furniture a new face. But, I guess, for a lot of people, he would be the Filipino designer whose works are in the house of Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie (the most famous being his Voyage bed) , and in the casino set of the movie Ocean’s 13.

Kenneth is a Cebu-based designer who studied industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York. After a series of further studies and apprenticeships abroad, he returned to Cebu in 1996 and started to manage the family’s furniture company, Interior Crafts of the Islands Inc.

Now, Kenneth is known for his organic and often biomorphic designs. By exploring the properties of indigenous materials such as buri, abaca, rattan, and bamboo, he’s able to come up with forms that are unexpected. Apart from exploring the natural materials themselves, Kenneth goes back to nature where he often finds his design inspirations.

[Photo above: Noodle Collection (top) and Retaso dining table (bottom)]

During our trip to Cebu, we were able to squeeze in a quick visit to Kenneth’s Hive. Paolo and Karmel of Kenneth Cobonpue (the brand) toured us around the showroom, explaining the concept behind the displayed pieces. With the sculptural appearance of Kenneth’s works, the showroom looks more like an art gallery.

Aside from looking pretty and interesting, his furniture pieces are amazingly comfortable. Karmel explained to us that a furniture could take upto a year in the making to perfect the form, details, workmanship and, most especially, their ergonomics. Come to think of it, what’s the use of an incredibly beautiful furniture if it’s not comfortable, right?

[Photo above: Pebble tables and the Tilt Chair, which was featured in the set of CSI Miami.]

[Photo above: Matilda outdoor chair]

Now, for some of his recent works, he also turns to people, places, and things as springboard for new ideas. For example, his Pigalle collection is inspired by Pigalle, the red district in Paris, while the Manolo collection is inspired by Manolo Blahnik shoes. For his latest collection displayed in the recent CebuNext Exhibit, the pieces are inspired by the graceful and interlinked details of knits, crochet, and macrame.

[Photo above: Kenneth Cobonpue's booth, CebuNext 2010.]

Check out the rest of the photos of the showroom below. The showroom is located at 3A Gen. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City. To know more about Kenneth Cobonpue and his furniture collection visit his website here and his Facebook fan page here.

*profile picture (top right) via Kenneth Cobonpue

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in good taste: z bar, cebu

Z Bar was one of my friend’s highly recommended places to visit in Cebu because of its unique and impressive design. Because bars are always dimly lit, their interiors seldom have very detailed designs. But Z Bar is different.

After our first dinner in Cebu, Ana and I went to check the bar together with Ian (our impromptu photographer for the night, with his ever dependable Lumix camera) and our new-found friend Chito (our unofficial sponsor for the night, hehe).

I have seen photos of Z Bar before, but it looks way more amazing in person. Its design is a collaboration between modernist architect Ed Calma and designer Kenneth Cobonpue. Kenneth is internationally known for his organic furniture designs. Z Bar is, if I’m not mistaken, his first design applied on a full-scale interior. From what I gather, the primary motivation for the design was the small size of the space. So, to make the space look bigger, instead of highlighting the walls and ceiling, they were made to sort of disappear!

Those little wishbone-shaped stuff that seem to be floating in mid-air are bamboo twigs tied by hand onto a randomly welded metal frame. It is a blown-up, warped version of Kenneth’s Kris Kros screen which uses the same concept. Down on the floor are lighted onyx (translucent natural stone) tiles whose natural grains complement the overall organic look. This is the same material used for the lighted staircase (first photo). Apart from the lighted floor, there were also hanging accent lamps made from salago fibers, such as the round Moon lamp.

The bar felt and looked like there’s an abyss above you. Actually, I don’t know which is a more fitting association—a galaxy/outer space, an interior of a glowing beehive, or some scene in Avatar. You just have to see it for yourself.

Z Bar is located at the second floor of The Tinder Box, Archbishop Reyes Ave., Banilad, Cebu City.

*Photos courtesy of Ian Santos

conscious living: green furnishings

I was impressed that Cebu’s furniture industry is actively developing materials, processes and designs that are sustainable. Most of their furniture pieces and accessories now rely on the use of indigenous materials. Because indigenous materials like buri, rattan, abaca, and coconut shells are locally available, more abundant, easily harvested and processed with less energy, they are much more sustainable than wood.

[Photo above, from left: Mantid Bench in rattan, leather and metal from Obra Cebuana. Sunny Day Cocktail Table in rattan, leather & metal from Obra Cebuana. Palwa Occasional Chair in palwa (cocnut fronds) & rattan from APY Cane. Floor lamps and pendant lamps in curled/bent rattan & metal from Accessoria Inc.]

Now, Cebu designers are already exploring the use of forest wastes such as twigs and branches as materials for furniture production. Two examples are Kenneth Cobonpue’s Kris Kros screen (also used for the interiors of Z Bar, to be featured later this week) that uses small bamboo twigs on metal frame, and Naturescast’s furniture and accessories (above) that use cast pulp made of recycled paper and forest wastes (branches and leaves).

[Photo above, from left: Loom Floor Lamp using recycled foil textile (for the shade) from Hacienda Crafts Company. Chaise Lounge in rattan, steel & reused textiles from Pacific Traders. Floor & Table Lamps using camera film on metal frame from Detalia Aurora.]

The industry is also looking into developing recycled materials for furniture and accessories. Hacienda Crafts Company is making woven textiles using shredded foil wrappers and bags of potato chips and other snacks. Such fabrics can be used for lighting (above) and accessories .

These efforts do not only make Cebu’s furniture industry a model of a green and sustainable industry, but they also contribute in making their designs stand out internationally. This just proves that it is possible to be green without sacrificing on beauty and quality.

i saw design: 2010 cebunext

Based on our visit to CebuNext, I’m guessing that we’re in for a “romantic” decade.

Romantic, in the case of art and design, would refer to the predominance of human or natural qualities (emotions, impulse, organic movement, whim) as oppose to logical/mathematical/linear qualities (sorry for using big words!). If you go visit other design and decorating blogs and websites, you’ll find out that this appears to be an up-and-coming trend. A lot of people seem to have a renewed interest in everything that’s vintage/granny chic (especially the floral and lacey ones), everything handmade (the growing popularity of Etsy is good example), everything organic (biomorphic and sinuous forms), and everything antique/period style (but with an added contemporary twist, like a punch of bright color).

I have to credit Kenneth Cobonpue for somehow bringing up the term to my attention.  He’s one of the first designers that we got to talk to during our visit to the exhibit. When I asked him about the concept behind his latest designs, he said, “I wanted to introduce the element of romance into my designs. For my latest pieces, I turned to handmade textiles like knits, crochet, and macramé for inspiration.”

The reference to traditional crafts and reinterpreting their intricate handmade details for his furniture defined the romantic aspect of his latest designs. “It’s like a comeback from the past decades’ minimalism,” Kenneth added. Adopting crochet, knit, and macramé details resulted to pieces with a softer and more casual look. Moreover, their fine details make you want to feel the texture of the pieces. I especially like the Little People Collection with little human figures that make up the form, and this white side table (above) whose patterns resemble a gathered crochet stitch. (Know more about Kenneth Cobonpue in a separate feature next week)

The use of sinuous, growing, and free flowing forms is another recurring feature that we saw among the displays. Clayton Tugonon’s designs for Classical Geometry feature these characteristics. His furniture’s free flowing linear patterns echo the organic form seen in nature. The emotive element of his designs is further emphasized by the design for the booth. Newspaper pages cover the walls and floor. A thin wash topped with drips of white paint finish off the graphic surfaces.

Nature and world cultures are also the inspirations for the designs of Accessoria and Detalia Aurora. Sisters Vikki and Paula Rodriguez are the young designers behind a number of the brands’ latest pieces. Stylized interpretations of stones, nautilus shell, and tree sections are supported by their use of indigenous materials and traditional craftsmanship, showing off detailed surfaces in a clean silhouette.

The nostalgic effect of finding inspiration in history and reviving period style pieces is also parallel with the romantic idea. Companies such as Pacific Traders, Mehitabel, and Obra Cebuana take this direction, reinterpreting period style pieces by adopting a more edited form to make them more relevant to contemporary aesthetics.

Obra Cebuana, however, took it to the next level, retaining popular furniture silhouettes but redesigned the rest of the components.

Designer Vito Selma capitalized on his creative impulse and whimsical ideas to come up with partially quirky designs. The exaggerated proportions and unfinished surfaces of his take on the Louis XVI commode (below, right photo) and the atypical design of his Nine Kiddie Chairs bookcase  (below, left photo) clearly demonstrate his adventurous design approach. (Know more about Vito Selma in a separate feature next week)

Check out the picture gallery below for more photos of the 2010 CebuNext exhibit.

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cebu weekend

Hello everyone!

Ana and I just got back yesterday morning from our weekend in Cebu. It was tiring but every minute was well worth it. While we’re still working on the photos and the articles, we’ll give you first a preview of our trip. Too bad Lilli Beth and Green Guide were not able to join us because of work and their theses.

Our two-day trip started with a very early 4:15am flight to the Cebu. Good thing our hotel had vacant rooms and checked us in immediately when we arrived. We were still able to grab a good three hours of sleep before we hit the furniture show.

Day 1, Friday, was spent going around the CebuNext Furniture Show at the Waterfront Hotel. We ooohed and aaahed over the impressive furnishings from Cebu’s top furniture and lighting companies. We even got to meet some famous designers like Kenneth Cobonpue, Vito Selma and Clayton Tugonon. Talk about being star struck! Read all about our feature on the CebuNext show tomorrow.

We spent Friday night with two friends, photographer Ian Santos and architect Chito Basit, who both happened to be in Cebu as well. After dinner in Ayala Terraces (which very much resembles Greenbelt 3) we went to the highly recommended Z Bar at The Tinder Box along Archbishop Reyes Ave. in Banilad. The bar’s interiors were designed by Kenneth Cobonpue. To call it beautiful or interesting would be an understatement. Again, special thanks to Ian and Chito for being our photographer and “sponsors” that night, hehe!

Day 2 started early with a cab drive to Mactan Island to visit BE Resort (formerly known as Microtel, Mactan). Maybe because of her lack of sleep, Ana almost forgot her camera! Along the way, we got a glimpse of Sharngri-la Mactan’s lush driveway and uber private Abaca Boutique Resort’s gated front.

It was like a breath of fresh air when we finally arrived at the white, bright, and colorful place of BE Resort. Unfortunately our tight schedule only allowed us to stay around two hours to shoot a couple of the resort’s areas.

In the afternoon, we made a quick visit to Kenneth Cobonpue’s inspiring showroom. We almost missed the place because we were looking for a showroom with a ”Cobonpue” or a “Hive” signage. We didn’t expect that the site was actually an unassuming place which also includes the designer’s workshop/factory. 

Our last stop, but definitely not the least, was the house of Ted Gonzales, uncle of Zina, a good friend of mine from UP Interior Design. His passion for architecture, interior design and art produced a lovely place which he and his parents call home.

This week is not enough to feature everything about our trip. So, we will be dedicating the next two weeks for all the design goodness that we have encountered in Cebu starting tomorrow with our feature on the 2010 CebuNext Furniture Show.