Founder of Makati-based found furniture store Studio Yakal, Ced Roxas is fresh from a Europe trip. This usually means that he has a new shipment of interesting finds in the pipeline and that he has a refreshed appreciation for good design. He weaved through Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Belgium and visited other furniture stores to learn the provenance of some of the pieces he sells.
“In Europe, there is a strong emphasis on preservation across culture, architecture, art and also furniture. They invest significant time and effort to ensure that everything of importance is carefully maintained,” Roxas observes.
This trip reinforced his role in Studio Yakal as someone who sources important furniture and offering it to the discerning. He takes the elevator to the fifth floor of the YL Holdings Building on the corner of Rufino and Sotto. This is a larger space where he stages his furniture for clients to peruse. There’s a vintage Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman next to a Noguchi Coffee Table that mid-century fans would be quick to snap up for their own homes.
With a bigger space, he’s able to widen his offerings. “I try to cater to the needs of the market. Before, I used to cater to many condo owners but now people with bigger homes are looking for furniture from me. Before I used to only carry four-seater tables but now I try to cater 6 to 8 seaters. I also have carpets, floor lamps, table lamps and consoles that are mostly a different mix of different eras,” he explains.
He emphasizes that what makes thrifted furniture so attractive is that the fact that they were used and have lasted this long. It also gives the space an individuality that fast furniture stores can’t provide.
“It gives the furniture good character,” he quips. “People who buy here will be happy to know that the pieces are one of a kind and others won’t have the same as theirs. That’s the beauty of it.”
A vintage chair with an burnt orange shell is designed to perfectly hug your body’s curves. There’s a stack of Stool 60 chairs designed by Alvar Aalto by the far wall. Their legs may have noticeable scratches, but it only proves they were used well.
Although founded at a time of deep lockdowns during the pandemic, Studio Yakal shows no signs of stopping. “I really want to push that this style is not a bubble that can explode at anytime. There’s still a market for it. I talk to many interior designers, set designers, producers and homeowners,” he says.
When people approach him for advice on furniture he has this to say. “I always tell them that I am not an expert ask them their purpose for visiting the store. From there, I give suggestions and tell them the origin of the furniture, its designer and the materials used.”
This information helps many customers make a better decision. Others prefer pieces that are storied or from designers that carry the same values as them. Although Roxas didn’t study design professionally, it’s his passion that keeps him learning more through traveling. He enjoys passing on the knowledge gained with furniture and thinks this is key to ultimately preserving culture through furniture.
“When it comes to educating the market about furniture, there is still a considerable distance to cover due to the industry’s small size. There is a need to enhance knowledge [transfer] and foster openness to exploring different historical eras of furniture,” he adds. “Through Studio Yakal, I want to reinterpret what I’ve learned through my travels through furniture curation. My goal is to capture and convey the essence of those experiences, perhaps even replicate the emotional connection of being in those places.”
Photographed by Jar Concengco.
Read more: Midcentury Manila: A Blast from the Past
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