A kitchen is one of the hardest-working spaces in a home. It must withstand daily wear, changing routines, evolving technologies, and shifting lifestyle needs while remaining visually coherent within the larger architectural narrative. While every project has its own requirements, experienced designers often return to a similar set of considerations when evaluating a kitchen. Here […]
Studio Yakal: Exploring Unique and Storied Furniture Pieces
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.
New Finds and Fresh Insights
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.
Studio Yakal’s Enduring Relevance
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
The modern kitchen has evolved beyond its traditional role as a place for preparing meals. It is the heart of the home – a space where daily rituals unfold, conversations linger and the rhythm of everyday life takes shape. As open-plan living continues to redefine residential design, the kitchen is no longer a separate room, […]
Likhang Filipino stands on the former site of the PhilTrade Center along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, a landmark that once symbolized the Philippines’ export ambitions and introduced Filipino craftsmanship to international audiences. Originally inaugurated in 1979, the PhilTrade Center was conceived as a national showcase for Philippine exports, with its longitudinal form and sloping […]
Presented during Milano Design Week 2026 at Palazzo Gallarati Scotti, Poltrona Frau’s flagship store in Milan, the “True Over Time” Collection celebrates one of the brand’s most enduring values: authenticity. More than a matter of craftsmanship or material quality, durability is understood as a design’s ability to preserve its meaning over time, remaining relevant across […]
Within a two-building commercial complex organized around a central courtyard, an unexpected layout unfolds. The shops are small and quaint, uniformly sized, and directly face one another like apartment units. This is Atúa. Related Reading: Creative Placemaking: Designing Public Spaces that Reflect Shared Memory What used to be a functioning hotel in the early 1990s, […]
In a curated setting at the The Tile Gallery showroom, architects, designers, and media guests were transported into the immersive world of Italian contemporary lighting brand Lodes, where light illuminated the space through sculptural forms and innovative materiality. The Language of Light event presented a selection of Lodes’ established collections alongside new releases, revealing the […]
Download this month's BLUPRINT magazine digital copy from:
Subscribe via [email protected]
Recommended Video
Tap to Unmute
Unmute
0:00
0:00