Hello Architecture+Design Community!
As I sat down to write a blog this weekend for the final part of my Dordogne River Valley Series, I stared at my screen for several minutes at a loss for words. My weekdays are spent in front of the computer for 12-15 hours working on interior architecture projects online.
Yet, you might ask, why write about furniture when I'm supposed to be enjoying my weekend thinking about a non-work-related topic?
Well, furniture is my happy pill.
When I feel sad or lost, I visit furniture shops. I don't need to buy anything. Just being surrounded by wooden furniture, breathing in scented candles, and feeling the texture of rugs and fabric, the child in me delights in these sensations as soon as I enter a furniture store.
Being lost in a maze of vignettes and marveling in the possibilities of combining furniture and decor will lead to spending hours lost in this vacuum of time and bliss.
During a recent trip to Manila, I returned to LRI Design Center that was once featured here on the Hive. One of the shops in this designers' furniture hub is Triboa Bay Living.
Triboa Bay Living
Triboa Bay Living is a high-end contemporary furniture and lighting brand from the Philippines that celebrates simple yet elegant design, understated luxury, and Filipino craftsmanship. The brand was created by owner and designer Randy Viray with the factory based in Pampanga.
The name Triboa Bay is derived from a place, a mangrove park in Zambales, Philippines. The furniture store was established by the current owner's grandfather in the late 50s in creating classical style furniture. When the business was passed on to the next generation, American, Spanish, and Filipino mid-century furniture were manufactured for the mass market. The company closed in the early 90s and reopened around 2008 with a new product line.
Inspired by Michael Thonet's Vienna chair, the brand embraced a simplified design philosophy to achieve laid-back sophistication, elegance, and timeless appeal.
In a span of several years, the company has grown into a global brand. They have exhibited in Maison et Objet in Paris, Maison et Objet in Singapore, International Furniture Fair, and Manila FAME.
They have stores throughout the country with their products reaching international clientele as far as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, United States, Europe, South America, and South Africa.
Hand Crafted Furniture and Wall Art
Their strength lies in carving wood by hand with razor-sharp tools and years of mastery and skills in woodwork. Some of their hand-crafted pieces combine wood and metal.
Green Conscious
They ensure that every stage of the design and production process, material source, use, and disposal comply with ethical practices as part of their environmental commitment. Mahogany, Ash, Gmelina, and Walnut wood are grown in plantations while some wood pieces used are reclaimed from old houses.
Product Design and Development
Another strength of theirs is their product design and development. I wanted to visit their factory at that time but decided to cancel it due to the challenges of travel during the quarantine.
I visited their showroom instead to see curated pieces. They have a comprehensive website but as a designer, it is important to see the actual product. This was one of the reasons, I decided to visit their showroom and also get a first-hand impression of how their staff handles and entertains customers.
How to Create Understated Elegant Spaces without Spending a Lot
Have you ever entered a space and thought, "Ooh this looks luxurious and expensive!"
In this day and age, we spend a lot of our time at home and it should make us feel special, relaxed, should cater to our needs, and reflect our personality.
Go for a timeless look.
I am not one to go for trends, mainly because they fade with time. I recommend choosing a neutral palette for big furniture pieces and match them with carefully selected fine-quality accents such as a hand-tufted rug, high-quality fabrics, and hand-crafted accessories that you can afford.
Balance is important. The whole space need not break the bank. You can pair high-end pieces with inexpensive ones and by doing so, it opens up to a warm and inviting space that is not too luxuriously stiff. Buying good quality and timeless furniture will last a long time and will eliminate unnecessary purchases.
Don't Be Afraid to Mix and Match
Beautiful and comfortable. It is important to choose furniture that looks great but also inviting to sink in.
Proper layering, choosing patterns, color, and where these are applied are important. This is where a furniture and material board helps a lot to visualize. Choosing the right kind of lighting and where they are placed will affect the mood of the room.
Mixing old and new will also create unexpected views in your space. For example, adding a vibrant painting in your minimalist room adds warmth and life to the coldness of a modern space.
Curate Thoughtfully
The secret to elegant spaces is how carefully they're curated. Each piece of furniture should not be too big nor too small and each item in the room should communicate well together, creating a cohesive look. Mix different textures, a leather bench, a wool rug, velvet, and silk fabrics, that lure you to touch them.
The Pieces You Choose Should Be Able to Tell a Story
Meaningful pieces that spark something in you. Selected patterns should all communicate a consistent theme.
Lastly, one should follow basic design principles of balance, scale and proportion, movement, contrast, repetition, emphasis and etc. to ensure a timeless composition.
"Furniture is My Happy Pill is a series dedicated to furniture shop visits from different parts of the world. While some would devour a bar of chocolate to feel happy, a trip inside a furniture shop immediately lifts my mood during a bad day." -
Thank you for reading and wishing you all a blissful weekend!
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