In a time where minimalist, almost bare, white-washed interiors are the fad, it’s refreshing to see those who stick by the opposite: managed excess, contrast, maximalism and utilizing every square inch. (I mean, have you read this article about awaiting the death of the minimalist millennial aesthetic on The Cut?)
Going against trends, however, entails either a very keen eye for rare pieces and where to find them, as well as the budget to have custom pieces made. In the time when one could just as easily go to Ikea—in our case since the first one has yet to open here, mass-produced furniture stores—to pick up easily-recognizable and affordable furniture like those Eames tulip chair knock-offs, truly having a space that stands apart is hard.
That has since been the vision for interior designer and consultant Nix Alañon, who’s behind Phoenix Home, a furniture manufacturing company that does reasonably priced one-offs. Branching out from his first concept FTA Design, which clientele includes homes, restaurants, retail stores and hotels, Alañon wanted Phoenix Home to not just complement the former but also to make custom furniture more accessible to many outside of his primary market.
In his latest project with the home and construction store AllHome, Alañon made an eclectic collection of cabinets, tables, shelves, sofas, chairs, bed frames and more that reflect his penchant for contrasting but also curiously harmonious elements.
Most silhouettes come in soft colors and rounded edges that evoke calm and relaxing feelings, perfect for private spaces. For contrast, Alañon went with Modernist accents like metals and sharp and out-of-the-box configurations. Take the bar cabinet for example. Its soft edges and warm finish are accentuated by the horizontal wooden panels and pop-up metallic handles.
Alañon shares that all the materials such as wood, metal and glass are sourced locally and manufactured in their workshop by local artisans in Pampanga.
Launched last month, and is currently on display at Evia Lifestyle Center in Las Piñas, the collection is part of AllHome’s quarterly release. We spoke to Alañon about this collection, his creation and curation process, and how it’s like partnering with a mainstream brand like AllHome.
Hi Nix! First off, congratulations on this new collection. How did this collaboration come about?
I shop in AllHome both for my personal use and also for my projects. One day while I was attending an event they hosted in Evia Lifestyle Center, we just talked about having Phoenix Home in AllHome. This was followed up by a meeting, worked on the collection soon after and the rest, as they say, is history.
I wanted our furniture to be contemporary yet timeless in a sense. A lot of soft shapes and rounded edges with design and functionality always in mind.
What was the brief from AllHome that you followed? Was there total creative freedom? In what sense?
There was total creative freedom from my end in designing our first collection. However, I made sure that I knew how we could elevate the appeal of our pieces from what they are already offering in All Home.
How was your creative process like? How long did it take? What difficulties did you encounter during that period?
I went around the stores and looked at their current floor inventory to better understand how we can develop an even better collection that is uniquely Phoenix Home. We didn’t really encounter any difficulties throughout the creative process. I designed the pieces and had them approve each one. We just had to revise a few ones to make it stand out more from what they already have in their stores.
What were some of your inspirations coming up with the pieces in the collection?
I wanted our furniture to be contemporary yet timeless in a sense. A lot of soft shapes and rounded edges with design and functionality always in mind.
I want them to look as good when you purchase it today as it would many years down the line. I used colors that could easily be matched with any of the other pieces in the collection, as it would with any furniture that you already have at home.
Did you have a specific client in mind when you were designing the pieces? Who were they?
Myself and AllHome clients! I work a lot with clients so I have a pulse on what gets picked up easily. I also thought about AllHome clients, of course, considering what they would like based on my research.
How many pieces are there in total? Which piece/s spoke the most to you? Of your style? Why?
There are over 30 pieces. I like the bar cabinets and all the small tables that are so versatile and would be great for entertaining.
Photos courtesy of AllHome
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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE
