A table designed by James Jao with organic, symmetrical accents by Marguerite Lhuillier.

With the dime-a-dozen furniture shows held annually in the country, nothing quite compares to Manila Now, the design extravaganza organized by the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines. For this year, the show will be held on March 3 to 7 at the SMX Convention Center, forming part of the ASEAN furniture circuit that draws thousands of international buyers to the region.

Manila Now offers a quick lesson on the unique Filipino design sensibility and an opportunity to be visually arrested by the evocative shapes and forms of mostly hand-crafted furniture. You don’t have to come close to a piece just to see the exacting craftsmanship as exemplified by the weave, the curve and the seamless joining of edges. Even if you are not a furniture fan, I suggest you drop by at the show and be inspired by the beauty which our craftsmen and manufacturers still manage to produce despite the sluggishness of the industry.

A highlight not to be missed is the exhibit, “New Essentialism” put up by the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers. Not only concerned with eking out an interior environment conducive to living, interior designers have also the capacity to come up with creative solutions to enrich the space, one of which is designing what they think as suitable furniture. In fact, some of the interior designers are accomplished furniture makers. Ivy Almario, Jiro Estaniel and Wilmer Lopez easily come to mind.

Facesofdesign.com illuminates the vision that animates “New Essentialism”: “During the first decade of the new millennium, a range of aesthetically straightforward objects have called attention to their materials or function without the distraction of ornament or complicated functioning. The works reflect the legacy of modernism, which has endured a long, steady revival in recent years…”

One of the participating designers is Archt. James Jao who hails from Cebu, one of the most important furniture hubs in the country. Jao, who calls his collection “Form and Movement,” extends his signature jigsaw design into his furniture, fashioning it into a myriad of fluid shapes—in one work, a complete circular form—to accommodate the body and break the barrier between skin and object.

“My collection,” Jao adds, “is more focused on the richness of the material, its pattern, its texture and the sustainability of items from production to shipment. It is devoid of elaborate ornamentation but focused on its natural characteristics (i.e. the grain of the wood or the pattern of the mosaic), thus making the product s speak for themselves.”

The Eco-House proponent has collaborated with fashion superstar Cary Santiago to come up with a series of chests that exhibits vibrant colors. They are finished off with the trademark appliqué motif Santiago is known for, evoking luxurious detail. The collection’s natural materials and modern lines, just like in Jao’s other pieces, are likely to draw “accomplished” people who live in the city but have a distinct awareness of elegance.

As both an architect and an interior designer, Jao is able to flex his creative muscles more adroitly, especially when it comes to creating “the sense of scale, space and proportion.” As part of the furniture industry, he also engages manufacturers for collaborations to “develop cutting-edge products not only for my own projects but also for exports as well.”

Jao says that being able to “collaborate and create products made from natural materials and hand-crafted by skilled Filipinos” not only realizes his inspirations but also fuels his sense of joy. “My vision of this collection has been realized through tedious product development,” he says. “To see the end product is very heartwarming especially when people start to appreciate and use my creation.”