The Kenneth Cobonpue Showroom

When a friend told me if I wanted to visit the Kenneth Cobonpue showroom, I became speechless for a moment. Afterwards, I burst out a grateful OF COURSE. Being an avid admirer of good furniture design, I always wanted to have a Cobonpue piece.


The showroom is located near SM City, on the road to Mango Avenue and near the burned down White Gold. It doesn't have a glaring sign, since the showroom is not open to the public. It is strictly by appointment only and they also pick who to get to go inside. Talk about being selective with clients. But it works for the Cobonpue brand, which has become world renowned already.


The showroom was a huge warehouse, and beside it, was where the magic happens - their production area. I wasn't allowed to take pictures, so I just hurried inside the showroom. I was like a little boy going in a huge toy store.


Kenneth Cobonpue has been featured in a lot of local and international magazines, and his works are published in design journals. His furniture are used in some Hollywood films Like Ocean's 13 and television series like CSI Miami. The worldwide acclaim has inspired a lot of other furniture designers in the country to follow his footsteps.


I was surprised that the pieces were actually not that expensive. Of course, still high priced, but I was expecting skyrocketing. The lamps were affordable, while the chairs are priced just like any other imported furniture from Europe. I fell in love with the lamp above so I didn't hesitate to purchase it for our Cebu office.


There are also some modern pieces, like this dining set-up. The cloud lamp can be seen in the SM Traveller's Lounge.


Cobonpue's works are mostly made of natural and indigenous materials. He likes to weave bamboo and abaca, to form brilliant and awe-inspiring pieces. I can say that his works are simple, but its that simplicity that makes his furniture refined.

You could easily guess a Cobonpue piece. A lot has tried to copy his designs, so all of his works are now patented for protection.

The showroom is huge, with indoor and outdoor set-ups. The red chair in the background is one of my favorites. It can be used in a dining table or as an accent chair both indoor and outdoor.


This living room set-up is my favorite amongst all. I love the dark rich brown colors mixed with aqua beach colors. I was shocked to know that the price of one of the sofas was more than P200,000. I was told that some pieces are expensive because of the material and manner of production.

I was given an overview on how the pieces were made, so I started to appreciate the steep prices. I realized what I was paying for, which tempted me to buy more pieces.

And since they are all locally made, I was supporting the Philippine furniture industry, which I think has so much potential. I hope to bid to organize the 2010 Cebu-X which is an annual showcase of fantastic furniture that are being exported.

Oh, this is Cobonpue for your dog.
And for your baby. Of course, this is the bed that Brad Pitt bought, and I think the crib for his son. I know nothing about showbiz.

So, I end my two hour long tour, courtesy of Ms. Daisy Flores, Marketing Manager in Kenneth Cobonpue and Hive. I wasn't able to meet the man himself, as he was in the States.

I am grateful for this experience, which made me more interested in furniture design. Who knows, I may be designing soon. I just need to learn how to draw.