Butaka chair, Baliwag mesa altar, and more: Here are things you must know about Filipino heritage furniture

These chairs have a curved seat and a wide, reclined back. The flat arms allow the user to rest, and the seat is sometimes long enough to allow the user to elevate their feet after a long day of horseback riding. 

Like other pieces of furniture, the seats are usually covered in woven cane or rattan. This light material makes it easy to stay ventilated in the humid tropical climate. 

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These tables are made of narra that’s been polished to a high shine. The central design feature of the maskara table is the set of grotesque carvings of lions with their fangs bared. The legs of the table also extend into the shape of the lion’s paws. These tables are made of solid wood, so heavy that it would take twenty men to transport the table out of the space. 

These Ifugao benches are carved from a single narra trunk. For the Ifugao community, narra was sacred for its blood-red sap. The workers would only use machetes and adzes to chop down the tree. 

What makes these benches special is the ritual that precedes its creation. Commissioning a hagabi bench validated a community member as elite or kadangyan. The community would feast for days beforehand before working together. This icon of heritage furniture represented the kadangyan’s ability to protect and feed their community during famine. 

Either end of the bench also shows an animal head, with a stouter ‘male’ side and a smaller ‘female’ side. These two animal heads anchor the bench to the ground, allowing the kadangyan to stretch out after a long day of work.

One of the most famous Philippine heritage furniture designers is Ah Tay. He was well-known for catering to the Philippines’ most affluent families of the era. One of Ah Tay’s most famous designs is his four-poster beds. Inspired by rococo and baroque styles, these intricate beds are highly coveted. 

These beds would often be called kalabasa (squash) beds because the bedposts emulated the squash’s shape. Other beds would feature interesting design elements from fruits like mangoes and grapes. 

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These mirrorless wardrobe cabinets are among the rarest finds in Philippine heritage furniture. This aparador is made of the revered tiger kamagong wood, known for its dark, marble-like appearance. Its drawers, shelves, and backing are usually made of narra wood. The dense and sturdy material makes this piece of furniture truly unique. 

The design of this wardrobe combines Western and Eastern influences. It features corinthian columns and neoclassical elements paired with a geometric Chinese fretwork pattern. Narra and kamagong wood also provide an interesting backdrop for these complex designs.

From the Spanish word for ‘chicken coop’, these benches were designed to accommodate farmers with space for their chickens underneath. The benches were also made out of repurposed church pews. The gallinera was often stationed in the seminary’s receiving room or porteria. When farmer parents would visit their sons in the seminary, they would often bring poultry instead of cash. The poultry was then given to the haciendero, who controlled the plantation. 

In family homes, gallineras could be found on the zaguan (ground floor) where the family’s kalesa (horse-drawn carriage) was parked. Tenants would often wait on these benches, storing their fighting roosters underneath the seat. 

The gallinera would often be made of molave wood and feature flowers, palmettes, mandalas, and other intricate details. 

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