Design enthusiast, Jet Acuzar, embraces minimalist aesthetics while celebrating traditional Philippine artistry and craftsmanship
“I have always loved natural materials because they contain within themselves something so priceless, an acknowledgement of the passing of time,” expresses design enthusiast, Jet Acuzar. “Time is probably the one thing we cannot artificially manufacture, so for me, it is truly the most valuable element. Natural materials like wood which were taken from the earth, can be returned to it, there’s a loveliness to this cycle.” Her family home is a beautiful airy structure, with lots of natural light, tall ceilings and angular lines contrasting with soft ample archways. The ground floor and staircase have been laid with marble from Romblon, adding to the temple-like quality of the space. Large and intentional antique wood pieces are displayed regally, almost as if they were the true occupants of the house.
“Over time, as my tastes evolved, I have learnt to fully appreciate wood and stone of all raw materials,” explains Acuzar. “There’s a primal quality to them as these have been used by men since the dawn of civilisation. One could argue they are part of the cosmic dust that built civilisations, and in these complex times many of us revert back to that simplicity. We are essentially going to have to rebuild civilisation as this pandemic has taught us that collectively, as a species, our way of living was unsustainable.” Sustainability is at the core of Acuzar’s philosophy. In a perfect world, for her, nothing would go to waste. “My mother calls me a scavenger because I really began by picking up some of the things that were left over from the transferring of the antique houses. Initially, I found broken antique stained glass that had been piled in a corner and repurposed them into trays,” she says about her new furniture and home décor line that she is starting with her mother, Tess Ochoa Acuzar. This quality is perhaps in her DNA as she fondly shares her father Jose’s story. “My father actually began working at seven years old as a junk collector in his hometown in Bataan. I think this trained him to have a built-in calculator in his mind that constantly assesses whether a thing is undervalued or not.”