Kenneth Cobonpue explains origins, design of 1st Manila cafe
MANILA, Philippines — Cebuano furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue can now add being a restaurant owner to his resume after opening Fable Cafe + Lounge right beside his new showroom in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Cobonpue told members of the media, including Philstar.com, during his showroom's launch that his initial plan was to have an area for potential clients to have coffee.
"The original concept was like how some brands have a cafe, I just wanted a simple cafe with furniture then gradually it took a life of its own," the designer shared.
Much like the showroom, Fable is filled with Cobonpue's whimsical designs that appeared to be pulled out from his own imagination, and there is quite a reason behind it being another space to show his creativity.
Cobonpue said he's always been inspired by his mother Betty, also a designer, and Fable has both Cobonpues' touches written all over it.
"My mother used to read me bedtime stories as a child," Cobonpue explained. "Back then, there was no Internet or television so I had to imagine all these creatures and fairytales from faraway lands that she was describing."
The designer said Betty would find him in the morning drawing or building from scraps what he'd imagine from stories he heard the night before.
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"I think that's why I have an active imagination, it's really my mother. Everything that you see here is reliving my childhood, that's why it's called Fable," Cobonpue added.
Technically, this isn't Cobonpue's first foray into the restaurant business as 15 years ago, he designed a lounge-bar in Cebu City called Morals and Malice.
That space, which closed in 2022, was filled with magazines and books, interiors made by metal and bamboo, and the floor made out of solid onyx.
While designing more similar spaces is something Cobonpue considered, he admitted interior design involves a lot of work and quipped that it is something he doesn't necessarily enjoy.
Still, with Fable beside his showroom as well as Cloudgrey Gallery on the second floor, Cobonpue sees the new lifestyle space as an area where all creative disciplines can come together, as for him, there are little differences between them.
"The process of creation is not a formula or a burst of inspiration, it's really hard work. You have to take time each day to just come up with something and force yourself to do it. Sometimes, it doesn't come but you have keep on doing it, it's a discipline," he ended.
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