The Dexterton story: From humble hardware to grand showroom
Looking at all the gorgeous products in the new Dexterton showroom on 38th St. in Bonifacio Global City, one wouldn’t easily connect it to a humble hardware store that started in Caloocan City — but that’s how success stories usually begin.
And what a success Dexterton has had for over 50 years. Last Wednesday, Dexterton Corporation not only inaugurated its showroom, it also debuted to the public its new mixed-use 17-storey building. The building was designed by architect Edward Tan of ECT+A, whose first project out of university was the Ong/Go family home in Quezon City, and whose portfolio now includes office buildings, condominiums, institutions, hotels and private residences around the country.
The first three floors are showroom spaces divided into bathroom fixtures on the ground floor, racks and ceramic tiles on the second floor, and kitchen, bedroom, living room and dining room furniture on the third floor. The 14 other floors have 22 fully furnished units fitted with Dexterton products that range from the rainshowers by Gessi to the sofas by Caracole.
“It took us 10 years from the time we bought the property to the time we finally started and finished construction,” says Dexterton VP Dexter Go, describing that serendipitous meeting that he arranged for his father, Dexterton founder Simpson Ong, for the possibility of leasing space for a showroom in BGC. That deal fell through but coincidentally there were people from Metro Pacific who owned land in this part of BGC, and instead of leasing, his father bought a property.
“It pays to be patient,” Dexter says. “Dexterton Corporation is a pioneer and has been an industry leader for over 50 years. It was the first to bring in the best and finest home products from Europe to the Philippines. Decades later, we continue to expand our services and products, providing only the best to our discerning clients. Today, Dexterton hopes to not only make quality European brands more accessible to the market, we also want to inspire others to finally build the home of their dreams.”
In the intervening years, Dexterton built up its portfolio to more than a hundred brands across 11 major home product divisions such as hardware, building materials, plumbing, lighting, flooring, home and office furniture, commercial and retail fixtures, janitorial and cleaning equipment, and other consumer products.
In this showroom are the tightly curated home brands from Europe and the US that cater to the high-end market. The most striking part is the bathroom on the ground and second floors. Here, you see how material and technology have changed the way designers create products. The sinks by Glass Design — in white or black matte — are sculptural and no longer the usual bowl shape. Rather, they take the form of a flower, the wing of a bird and all other shapes that wouldn’t have been possible before.
The Italian brand Gessi has several shower systems that emphasize wellness, rainshowers and faucets that are as elegant as they are modern. Hansa showcases sanitary fittings while Laufen brings Swiss detail and German design to water closets, lavatories and bathtubs. Bathroom furniture like cabinets by Inda Progetto, Sonia and Artelinea blend into the walls to conceal the plumbing and your knick-knacks.
Gruppo Tresse features the Ghost System Jacuzzis where you don’t see the water jets — they are hidden in slats — making for beautiful, minimal-looking hot tubs.
The third floor features American brand Caracole’s chic furniture pieces. Himolla, Germany’s leading upholstered furniture manufacturer, creates super comfy but functional chairs that you usually park in front of the TV. Störmer’s beautiful bespoke German kitchens are renowned for their exceptional quality and attention to detail, which enable customers to create a custom-made kitchen that suits individual needs and preferences. Blanco, a renowned German brand, gives a polished look to your kitchen, turning it from a common space into a stunning design piece.
Dexter says that more brands are coming, including for office. One of them is a brand from Turkey. “I’ve always said I’m not into brand names, I don’t choose what to distribute based on the name, but rather I look at the design and quality. We want to offer office furniture and we found a great one in Turkey,” he says of the collection that includes an executive desk that costs half a million pesos.
Having started his career in the company when he was in his early 20s after working in Vancouver for three years, Dexter now reflects on the growth of the company whose name was partly derived from his own and was suggested by his mother Lilan (the original company name was Chesterton).
He says, “My father is a true-blue trader. He imported everything not just high-end or glamorous products. He imported portalets, vacuum cleaners, garbage bins and other janitorial equipment. We were also the distributor of the floppy disc Verbatim decades ago.”
Today, Dexter’s style is a little bit different when it comes to home furnishings. “We never do anything that’s already being done by others. We are constantly looking and doing research. That’s how my father did it — at a time when there was no Internet.”
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Dexterton’s showroom is located at Lot 2, Block 32, 38th St., North Bonifacio Global City.
Check out the author’s travel blog at www.findingmyway.net. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @iamtanyalara.
