This Sculptural Furniture Is Made From the Ashes of Taal's Most Recent Eruption

From the ashes of destruction rises sculptural furniture that transforms Taal’s volcanic remnants into breathtaking works of art, redefining design as both storytelling and rebirth

Words Mika Reyes
Photos courtesy of Destonos
May 6, 2025

In January 2020, the Taal Volcano awakened with a fury that blanketed Luzon in ash, its plume reaching as far as the skirts of Parañaque. The eruption left communities grappling with displacement, loss, and an uncertain future—many still navigating the long road to recovery. But where nature delivers destruction, it also offers renewal. From the remnants of this upheaval, a new story emerges: one of rebirth, transformation, and artistry. Destonos takes what was once ruin and reimagines it into sculptural furniture, proving that even in nature’s fiercest moments, beauty can rise from the ashes.

Furniture as Storyteller

Destonos operates on a singular philosophy—design is not merely about aesthetics, but about narrative. The collection’s material of choice, volcanic ash, speaks of disaster turned into artistry, devastation reshaped into enduring form. For co-founder Shirley Dy, this transformation was an opportunity not just to craft furniture, but to crystallize lived experiences into something tactile and lasting. “Each layer of ash tells a story,” Dy shares. “Of land reshaped, communities rebuilt, and the spirit that endured.”

The result? Pieces that are more than objects—they are sculptural mementos, carrying the weight of history and the grace of artistic interpretation. Textures reminiscent of raw landscapes, silhouettes shaped by the natural entropy of the eruption itself—all crafted to evoke an intimate dialogue between design and environment.

Of Places, People, and Cultural Legacy

Born in Concepcion, Tarlac, Destonos is deeply rooted in place. Its home—a region marked by upheaval, resilience, and quiet reinvention—is mirrored in its pieces, each one carrying echoes of history and tradition. Co-founder Douglas Dy highlights the deep cultural continuity embedded in every creation: “We craft with reverence for time itself. The hands of our artisans carry the gestures of those who came before.”

The furniture, then, is more than decor—it is a bridge between past and present, an object infused with the wisdom of generations. This philosophy of cultural preservation through material mastery transforms Destonos into more than a brand. It is a tribute, a movement, a redefinition of what furniture can be.

Design as Modern Alchemy

At its core, Destonos reflects an intricate balance—Filipino heritage meets modern innovation, nature’s chaos meets artistic harmony. The collection, though deeply tied to its local origins, speaks a universal language. “Filipino craftsmanship has always existed,” Shirley Dy notes, “but what we’re doing is giving it new voice—one that resonates across borders.”

The pieces demand attention, not simply as furniture, but as sculptural forms that hold space. Each one invites the viewer into conversation—not just with the material itself, but with the memories it holds and the possibilities it offers.

A New Spirit of Culture

Destonos isn’t simply making furniture—it is reshaping perspectives. Its first collection is a meditation on time, a reckoning with nature, and a quiet homage to reinvention. Every object is a vessel—of history, of identity, of cultural transformation.

More than something to occupy space, Destonos creates pieces that embody space—shaping stories, honoring memory, and inviting the future.