Karen Santos unveils her hidden troves of European furniture
Visiting Kassa, a hidden gem of a showroom tucked away on Harvard St. in Pinagkaisahan, Makati, is like going on a flight of fancy around a universe where period furniture, eclectic décor, elegance, and whimsy come together effortlessly.
It’s not possible to walk around this shop and not be delighted by a pair of parrot candlesticks turned into lamps; sea creatures that bloom on porcelain; or French furniture from different eras given a modern twist through fresh upholstery. If you are looking for unique pieces that will make an immediate statement in your home or office, this is the place to be.
Karen Santos, who has just unveiled her holiday collection at Kassa (what a clever use of a word that sounds like casa, or home, and also a play on her name), is no stranger to the world of design. Having studied in England, Switzerland, and Italy, she loved the look of European homes where furniture from different periods looked right at home in a modern setting. In these houses, the furniture was not just for décor, they were used and lived in, contributing to a homey feel.
“I wanted to fix my house and I didn’t know what to buy,” she says. “I happened to be in France once and a friend of mine, Melissa Lopez, took me to this warehouse which had all this furniture. I really started as a pop-up and I’ve been doing this for 10 years, can you believe?”
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She discovered that there was a market locally for French furniture. “I buy chairs, I upholster them with French fabric, and then I also have accessories and brand new stuff like side tables, drinks tables. You sort of mix it up so it’s a different look compared to everything out there. No one really brings European furniture here, it’s also an acquired taste. I have vintage, sort of mid-century stuff—I guess it’s the same aesthetic but a different form."
“I have some Belgian pieces, I also have a lot of Italian pieces. I’ll find a vintage Minotti. I’m not a mid-century store, it’s about mixing things together and making them work. Once you like something and you’re consistent with what you like, it all works together.”
At Kassa, it’s so easy to fall in love with the different tableaus composed of a range of tables and cabinets, chandeliers and lampstands, Louis XV style chairs upholstered in 100-percent French cotton, whimsical figurines, vases, and so much more. The store also carries Karen’s line of beautifully embroidered place mats and other table linens.
The fascination with fabric has always been a part of Karen’s artistic journey. In the ’80s, she and sisters Camille and Sheila founded Kashieca, a fashion brand that Karen headed for three decades before it was acquired by Bench. Kassa opened in 1997 and Karen also runs a business supplying natural stone to architects and designers.
Kassa provides homemakers and designers with pieces that have the character and craftsmanship that Karen was looking for, and which she found in 18th- and 19th-century furniture. “There is a substance and solidity to it,” she says. “With my furniture, as with my linens, I try to create some permanence with pieces that are not discarded after a season.”
In Kassa, it’s easy to see that Karen has perfected the art of the find where beauty is not found only in the newest, rarest, and most fashionable. Her pieces can be handed down to the next generation, and the joy of visiting Kassa lies in finding pieces that are truly worth keeping.
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