This is our ancestral house built in the early 1940's in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. The 2-storey wooden house occupies a 500 sqm lot in Cantilan situated along the main street. The house is made of narra, mahogany, and other hardwood materials. It is a typical Spanish-Filipino design.
The house has old tables, chairs, four-poster beds, windows, ceilings, large mirrors etc. The living room is spacious, the flooring is made of hardwood called "mulawin" natural shiny and the colors are black & yellow. The Aparadors belonged to my lola and another one owned by my Mother with her name crafted on it. The windows are made of capiz shells, the ceilings or kisame were imported from China.
My great grandpa was one of the original Chinese merchants from Amoy, China. This is the home to 3 generations of the clan. We traced its history back to Don Miguel Yu. There are 3 double doors in the front of the house. Entrance is at the middle and side front doors. The wide wooden staircase are with balusters at both sides of the stairs and decorated with shells called Tambuli.
The balcony, devoid of paint, was originally painted green & white. The window panels are made of Capiz shells. There is a wide wooden staircase with balusters at both sides of the stairs and decorated with shells called Tambuli. Two large heavy doorways to the left goes to living room and to the right goes to the dining room, then to the kitchen. The bedrooms are curtained. The living room is full of antiques. Antique marble round table is at the center of the room. Living quarters are on the 2nd floor. The ground floor was a bodega where palay and corn were stored. The other part was used as a dress shop.
Some of my friends have stayed in Cantilan and others left this town and lived abroad, and has married and raised their families somewhere, some have continued visiting their hometown during fiestas, christmas, family & school reunions, summer vacation etc.
There are few old ancestral houses that were restored here and we have plans of restoring this beautiful house and retire here one day soon.
2 comments:
I have just restored a 150 year-old ancestral house in Lipa, Batangas. I have christened it CasaBlanca, in honour of my mother-in-law, Maria Elena Blanca. It is painted white as well, thus the name. I hope you get to restore yours too. There is nothing like the "Bahay Na Bato". It has 'character' which one will not find in the design of 99% of houses today. They all look the same across the globe. Whether they are detached bungalows or town houses, they look the same whether in Australia, Kuala Lumpur, the new sub-divisions in the Philippines, Bangkok, Jakarta Singapore.
Your ancestral home certainly has character. Once restored it certainly will be a joy to look at and live in. Cheers!
Boo Boon
I have just restored a 150 year-old ancestral house in Lipa, Batangas. I have christened it CasaBlanca, in honour of my mother-in-law, Maria Elena Blanca. hope you get to restore yours too. There is nothing like the "Bahay Na Bato". It has 'character' which one will not find in the design of 99% of houses today. They all look the same across the globe. Whether they are detached bungalows or town houses, they look the same whether in Australia, Kuala Lumpur, the new sub-divisions in the Philippines, Bangkok, Jakarta Singapore.
Your ancestral home certainly has character. Once restored it certainly will be a joy to look at. Cheers!
Boo Boon
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