Lights in Bloom: How JJ Acuña and VENZON are making spaces brighter

The Luz de Flores collection — a whimsical collaboration between interior designer JJ Acuña (JJA Bespoke) and VENZON Lighting & Objects — beautifully challenges modern minimalism with vibrant petalled hoods and rechargeable, tactile designs.

Brought to life by the premier Filipino brand founded in 2013 by Cris and Jackie Venzon, this masterpiece leverages over 30 years of manufacturing heritage in San Fernando, Pampanga. By pairing Acuña's playful, natureinspired geometry with VENZON's signature precision technology, the collection elevates traditional Filipino artistry into sophisticated, globally minded luxury.

NEWNOWNEXT makes a conversation the master creative and his thoughts on this visionary endeavor.

NNN: How do you balance this desire for expressive levity without crossing over into overornamentation?

JJ Acuña: I understand why people think it's quite bold and maximalist, but I can actually go bolder and have done so with a lot of my bespoke interiors work under my studio. This lighting collection is me pulling back with a minimalist approach by being very strict on the formal language of the flower, stem and repeating petals. I was also strict with only using metal and one color for the full body — so for me this actually minimalist. It's so simple you know — it's a flower.

How does the curation of light and soft floral geometry actively influence the mood of a contemporary living space?

We designed our lights to hang easily on walls or be an accent peace somewhere in the room like a desk or special corner or something. We want it to be a surprise when you walk in and we want it to be a friend over time. With our metallic chrome or any of our special colors, mixed with the warm color temperature of the light emitting from the globe, we want to unravel a moment where light and matter create a performance, calling you to notice its soft presence in the space.

What was the most challenging part of translating JJ Acuña's freehand notebook sketches into precise metalwork with VENZON's team?

I had all these dreams of making the lamps a bouquet. Alexis from Venzon knew exactly what it is I had in mind when we first met for coffee to discuss this collaboration. She saw the vision immediately! Plus Jackie had already designed plenty of floral motifs as part of the main Venzon collection, so I felt very comfortable in creating this bouquet story with them. It is already very much in their wheelhouse. Cris Venzon is such a pro. He is a 100 percent engineer, and he implemented the rechargeable technology which I hadn't even thought about.

How did you choose this color story, and how do the metallic surfaces (like CHROME 26) interact differently with the light compared to the organic, matte tones?

We also took an Instagram poll but I think in the end of the day, the four colors was a team decision. I just wanted to make sure that the colors were something found in nature, but we also picked colors that weren't too on the nose as floral colors. So we aligned with tomatoes and pomegranates for two colors, the forest for another color, and we thought we needed something unusual as we are entering the reality of AI and UFOs with the chrome color.

Can you talk about the engineering required to ensure the petalled hoods optimally diffuse or bounce the light without casting awkward, harsh shadows?

Having designed custom and global-brand decorative lighting for numerous projects, I know exactly how shape and proportion dictate theatrical effects — a expertise shared by Cris, Jackie and Alexis at Venzon. During our design discussions, we debated whether to fold the seams between the petals or down their centers to mimic a leaf. Choosing this unconventional center fold transformed the petals into a natural anomaly. Now, instead of disappearing, those central seams create a striking sunray effect that validates our decision to embrace this formal oddity.

How does cordless portability change the way end-users will interact with lighting as a fluid, moving element in their homes?

We were able to put on the table, so you can have it as a dinner centrepiece, or take it outside, or take it on picnic briefly — make sure it doesn't rain! You can hang the piece on a wall as well. For RAMO S table lamp, you can take it with you around the house wherever you want to curl up to a favorite book or magazine, or if you want to write your journal, do a meditation in the dark or just have a moment alone. Wherever you want to go with these lamps — we want it to go with you.

How did the proportions of the floral silhouettes have to adapt when transitioning from a delicate desk piece to an imposing floor structure?

There was much back and forth and discussing how to do this vs that, but to be honest for the most part, we just understood each other. We made sure we built a collection that worked on various scales, as it looks good on a desk, adjacent to a piece of furniture, or to make an impactful presence in a larger room, we made sure that these pieces in any scale would find the most homes ever. And we feel really good about what we've presented this past weekend.

How do you hope the Luz de Flores partnership will redefine how the international design scene views contemporary material culture for the Philippines?

I think for me it's a personal journey, a kind of portal to walk through, or a way to bring light to others literally in my own way, while also highlighting our people's craftsmanship, engineering, expertise, and dedication in craft. I think the piece is poised for international acceptance as it is specifically Filipino in craft and in its message of joy and uplift while being flexible enough to be displayed well in most global spaces.