Most of us aren’t lucky enough to get stylish and even historically significant family heirlooms to decorate our house. Even if we did, we’d probably get intimidated—it’s not easy to make a century-old console table from the house where Jose Rizal first studied fit into a modern space, for example. But surprisingly, this homeowner knows just how to create this unique mix. View the slideshow below to know how he converted materials and old furniture pieces from rural areas into furnishings for use in the urban setting.

For more Modern Asian homes, browse through these galleries:

• Modern Asian Style: The Harmonious House of Two Sisters
• Modern Asian Style: In the House of Stone and Light
• Modern Asian Style: Minimally Yours
• Modern Asian Style: Half and Half
• Modern Asian Style: Welcome to the Temple

(First published in Real Living Magazine, Real Home section as "Asian Spice" in August 2005; photos by Ocs Alvarez; adapted for use in Female Network)