Happiness Is Homemade

President of furniture company Philux and newly minted author Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez takes us through her unique family apartment in Manila, which puts nature and sentiment at the core of its design

- Stephanie Zubiri

“A warm and beautiful home is an extension of your identity,” declares Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez, president of Philippines-based furniture brand Philux. “Thoughtful layering in interiors that blend form, function and sentiment gives meaning to a space.” Wife of businessman Christian Gonzalez, and mother of three beautiful daughters, she takes a very personal approach to decor as reflected in the pages of her book, Embracing Natural Design, recently published by Rizzoli. Filled with pages of inspiring imagery, intimate musings and advice drawn from her own experiences as well as those of notable professionals, her book is a repository of creative ideas.

The design maven was born into the furniture business; her parents, Max and Zelda Kienle, co-founded Philux, starting out with rattan pieces made in their garage. After a university stint abroad, Gonzalez came back to join the family company and today works alongside her sister, Jessica Kienle Maxwell. The formidable duo have expanded their family business hand-in-hand; however, it was only when she took on the challenge of designing her own home that Gonzalez was able to truly hone her own aesthetic.

“I find designing a home to be an incredibly creative and tantalising process, putting together the skills of many people to help shape your vision and turn it to reality,” she writes in her book. “Because a home is a sacred, personal space that grows and evolves with your life story, where you can be your truest self, where you feel at peace—inspired and surrounded by the things and people you love.”