The fabled Kenneth Cobonpue

For the multi-awarded, world-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue, inspiration lies everywhere-from the constellations in the sky and the waves of the ocean, to the insects and animals that inhabit his physical and imaginary world, to crumpled soda cans with their undulating forms.

- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA

Such lofty and mundane objects are transformed into covetable furniture, furnishings and fixtures to fill every corner of your habitat with warmth, wonder and a bit of whimsy.

This famous industrial designer hails from Cebu and has reaped recognition for his wellmade, well-designed pieces that can be found in the homes of Hollywood stars, in American movies, in showrooms in Cebu, Manila, North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

The collections range from indoor to outdoor pieces, lighting, sofas, chairs, beds and storage.

Every item tells a story and literary allusions abound. From the Bible to Aesop's Fables, from the The Jungle Book to Hans Christian Andersen, from The Little Prince to Gulliver's Travels, the varied collections of Kenneth Cobonpue are akin to a library filled with fantasy, fantastic flora, talking creatures and mythical beings.

Not surprisingly, he loved reading as a child.

"When I was young my mom used to read to me these bedtime stories-the classics, Bible stories-it was a ritual for us. My mind would drift off to all these faraway lands and castles and forests. The next morning would find me making recreations of those stories and that's how I became who I am," he explains.

Reading played a big part in shaping the imagination that created all these wonderful furniture designs.