Turns out, slow living doesn’t mean slowing down. At least not when Catriona Gray is in the picture—designing lounge chairs inspired by volcanic eruptions and side tables that come to life in Filipino color. The global artist first collaboration with Genteelhome, the PAYAK Collection, is a masterclass in doing the most by embracing less.
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Crafted with thoughtfulness that invites you to actually sit down and stay awhile, this is outdoor furniture hums, softly, like a kundiman. “Encouraging a slower pace of life, emphasising mindfulness and prioritizing experiences,” is how Gray describes it. But don’t mistake that for bland. “Furniture pieces that cater to slow living don’t need to sacrifice design or personality.”
No throw pillows shouting LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE here—just solihiya, abaca, and a reverence for Filipino craftsmanship.
Genteelhome, a bespoke furniture house based in Pampanga, has built its name on craftsmanship that doesn’t cut corners—or corners that don’t feel mass-produced. Led by principal designer and CEO Katrina Blanca De Leon, the brand is known for shaping wood and weave into functional forms of storytelling.
Its pieces earns it attention slowly, with sculptural clarity, artisanal skill, and an eye for detail that rewards a second glance. More than just furniture, the brand sees its work as a living archive of Filipino creativity—craftsmanship passed through generations, translated into pieces for contemporary life.
From the Pinay Accent Chair that subtly references baro’t saya sleeves, to the Balik Tanaw side table that touches on memory and light, the PAYAK Collection fills a patio with stories. Childhood memories of Mayon erupt in blush-and-bronze gradients; Yakan weave patterns ripple through the details. Even the Kapit-Bisig shelving unit leans into symbolism, its woven panels and teak pillars echoing a nation’s heritage with clean lines.
It’s a debut Gray didn’t expect to feel quite so personal. “What surprised me the most has been the reception,” she says. “I’m so happy to see people finding interest and beauty in my designs.” And when those pieces begin making their way into Filipino homes—into early-morning coffee rituals and late-afternoon wind-downs—that happiness, she says, “will transform into pride.” Which, of course, is what she’s been doing all along. Quietly, gracefully, turning pride into furniture you can sit on.
Slow living, at its core, isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about choosing what matters—and making space for it. In the Philippines, that often looks like unhurried Sundays, the clink of ice in a glass, a grandparent’s story retold for the fifth time. It’s this rhythm—rich, deliberate, and handmade—that the PAYAK Collection leans into. A lifestyle not of silence, but of intention.
In Catriona Gray’s case, intention that now comes with brass accents and teak legs.
The PAYAK collection will be available for a limited time. For more information, visit www.genteelhome.ph
Photos courtesy of BRAND IT, CO.
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