The Next Step
Interview Grafunkt marks another milestone with a new showroom featuring fresh, creative ideas that furthers the design conversation
The 13,000sqft showroom at Funan is Grafunkt’s largest to date. Described as a “design district”, the store features an in-boutique café and spaces furnished with European names exclusive to Grafunkt, such as Ligne Roset, Treku, New Tendency and Japanese brands Conde House and Time & Style. Besides its retail arm, the company also runs a contract division that caters to hospitality and commercial projects.
The new store encapsulates the owners’ holistic approach— Grafunkt also debuted a new logo designed by local studio H55 and staff uniforms by homegrown label Vetyver. “Active collaboration is a core value of Grafunkt, and it is definitely something we want to continue working on,” says Yong.
Another passion project is
Folks, a brand started by Yong to support craft heritage and design talents in the region. “Folks is about preserving good woodworking from the East and giving it an updated silhouette for modern lifestyles,” he says. Here, the co-founders ref lect on their journey thus far and ponder their future plans.
What does good design mean to you?
Good design is often mistakenly skewed towards aesthetics, when rather, it should be viewed in a holistic fashion. It involves the entire process, from generating ideas and conceptualisation to realisation and manufacturing. The need to consider all these aspects is essential
The iconic Togo sofa by Michel Ducaroy from Ligne Roset is distinguished by its curved form; the Folks Line TV console is a homage to Asian craftsmanship; the Meta side table in green from New Tendency is a modern accent piece; Grafunkt co-founders Jefery Kurniadidjaja and Nathan Yong; the Barca Lux armchair from Conde House can be adjusted by shifting each of the sliding boards