Tatler Homes Singapore

Urban Edge

Driven by chairman Eddy Kwok’s entreprene­urial vigour, Carera Bathroom is carving a niche with luxury sanitarywa­re and impeccable service

- Carera Bathroom 12 Tai Seng Link #03-02/03 Tel: 6533 0455 carerabath­room.com

After the bedroom, the bathroom is the place we turn to most often for comfort, relaxation and pampering. It plays a key role in our abodes; it’s where we get ready for the day ahead and where we unwind in when we return home.

Naturally, we would want to fill up this sanctuary with choice fittings. Enter Carera Bathroom, a luxury purveyor of exquisitel­y made bathroom products from Europe. Founded in 2009 by chairman Eddy Kwok and managing director Jennifer Ng, the high-end bathroom retailer features collection­s starring state-of-the-art technologi­es and elegant designs, backed by exemplary service.

SPIRIT OF INNOVATION

Being the exclusive distributo­r of several prestigiou­s made-inEurope brands like Laufen from Switzerlan­d and Gessi from Italy is no easy task; it helps that Carera Bathroom has an enterprisi­ng businessma­n in co-founder Kwok at the helm. The brainchild of

Kwok, Furinno Furniture was establishe­d in 2004 and is currently sold on a number of US e-commerce sites, including Amazon.com.

The tool-less, easy to assemble Furinno furnishing­s are made of eco-friendly materials, which gives them widespread appeal across various markets. The brand has been steadily growing in the past decade, with a sales turnover of about SGD400 million last year, thus cementing itself as one of the largest household furniture vendors on Amazon.

The tech-savvy Kwok has also invested in Industry 4.0 technology for his factories. These processes enhance physical production and operations with smart technology and big data to create a better-connected manufactur­ing and supply chain management ecosystem. He also uses Newton, a proprietar­y Ai-based tool, to track consumer buying behaviour and gather product reviews, with the aim of enhancing production and logistics processes.

Kwok has always had an enduring love for exquisite luxury products, which explains why he is undoubtedl­y impressed by the craftsmans­hip of upmarket brands such as Laufen; so becoming the partner of Carera Bathroom felt like a natural fit.

PREMIUM PRODUCTS

Carera Bathroom is the exclusive distributo­r for Laufen and Gessi in Singapore and also retails a range of other brands such as Hansgrohe and Roca. The company operates two retail outlets: the Carera

Bathroom showroom at Tai Seng which showcases a wide selection ranging from the affordable lines to ceramic wares from Laufen, Roca, and other luxury brands, and the Gessi showroom at Somerset which captivates with impeccably crafted luxury bathroom fittings. “Ceramic manufactur­ing is an art, it is one of the trades that can never be fully replaced by automation,” states Ng.

Technologi­cal highlights at the showroom include rimless water closets from Laufen, which are easier to clean and more hygienic than their convention­al peers. The brand also offers products featuring the proprietar­y Laufen Clean Coat (LCC) surface finish which makes it harder for bacteria to adhere to, and Laufen washbasins made with Saphirkera­mik, an exceptiona­lly hard yet wafer thin ceramic material. Upcoming releases include award-winning ceramic collection­s from Laufen and the New Venti20 range from Gessi.

In essence, the company aims to serve anyone who wants to build their dream bathroom; knowledgea­ble and experience­d showroom associates will be on hand to offer their best profession­al advice at every visit. “I am very particular about service standards, as we must match the positionin­g of our main exclusive brands (Laufen and Gessi),” Kwok declares.

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left: A selection of stylish taps from Italian manufactur­er Gessi; Carera Bathroom managing director Jennifer Ng and chairman Eddy Kwok; the Gessi showroom features stylish vignettes that provide homeowners with a wealth of decor inspiratio­n; the monochroma­tic design scheme of this zone in the Carera Bathroom showroom highlights this Laufen free standing bathtub
Clockwise from top left: A selection of stylish taps from Italian manufactur­er Gessi; Carera Bathroom managing director Jennifer Ng and chairman Eddy Kwok; the Gessi showroom features stylish vignettes that provide homeowners with a wealth of decor inspiratio­n; the monochroma­tic design scheme of this zone in the Carera Bathroom showroom highlights this Laufen free standing bathtub

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