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Proudly identifying themselves as homegrown brands, these furniture firms showcase the diversity of the Singapore design scene while celebrating a shared passion for the craft
Homegrown furniture firms marry a passion for the craft with an eye for good design
“We always try to do something that is different,” says Julian Koh, the chief design officer of local furniture brand Commune. “That’s our tagline: to defy the norm. We create products with subtle details and focus on invigorating all of our six senses.”
It could be said that a passion for furniture design is in his blood. Koh’s grandfather founded local manufacturer Koda in 1972, which produces furniture for American brands including Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn. He grew up with fond childhood memories of visiting his family’s furniture factory, and as a teenager, he regularly visited the IMM Cologne and Salone del Mobile trade fairs in Europe with his family; Koh’s subsequent decision to study industrial design at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne was also a natural progression.
In 2011, he co-founded Commune with his brother Joshua Koh and their cousin Gan Shee Wen to have a brand to call their own. The homegrown firm has since come a long way—it has opened over 80 stores in China,
Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, while sister label Alt.o (which stands for Alternative Objects by Commune) was created two years ago and made its debut at the Maison&objet fair in Paris in January 2020. “For Alt.o, our furniture sizes are bigger and more catered to landed properties, with detailing in marble, stainless steel, brass and high-grade leather,” Koh explains.
He firmly believes in creating a holistic experience, be it through creating Commune’s own range of home fragrances or running a cafe as part of the Commune boutique at Millenia Walk; he is currently looking to expand the brand’s footprint in the dining scene soon with new restaurant concepts. He tells us more about the firm’s signature pieces and plans ahead for the company.
What are the hallmarks of Commune?
We use a lot of Koda’s factory capabilities in solid wood furniture. We push our factories to be able to learn new things—how to pair materials like metal, wood and leather together, the wear and tear of different items to make it viable for commercial use.
Being eco-conscious and responsible to our consumers has been something we knew had to be done from the start. We are very stringent with our material selection process; our wood has to come from sustainable and renewable sources. Our finishes use fewer harsh solvents and emit fewer volatile organic compounds, adhering to the strict manufacturing standards by the European emissions standards. We meet the standards for the E1 classification, by having the lowest amount of formaldehyde emissions (which is present in most industrial glues).
As a designer, what keeps you inspired?
One of the most important priorities for me is to constantly be aware of the users I’m designing for: their needs, wants and desires. From there, I start incorporating nuances that are part of our DNA, drawing inspiration from anywhere and everywhere, be it from the fashion world or from my travels.
Some of our bestselling collections are, in fact, our quirkier designs. For instance, the Bruno collection features a herringbone pattern, a motif traditionally found on flooring and wall tiles. Initially, we received feedback that it was a design that would not be well-received, but over time as consumers became more discerning, interest in this collection started picking up.
The Volta collection, one of our latest launches, features furniture with a combination of materials being seamlessly combined. These include leather, wood and brass finishing accents. It incorporates a rock ‘n’ roll vibe; one of our console pieces drew inspiration from the shape of music amplifiers.
How has the brand adapted to the challenges of the ongoing pandemic?
The current situation, while not ideal, validated the company’s direction to digitise the business as early as 2015. We started our online store that year as a means to provide information about the brand and products. When the retail stores were closed (during the circuit breaker phase last year), we saw a spike in e-commerce sales, which indicates that consumers are more willing to forgo the tactile portion of furniture shopping when they have enough information to convince them to make their purchases online. While we were not spared from the global logistics issues, it did help that our main manufacturer Koda is situated in Malaysia, which helped ensure we still had a steady stream of products coming in.
What are the next steps for the brand?
We’ve been producing designs by an in-house team and the next step is to work with other designers, such as Scandinavian design studios, so that we can develop items that target the European market. My personal vision is for both Commune and Alt.o to constantly establish ourselves as thought leaders in the design field.
SCENE SHANG
The journey to being an entrepreneur is never a straightforward one. For Pamela Ting and Jessica Wong, the long-time friends and founders of homegrown brand Scene Shang, the seed of their business idea began during their internships in Shanghai and eventually came to life upon their return to Singapore.
In 2013 they established Scene Shang, a design brand that marries “traditional craftsmanship with modern functionality”. One of their early success stories is the Shang System—a concept that revolves around stacking the Deng stool, He box drawer and Pan tray—which won a special commendation at the President’s Design Award in 2014. The customisable aspect was a hit: buyers decide on how many drawers, choose from a range of fun colours, and can easily move the piece so much so it easily adapts to their lifestyle and space. Recently, Scene Shang developed the award-winning Xuan table, which functions as a mah-jong table and can be converted into a console. This transformable aspect is a hallmark of many of its pieces.
Over the years, Scene Shang has brought production closer to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore in a bid to showcase the richness of Southeast Asia. “I think people care about where things are being made. We’re excited to see where we can take our designs and how we can make them with materials like rattan,” shares Wong. “Producing locally allows us to form a relationship with the craftsman here. It’s quite meaningful for us as this craftsmanship is fading quickly; it helps us preserve culture in a contemporary way,” adds Ting. The founders share more about being a pioneering local brand and where they want to take their company moving forward.
Tell us how you two work together.
Pamela Ting (PT) Jessica oversees the design department, while I manage the business side, but we’re both very involved in the two aspects. We recognise
both parts are important to the success of Scene Shang. There’s plenty of exchange and conversation but a lot of mutual respect as well. That’s how we keep the business and personal relationship intact. Sometimes, though, our friends don’t like going out with us because when we’re out we still talk about work, especially when we see something inspiring in our surroundings.
Why did you decide on putting a modern twist on historic designs as your main focus?
Jessica Wong (JW) When you visit your grandparents’ house, you see beautifully crafted furniture, but it doesn’t really suit your home. So, we thought, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to create quality pieces inspired by our history and culture but made for today? All our creations are guided by this ethos—it could be reflected in the design elements, in the know-how, or both. One example is the Jia Ju rocking stool, which features joinery techniques commonly used in Chinese furniture but it’s still a playful and modern piece.
How do you grow your collections?
JW We’re always looking at how we can beef up our collections and create complementary products. The development could take a year or shorter but even when we finish a collection, we think about the right timing to launch so our releases are quite fluid.
In terms of expanding, we are venturing towards collaborations. We’ve been friends with local brands Onlewo, Binary Style and Minor Miracles for a while and we always talked about doing something together but never got around to doing it. When we launched the Cane collection in 2020, it initially had plain fabric then we thought it was a good opportunity to introduce fabric prints so we worked with these three studios.
How did Scene Shang fare during the pandemic?
PT With more people working from home and no opportunity to travel, they turned towards sprucing up their spaces. It was quite good for us because we built our online platform from day one; in fact, it was positive for the furniture industry as a whole. At Scene Shang, we also have more return customers than new ones. They buy a piece and put it in a corner, then realise they have other corners to decorate so they keep coming back.
Before Covid-19 hit, we had the intention of bringing Scene Shang overseas, but everything had to be put on hold. Post-pandemic, we plan to get back to where we left off. When we had tourists coming to our boutiques at Raffles Arcade and Beach Road, there were people buying pieces and paying the same amount in shipping because they couldn’t find designs like these in their countries. We’ve been receiving online orders from around Asia and Europe and we are not even actively pursuing them, so imagine the opportunity when we do tackle those markets.
How has the local design community evolved from when you launched in 2013?
JW When we started, the spirit of collaboration was not there yet, which is why we went to Shanghai to look for craftsmen and manufacturers to work with us. It was difficult to break into the scene then especially at the quantity that we wanted to produce, which was limited.
Nowadays, there are more makers, manufacturers and designers to work with locally. The second and third generations who take over factories from their parents are no longer interested in competing in the mass market or merely creating export furniture. They are focused on creating brands made and designed in Singapore. That means there are more people our age who are creating a collaborative atmosphere. Singapore has flourished to become a really great environment for design as there’s open conversation and no division anymore.
AKAR DE NISSIM
With their cross-cultural influences, well-crafted details and elegant proportions, these qualities have since become the signature elements of the furnishings from Singapore-based brand Akar de Nissim. “The materialisation of our east-meets-west design concept came about nearly a decade ago, combining the distinct elements of Ming-style home pieces with European sensibilities,” says Jasmine Ng, the firm’s chief operating officer. “Our clients share the appreciation of having well-made pieces that exude a distinct design and bring a sense of lightness to the surroundings.”
Akar de Nissim’s stunning creations harness premium materials such as natural marble slabs and Tahitian mother-of-pearl shells. Each bespoke creation is forged with an assiduous attention to detail, as seen in bestselling pieces such as the Iris coffee table and the Pavillion lacquer box.
The brand’s forte lies in its signature 10-layer lacquer process. An unparalleled expertise helmed by the brand, the lacquering process requires the utmost finesse from artisanal craftsmen. The manifold procedure begins by meticulously coating each piece with at least four layers of primer to better intensify the applied lacquer colour. Individual lacquered layers are then varnished to seal in the vivid colour tones. Artisans will subsequently handpolish each piece, tirelessly working to ensure that the creation radiates a luxurious shine and smoothness. This deft expertise has enabled the brand to make its mark with elegant pieces that boast a strong personality.
Here, Ng tells us more about Akar de Nissim’s collections and the brand’s focus on e-commerce.
How do you ensure a high standard of production?
The consistent quality in our woodwork stems from the dedication of the craftsmen, the selection and preparation of raw materials, and the specific know-how of fine lacquering. It’s an age-old skill which our Vietnam production team excels at.
Tell us more about one of Akar de Nissim’s bestsellers.
Iris, our signature coffee table, is a piece of art. It can be adorned with the precious Tahiti shell mother-of-pearl in a starburst effect, a striking gradient of buffalo horn tiles, or in straw marquetry with a guilloche effect. Each table top is exquisite with its own unique qualities, embraced in its frame with our signature “squircle” (a squarecircle) design and finished in a fine, glossy lacquer. In its entirety, the coffee table is fully handcrafted and hand-polished to a mirror finish.
How has the firm adapted to the challenges of the pandemic?
Online shopping is growing in popularity and has become a necessity. Thus, we refreshed our website with features that demonstrate the customisable options for Akar de Nissim furniture and accessories. This personalised process of bringing bespoke creations to life is a valued aspect for us.
The augmented reality (AR) function on our website also fulfils the curiosity of homeowners who would like to see how a specific Akar de Nissim piece fits into their interior. This AR function allows you to view each product in 360 degrees. On your mobile, you can place any Akar de Nissim piece in any setting, wherever you are. Additionally, having the AR feature can also help bring extra inspiration to all design enthusiasts.
How does it help a homegrown brand when Singapore consumers shop local?
In this field, there can be an underwhelming recognition of what is created at home or close by. The grass could be just as green on our side, it is up to one’s own appreciation and perception on what is deemed “valuable”. As we progress to expand globally, a key aspect we look to hold on to is our collaborations with Singapore talents (for future collections).