Chic And Good

Source : The Straits Times, Jan 12, 2008

The demand for sleek and mid-priced furniture is on the rise, and at least four new stores are offering the decor candy

COMBINE a thriving economy, a property boom and more Singaporeans becoming house-proud, and what have you got?

Home owners shelving the idea of budget furnishings in favour of sleek, chic quality, that's what. And decor stores are springing up to cater to this upgraded mid-market demand quicker than you can say chinoiserie retro post-modern.

At least four new home decor stores have opened in just the last four months alone, together outlaying up to $2 million to set up shop in order to ride the home-suite-home trend.

They aim to fill a gap in the market between big, affordable furnishing stores like Ikea and Courts, and top-end outlets like Space at Millenia Walk, which brings in high-end brands such as B&B Italia and Giorgetti.

The four new stores are targeting consumers prepared to fork out anything from $500 for a chair to $15,000 for a sofa. People in this price bracket would once have had a budget more like $150 for a chair to $1,500 for a sofa, say store owners.

They add that their customers are a mix of apartment and private home owners. On the rise, too, are HDB flat owners who are willing to spend to spruce up their homes.

The co-owner of newbie Tao Lifestyle Store, American expatriate Rick Harshman, who has lived in Singapore for four years, notes: 'People have been heavily investing in their apartments and homes.

'Subsequently, they want to invest more in furnishings that will help to best showcase their home.'

Another store owner, Mr Mel Yeo of PLVS, says Singaporeans are more well-travelled and informed these days, and they are getting more sophisticated in their choice of furniture.

'Their furniture is an extension of their lifestyle,' he says.

He cites the example of sofas, which were once seen as just something to plonk your bottom. 'Today, owners want sofas that come with plush cushions and soft fabrics, so they can spend hours lounging in them,' he says.

Interior designer Sarah Tham, owner of multi-brand store Three3Three, notes that Singaporeans bought more new properties last year and this meant they also needed new furniture.

She set up her store to give consumers 'more choices'.

Another interior designer who has set up a store recently is Adrian Chua. He says he did so after finding that he was customising furniture for his clients so much that it seemed more sensible to open his own outlet.

The result is Think Gallery, selling Mr Chua's pieces, which he describes as unique yet affordable.

Life! homes in on the four new stores and checks out the dandy decor candy.

Three3Three
The Cathay, 03-04

THANKS to interior designer Sarah Tham, 33, owner of Cube Associate Design, Singaporeans now have more designer furniture brands to choose from, courtesy of her Three3Three store which opened last October.

CHOICES GALORE: Think Gallery's main pieces are made in Singapore while multi-brand store Three3Three offers furniture labels from places such as Belgium and Italy. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO, ALAN LIM

The 5,000sqft multi-brand store was opened by Ms Tham and a partner with an investment of $500,000.

Brands include Extremis from Belgium, Saiyart Collection from Thailand and Italy's Serralunga, Ferlea and Dema and are exclusive to the store. Shoppers can expect to pay from $800 for a coffee table to $14,000 for a sofa.

Getting the brands was not easy. 'There were countless e-mail telling them about our business plans and visits to the company before they agreed to let us represent them,' says Ms Tham.

Indeed, she checks out each item before deciding to bring it in. She says she has personally tested out each sofa, instead of just picking them out from catalogues.

'Sofas are particularly important, as sitting on them is the only way to test out their comfort,' she says.

The store's unusual name comes from three elements that Ms Tham says turn a house into a home. 'Furniture, lighting and accessories - and we carry all these,' she says.

Think Gallery
6 Jalan Ampas, 01-04

CURVES AHEAD: With pieces as sexy as these, we bet you won't need to think twice about buying furniture at Think Gallery.

AS AN interior designer, Mr Adrian Chua, 35, found it difficult to find furniture for his clients that was 'out of the norm but still reasonably priced'.

He ended up customising pieces so much so that he decided to set up a furniture store selling his designs.

With partner Ricky Lam, 37, he opened Think Gallery last September. Mr Lam runs the 5,000 sq ft store while Mr Chua does the designing. The set-up cost was a couple of hundred thousands, they say.

Think's main pieces are made-in-Singapore sofas, dining, coffee and side tables, beds and chairs. These are created by a team of six designers including Mr Chua. It also carries outdoor furniture from the Philippines.

Prices range from $1,800 for a dining table to $5,000 for a sofa.

Mr Chua says Think is like 'a cheongsam (a Chinese traditional dress) tailor but in furniture'.

By this, he means that its furniture can be custom-made according to the client's requirements. Or customers can select pieces at the showroom but have them fitted to size and colour. Customisation takes no more than four weeks.

As both a furniture and interior designer, Mr Chua reckons he has the edge over his rivals.

As a furniture designer, he says his pieces are able to 'come to life'. For example, instead of just creating sofas with a flat base, Think's Ripple Modular Sofa has a curved base that makes it look more sculptural.

As an interior designer, he says he is able to understand what home owners want and the types of furniture that interest them.

In the works is a new collection of furniture. 'We want things to move fast, so we won't be selling the same items two years later,' says Mr Chua.

PLVS
232 River Valley Road

FURNITURE designer Mel Yeo, 37, began PLVS (pronounced 'plus') when he noticed a demand for 'high-quality furnishing items but at mid-level prices'.

'The higher- and lower-end furniture markets are well represented, with a host of both big and small retailers,' he says. 'But if a consumer is looking for something that offers high quality materials and finish, modern design and a middle price range, the search will be a lot tougher.'

Thus PLVS was started last October with a $180,000 investment. The 2,000 sq ft store got its name when a supplier spelt its parent company name, Plus Integration, as Plvs, and 'when I was thinking of a signage for the store, I thought, why not PLVS', says Mr Yeo.

The store carries items such as dining and coffee tables, bookshelves and TV consoles, but sofas are its forte.

Mr Yeo says its sofas - designed by him and three in-house designers - are made locally and cost from $2,000 to $7,000. Their fabric is the same as those used by big Italian names, he says, 'but we offer them at a more affordable price'. Consumers can choose from over 1,000 fabrics. There is a four- to six-week wait for the sofa to be made locally.

'We pride ourselves on offering pieces that are modern and yet still look chic even after 12 years,' he says.

Tao Lifestyle Store
88 South Bridge Road

WHEN American Craig Snyder, 34, moved to Singapore in December 2006 from Tokyo, he ran all over the island finding home furnishings - a long and expensive experience, he says.

Mr Snyder, who does sales and marketing for an American-based IT company, wondered why there wasn't a one-stop store for Asian-themed furnishings at a reasonable price.

He took matters into his own hands and, together with American colleague Rick Harshman, 30, opened the 6,000 sq ft Tao Lifestyle Store last October, despite having no previous experience in the furnishing business.

They together invested about $500,000 in Tao, and spent nine months visiting places like Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and China looking for suppliers and manufacturers.


The pair buy items based on gut feel and also that 'we would want these items in our homes', says Mr Snyder.

Items include old clan signs from China, lacquered lamps, dining tables and bed frames from Vietnam and Buddha statues from Cambodia. Customers can expect to pay about $700 for a chair to about $5,000 for a dining table with eight chairs.

Smaller items such as silverware and candle votives are also on sale, plus oil paintings. Shoppers can also bring in a photo or postcard and have it painted. Paintings are done by a Vietnam-based French artist and cost from $700 to $18,000.

The owners initially thought expatriates would be their main crowd, but say Singaporeans are dropping by.

There are plans for Tao to go regional and for the brand to design its own line of furniture.