More than just about well-designed furniture, Journey East offers a unique retail experience that revolves around innovation and sustainability.
If you are a design-savvy homeowner who is all for saving the environment, sustainability and style are likely to be among the top things that you will be looking out for when out shopping. And as a business that embraces both of these qualities with open arms, long-time furniture retailer Journey East will surely interest you.
Even though its collections have evolved much across 22 years, Journey East’s belief in celebrating quality craftsmanship, good design and environmental friendliness certainly hasn’t.
“Since moving from Dempsey Hill in 2009, we have actively expanded our selection beyond Southeast Asian teak wood and colonial vintage pieces through pushing boundaries in design and product types,” says Journey East’s marketing manager, Terence Teh.
Visit Journey East’s impressive 8,600 square feet showroom at Tan Boon Liat Building and you will find that this approach has successfully taken the form of eye-catching visual displays – each featuring brands that are key to the store’s eclectic identity.
“The personality of a showroom is a good reflection of a brand’s character, and that involves visually anchoring products in a cohesive manner. It’s why we try to incorporate clever use of space and styling to bring out the best in what we have to offer,” says Terence.
Of note are several lightboxes that convey Journey East’s playful, but thoughtful nature via seemingly whimsical quotes, as well as resident store kitty, Mr Ginger, who frequently models for the store.
Design For Good
As home to more than 10 internationally renowned brands, it is safe to say that Journey East offers a wider range of offerings than your usual furniture store. However, that is not all there is to Journey East’s unique store character – each of the brands curated in the space has a story to tell too.
“Every item at Journey East has a unique and compelling origin, and I believe that it’s this shared quality that attracted us to the products in the first place,” notes Terence. “After all, we would only want to sell products that we ourselves find enjoyable!”
From rustic industrial-modern pieces – such as the District Eight Kahn high dining table, which combines tempered glass with hand-polished concrete legs – to unique seats like United Stranger’s distressed-luxe leather sling chair made from premium South American cattle hides, there's no lack of conversation-starting centrepieces at Journey East.
Eco-friendly furniture lovers will also be delighted to know that Journey East’s original offerings of vintage teak furniture are available for purchase even today.
Sourced from Southeast Asia, and painstakingly restored by master craftsmen, these once time-worn pieces that date back to the 1920s look great alongside pieces from d-Bodhi – a modern-day brand that transforms old Javanese reclaimed teak into contemporary industrial-style fittings.
Sharing the same space is PLAYplay, Journey East’s very first collection that was created in conjunction with up-and-rising design duo Lanzavecchia + Wai.
Whimsical pieces such as the Pong dining table (great for an after-dinner game of ping pong to decide who does the dishes) and the colourful Rail console will certainly add a touch of cheer to even the dullest of homes.
The Journey Continues
Despite having established a solid reputation for great design in Singapore, Journey East’s growth does not seem to be slowing down, especially with promising new arrivals like Tala – a young British lighting brand that aims to accelerate the low-carbon economy — becoming part of the family.
Says Terence: “At the heart of it, we are inspired by a life well-lived, and we believe in working with partners who we can share common viewpoints on areas such as design aesthetic and sustainability. And we’ll keep our eyes open to continue bringing you the most interesting furniture and home accessories in Singapore!”
Journey East
315 Outram Rd, #03-02 Tan Boon Liat Building, Singapore169074
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm daily
