From an original 1930s sofa brought back to life with retro upholstery to a heavy cast iron shelving unit that’s a throwback to the industrial age, Journey East’s huge 8,600 sq ft showroom in the Tan Boon Liat Building is an example of all that’s right with eco-friendly furniture and furnishings in Singapore.
Created in 1995 in what was then the deserted army barracks of Dempsey, Journey East’s initial collections featured mainly Dutch colonial and Javanese pieces, born from a passion for teak wood and antique craftsmanship.
Since then, the brand has evolved and the range expanded to include funky upcycled treasures, restored designer vintage one-offs, reclaimed teak wood pieces and a premium outdoor range from Belgian brand Mamagreen.
Add to this collections of quirky art, inventive lighting and fabulous interior accessories that the Journey East team have fallen in love with on their travels, and the result is a wonderfully eclectic range that’ll have you popping back again and again (just to browse, of course!).
But more about the brands that partner with Journey East. Whether you’re a District Eight Design kinda person with a penchant for French industrial-style furniture, a d-Bodhi devotee hankering after contemporary recycled pieces, or prefer Vintage collection finds, which include original art deco and colonial teak furnishings from the 1920s – 60s, all the trendy products you’d pick up here have one thing in common. They are each fair trade and handpicked for their teeny carbon footprints – with no new trees lopped down in the process.
Take District Eight Design, for example. Their craftsmen use reclaimed wood, galvanised iron pipes and salvaged vintage materials – such as factory machine parts – to create furniture with more than just a nod to the industrial age.
Then there’s the team over at d-Bodhi who meet with Javanese families to negotiate a price for beams from their dismantled teak houses that would otherwise be discarded. They’re carried off across the rice paddies and restored by hand into dining tables, desks, consoles and more. Eco-tastic, we think!
Enough chat – show us the products, you say, and show you the products we will, with this gallery of our favourite Journey East products. You’ll find desks, dining tables, consoles, coffee tables, sofas and storage units, plus foosball tables and chess sets that should go straight to the top of any gift lists you’re compiling! We’ve also snuck in a few of our faves from Journey East’s creative interiors collections from brands such as House Doctor, Ke’liling and XLBoom.
If you like what you see in the gallery above, drop by Journey East’s showroom for a squizz and a cup of coffee or, preferably, a glass of wine with the lovely team. Ginger the resident cat will be waiting to welcome you!
Psst. They’ve just opened up a new showroom in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, if you’re ever in the area!
Journey East
315 Outram Road, #03-02 Tan Boon Liat Building, 169074
Want more home inspiration? See our home decor section!
