FOR FOCUS ISSUE: Sunday, 4 July 2004

Branded home furniture popular among discerning families

Even though there is a vast selection of furniture in a variety of styles, prices and quality, couples in the upper- income bracket prefer branded furniture with high-quality and fashionable designs.

For discerning customers, owning items, including furniture, is inseparable from their lifestyles, which place importance on prestige and comfort.

"Home interior designs schemes using items of furniture from top foreign brands gives them a feeling of pride and confidence. Therefore, branded furniture remains the favorite among families in the upper-income bracket," said Indonesian Furniture Club chairman Yos Theo Subrata.

Well-to-do families choose furniture categorized as "super- expensive" based on personal or emotional choice rather than for rational reasons and do not seriously take price into account, he said.

The price of branded furniture imported from the West, such as Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia and the United States, ranges from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of rupiah. "Money is not an issue for them," he said.

Branded furniture has a very limited market in Indonesia, accounting for only 2 percent of the population. "However, the market is significant, given the huge population of Indonesia," he said.

The era of globalization provides couples with easy access to information on the world's top furniture designers, as well as current trends regarding furniture. "They feel proud to have a sofa set designed by, for example, famous Italian furniture designer Antonio Cittero," he said.

Top furniture brands available on the market include B&B, Carpel, Cassina, Gasperini and Da Vinci from Italy, Keilnauer from Canada, Extensis from Australia and FlexiStyle from the United States. From Spain come famous brands such as Vidal Grau, Zaragoza, Movi, Mariner and Vincente.

Preferred branded furniture pieces are imported mostly from overseas countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia and the United States. But in the past few years, several local furniture producers have emerged, producing furniture with brands bearing foreign sounding names, such as Moie, Vinoti Living, Floral Home, Milenia and Chantique.

The producers claim that their products can compete with branded furniture imported from other countries.

PT Subur Mandiri, for instance, which produces furniture and upholstery with the brand name Moie, has regular customers from the middle-to-upper income brackets because the company emphasizes quality above all else. "To ensure the quality of our products, we import materials for our furniture and upholstery from other countries," said company spokesperson Sri Wulandari.

With products being designed and produced in the country, customers have more options on the materials used, shape and design, she said.

Another strong contender to be reckoned with in the branded furniture business is Vinoti Living. The company behind the brand, PT Graha Vinoti Kreasindo produces ready-made furniture to meet domestic and export market demand. The company has established a showroom in San Francisco, the United States.

Prestige and comfort are not the only reasons why customers choose branded imported furniture. Such furniture is known for its design, high-quality materials and craftsmanship. "Branded imported furniture is design-based. This means that it keeps changing all the time, like fashion in clothing," said Febriawati, marketing manager of PT Decorus Contract, one of the companies that sell branded imported furniture products from different countries.

Furniture designers from Western countries innovate every design and function in response to changing social conditions, thanks to their producers' active role in their research and development teams, she said.

The design response to social conditions in urban life has given birth to "minimalist" styling, which has become a global trend, she said.

Minimalist styling that reflects modern lifestyles has met with a good response in Indonesia, especially in cities like Jakarta. "The urban atmosphere presented by busy city lifestyles in Jakarta leads some people to opt for simple minimalist styling in their furniture, providing them with a straightforward, no- nonsense way of life," said Halistya Pramana, owner of PT Graha Vinoti Kreasindo, one of the furniture manufacturers in Indonesia.

Older, more mature people tend to prefer more elaborate furniture to simpler types, which is more luxurious.

Neutral colors like white, gray and black are dominant in furniture with minimalist styling for younger people. But the older, more mature group tends to prefer "hot" colors like red, maroon and chocolate.

"Currently, minimalist styling with simple detailing and straight lines is very popular," said Yos Theo Subrata, chairman of the Indonesian Furniture Club.

Furniture sets that suit well this minimalist styling have simple shapes that incorporate no detailing or carving. "All of the furniture -- from sofa sets, cabinets and dining tables to beds -- has a simple shape and ornamentation," he said.

Meanwhile, some styles are said never to go out of fashion. Examples include furniture by masters such as the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe, the Grand Comfort by Le Corbusier and Verner Panton's Panton Chair, said Halistya Pratama of Vinoti Living.

"These timeless pieces became what they are for their everlasting design, state-of-the-art construction and the great name of their designers," he said,

Designer furniture determines its acceptance in society; its construction ensures it has a long life cycle, while its designer brand adds prestige, above all else, he added.

Therefore, the demand for "super-expensive" furniture remains stable, despite the penetration of furniture from China into Indonesian market.

"Super-expensive" furniture has a more segmented market. Furniture from China is sold much more cheaply to attract people mostly from the middle-income bracket.

Imported furniture originating from China mostly "borrows" from European designs. Made-in-China furniture with European design is becoming increasingly popular among the middle class in Indonesia. "Those who enjoy European designs but cannot afford the price of the originals will usually buy made-in-China furniture," said Yos Theo Subrata.

The price range for a sofa set made in China, for instance, is Rp 10 million to Rp 25 million, and for a bed Rp 7.5 million to Rp 15 million. The price range for a B&B branded sofa set is Rp 50 million to Rp 100 million and for a Cassina bed Rp 50 million to Rp 75 million.