The buying guide: 9 luxury designer furniture pieces from Southeast Asian designers

Bold, curved lines. Glossy glamour that shines. When it comes to luxury furniture, the details lie in the sourcing: think rare woods, hand-finished joinery, multi-layer lacquers, artisanal techniques preserved across generations.

In this buying guide, The Peak Singapore spotlights nine luxury designer furniture pieces by Southeast Asian visionaries — designs that demand attention and admiration. 

From Nathan Yong’s architectural Fence Bench, which balances industrial steel geometry with a local community-oriented spirit, to Studio Kallang’s sculptural Onde Shelf that curves into your space in an almost organic whisper, these luxury furniture pieces tell stories — of place, of maker, of culture.

They’re more than just an outfit to dress your home. They elevate it.

Fence Bench by Nathan Yong

Singapore-bred designer Nathan Yong has worked with established brands such as Herman Miller for years (his Line Media Console design has been used by Herman Miller since 2010). Now, meet the Fence Bench — Yong’s ode to urban sophistication, with a play on community spirit.

Inspired by the clean geometry of cityscapes, the powder-coated mild steel frame delivers strength with quiet confidence, while the clean silhouette speaks to the minimalist’s soul.
Designed for both indoor and outdoor settings, it’s equally at home in a polished penthouse terrace or a designer living room.

Hakari Cabinet by Urban Salvation

Homegrown designer Ahmad Alhabshee doesn’t just build furniture; he resurrects wood. The Hakari Cabinet turns reclaimed teak into a statement piece — Japanese scallops meet rugged timber grain, finished in a clear matte tone that invites one to brush your hand across its smooth finish.

The Hakari Cabinet is compact enough to fit into chic entryways, yet still bold enough for minimalist grand rooms. Sustainability never looked this commanding. 

Valencia Daybed by Philux

If lounging were a power move, the Valencia Daybed would be designed for you to look like a boss. The solid ash wood frame, with sleek geometrical lines, gives this daybed a structured look, while plush materials invite you to sink into comfort with a good book and a cocktail in hand.

Not a fan of ash wood? Philux lets you customise the piece with your choice of wood finish, fabrics, and accent materials, to create a sumptuous poolside throne fit for a king.

Anfratto Sofa by Akar de Nissim

Say hello to finesse incarnate. The Anfratto Sofa, from Akar de Nissim’s DAYA collection, harnesses the soft energy of water droplets and flowing lines to create a lounge sofa that is invitingly bold with its curves, yet stunningly elegant with its simple, soft touches.

The seat is made from pebbled stingray leather, while touches of calacatta marble provide a striking contrast. The sofa also boasts Akar de Nissim’s signature 10-layer lacquer process, where craftsmen expertly apply vibrant lacquer to each stunning creation, resulting in a luxurious shine and smoothness that radiates.

When guests sit, they don’t just settle — they are enveloped. 

Bloom Easy Armchair Swivel by Kenneth Cobonpue

There’s really nothing easy about the design of Cobonpue’s Bloom Easy Armchair Swivel. Handmade microfiber stitched over a fibreglass-reinforced form, radiating hundreds of stitches to mimic the unfurling petals of a flower mid-bloom.

We love that this armchair is romantic, yet rebels against the cold, hard-lined edges of living rooms. The swivel base adds a touch of playfulness to the design. 

Khalla Dining Chair by AlvinT

The Khalla Dining Chair is what you get when style and craft collide. Indonesian designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo is known for championing local materials like rattan, which is woven here with a leather backrest and fabric upholstery.

The curved backrest is designed for you to sit back in comfort during those networking business dinners you host. At the same time, the elevated leather armrests ensure everyone knows you’re not taking the backseat in power moves. 

Ketupat Pouffe by Aureole Design

Local designer Tan Wei Ming creates pieces where simplicity and culture flirt innocently. In her Ketupat series, clean geometric lines meet heritage weaving, where rattan is woven into pouffes that resemble the local ketupat (a traditional rice dumpling wrapped in a pouch of woven palm leaves).

The low-seating pouffes are an adaptation of “Asian floor culture”, where we are used to sitting on or low to the ground, though the pouffe design is expandable into bespoke dimensions based on requirements.

Onde Shelf by Studio Kallang

The Onde Shelf by Studio Kallang is where fluid sculpture meets utility. Designed by homegrown talent Faezah Shaharuddin, who describes her style as playful yet chic, the Onde Shelf is inspired by the dessert onde-onde, which Shaharuddin has always found visually striking.

With its sinuous curves and elegant floating silhouette, the shelf is chic yet playful, featuring globular beads. Perfect for displaying art pieces, books, or an avant-garde sculpture. 

Lantern On (Walnut & Izutsu-Tsunagi) by Jiawood

Behold the Lantern On — Jiawood’s ode to light, shadow, and the Japanese Andon tradition. Crafted from rare Persian walnut and mulberry (from Roozbeh Roozban’s 15-year stockpile, no less), this piece fuses functional elegance with poetic precision. 

The kumiko panel work is beautifully fine-tuned, as though each slat is whispering secrets to the other. What makes this piece stand out is how it houses integrated lanterns and two drawers, all assembled with time-honoured joinery and hand-finished care.

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