The Eclectic Abode of Arbor & Troy

Photography By Bagus Tri Laksono
8/17/2018

Located in the busy area of Kemang, Arbor & Troy’s new flagship store welcomes you to its beautiful establishment. Indonesia Design visited the store and talked to dynamic duo Erwin Hawawinata and Aji Warpani, who are responsible for the architecture and interior design.

The two-storey building stood at the corner between Jalan Benda and Jalan Kemang Selatan, Jakarta. The predominantly white-painted façade, the windowpanes and the corbels above the windows hinted the American classic style. As explained by Erwin and Aji, they did design the building anchoring to American classic, based on the main style of Arbor & Troy’s furniture. However, the final design is actually a mix of many styles; American classic, colonial, modern and tropical. “We wanted the building to be playful and head turning, not just another building,” said Erwin.

Being located at the corner is an advantage to the building because it shows two sides of façade, which also means it can appeal to more passers-by. The large windows suggest an openness, which indirectly invites anyone to come in. The doors are playfully decorated with twisted vertical bars, creating a better shadow effect. Behind the main doors was a foyer adorned with a chandelier. Room dividers in an oriental style broke up the space into nooks of living room and bedroom sets, looking as cosy as a real house. Shelves, bookcases, tables and stools were placed dynamically in between sofas and beds.

More of the furniture items were displayed on the second floor, in bedroom, dining room and living room sets. They were a mix-and-match of Arbor & Troy’s furniture types: Signature, Essential and Studio Lines, with the first being the most loyal to American classic style and the last one the simplest. An element you would not miss is the two big columns supporting the structure in the middle of the room. They were originally square-shaped, now round and embellished with a simple classic profile.

Having a lot of home design on their resume, Erwin and Aji admitted that there were not many differences between designing a residential home and a commercial building. “The main challenge was the deadline. Commercial building projects have a tight timeline because there are business calculations involved,” said Aji. Other than that, Erwin added, “The interior design does not only have to be good. It also has to support the commercial purpose. It cannot be too outstanding compared to the furniture that it’s selling.”

For a showroom that displays home furniture, this new Arbor & Troy store really presents the comfort and style that the customers could expect when having the furniture in their homes. It is the effect created by the furniture itself, the way it is organised and the building that houses it.

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THIS STORY WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN
Vira Tanka
Author
Having her bachelor degree from Visual Communication Design of Bandung Institute of Technology, she explored her other interest in writing by being a writer for TV programs and travel magazines. Always keeping her love for the art, she actively sketches just about everything, from urban landscape to nature, in between writing projects.
Bagus Tri Laksono
Photographer