Originals: business review & furniture buying tips
Geri Murphy
Originals
896 Dunearn Road, #02-03 Sime Darby Centre.
Tel: 6471 9918, www.originals.com.sg
Business established: 8 years
Niche: Unique original, recycled and renewable teakwood furniture and contemporary homeware.
Following a career in fashion retail in Australia, Geri Murphy relocated to Asia and tapped into her experience to launch in 1996 a recycled dark teakwood furniture business in Singapore. As her business grew, Geri was introduced to softer-coloured natural teak furniture. And during travels to India, she also discovered stunning teakwood cabinets rich in aqua, blue and green hues - which provided perfect compliment to the nude, clean look of her natural teak collection. Realising these two areas were a niche market yet to be served, Geri launched Originals and soon sold her first business to focus on her new venture.
TF: What makes Originals so unique?
GM: Our core ranges are unique to our store. Naturals by Ethnicraft stands out because of the simple designs and quality finishes. And the teakwood cabinets, doors and artefacts we source in Rajasthan, India - in both bright colours and white-washed finishes - make practical, accent pieces. We also produce one-of-a kind designs using recycled teakwood from India and Indonesia. Such complementary ranges allow us the freedom to constantly change our interior, to showcase what can be achieved.
TF: How do you ensure your furniture is eco-friendly, without compromising on quality?
GM: One of the reasons we work with Ethnicraft is the company's "green" efforts to minimise its impact on the environment. They use teak from renewable, well-managed forests - some of the collections even have FSC 100% Recycled certification.
Our imports from India were once domestic cabinets, doorways and other architectural elements that are no longer functional to local residents. Rather than being discarded, or used as kindling by villagers and businesses, we fix and remodel them to appeal to those who are charmed by the character, colour and uniqueness of the designs. In this way Originals encourages recycling.
GM: Absolutely! You can find many handcrafted products made from Asian materials in Singapore. Some are simple in design, so they work in any environment. The more ornate Asian designs can also be used, depending on where you place them. If balance is maintained between simple designs and more traditional, ethnic styles, your overall interior can be enhanced.
TF: Any future plans?
GM: We've just relocated from Gillman Village to a great new space in Bukit Timah and will continue to focus on broadening our offering. We recently introduced a great range of towels and throws from Australian company Bemboka and have also sourced unique wall panels and artefacts from Sulawesi, Indonesia. I love introducing new elements and quirky options into the mix. At Originals you'll always find something of interest.
When buying furniture... Posted May 2011
