How boutique online stores are redefining the furniture industry
Recently, the competitive furniture market has seen a rise in stores that operate entirely online. Relative newcomers, such as BOHU, GRID and Swadhiti, started off as online stores and have rapidly established themselves as top brands
For many years, traditional furniture designs were the undisputed rulers in Bangladeshi homes. These furniture designs were characterised by intricate patterns on large and rich wooden materials such as mahogany. These types of furniture gave homes a royal aesthetic, and there was more than enough room to accommodate them, as houses were more spacious back then.
However, in recent years, as the country's population grew and smaller apartments replaced old houses, people's tastes in furniture evolved too.
In this era, with smaller living spaces and busy schedules becoming the norm, furniture makers have had to adapt to changing circumstances by updating their furniture with a more modern design.
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Modern furniture designs are characterised by simple, yet elegant designs as opposed to the more lavish designs of traditional furniture. Industrial modern furniture is less ornate, with sharp angles and clean lines, often exposed frames, beams, or ducting to show off their functionality.
They are smaller and lighter in size and weight, but durable. Simple designs allow for more floor space and better flow. Industrial furniture is designed to serve a purpose, such as adjustable height workbenches. These pieces use reclaimed materials and are considered more environmentally friendly.
Due to life becoming more fast-paced, many people prefer furniture that is easy to maintain and easy to use. As such, modern furniture designs attempt to balance aesthetics with functionality.
However, the designs that define modern furniture are not static. In order for a design to be considered modern, it must keep up with ever changing ideas and preferences, regularly adapting to people's evolving needs.
According to architect Rafia Mariam Ahmed from Hive Architects, "A piece of furniture that is modern, and in demand today, may no longer be considered contemporary in just a few years. Ultimately, contemporary furniture designs are defined by its ability to adapt to changing preferences, and reflect the latest global trends in the industry."
As such, furniture stores are constantly looking to innovate their products and stay on top of current trends.
Bangladesh has a booming furniture market, with an abundance of famous stores. Recognisable brands like Hatil, Navana, Otobi, etc have multiple outlets selling various types of traditional and modern furniture.
However, recently, the competitive furniture market has also seen the rise in some stores that operate entirely online, without any retail outlets. Relative newcomers, such as BOHU, GRID and Swadhiti, started off as online stores and have rapidly established themselves as top brands.
The Business Standard looks at three boutique online furniture stores that are redefining 'modern' furniture.
BOHU
BOHU, founded in 2017, has quickly gained a positive reputation for their elegant home furniture. Finding the furniture designs available at the time as too traditional and limiting to meet the demands of modern lifestyles, the founders were inspired to create a brand that would cater to contemporary needs.
Architect Nabila Nowrin, co-founder of BOHU, states, "Our design style is contemporary; we strive to achieve a modern look mixed with an Eastern aesthetic. At BOHU, our designers are constantly pushed to find the definition of the contemporary Bangladeshi style."
According to BOHU's marketing executive, Khalid bin Belayet, they wanted to provide furniture that could be seen as a companion to the modern lifestyle, "People think a lot about what kind of furniture they want. Not only is furniture expensive, but it also carries people's dreams. They come to us with a lot of hope and desire. They want unique designs. Thus, we always keep our customers and their desires at the centre of our designs."
BOHU uses a variety of materials for their products, from solid wood to eco-friendly boards. A major trend in modern furniture designs is the issue of sustainability. In that regard, BOHU offers products that were made with non-toxic materials.
As a brand that is always striving for innovation, BOHU launches specialty categories of furniture every year. This year, they have released a special line for kid's furniture.
"Not many people realise this, but for a furniture to be of good use, it requires proper measurement. Brands do not usually focus on children, and some furniture ends up ill-suited for children for a variety of reasons. We recognise the need for functional furniture that children can enjoy. One important element we wanted to incorporate was exercise," said Khalid.
With their kid's furniture line, BOHU aims to provide furniture that is free of toxic materials, and which can keep children entertained and fit through exercise. They designed furniture that would help parents bond with their children
Colourful cabinets, baby gyms, and tents are some of the products within this line.
GRID
GRID furniture is an online store that opened in 2019. Realising that most furniture stores in the country offer all types of home and commercial products, the founders of GRID decided to stand out by focusing exclusively on office furniture.
By doing so, they were able to distinguish themselves from other stores, and create brand recognition. However, initially, the store was struggling quite a bit financially.
Soon after opening their online store, the world shut down due to Covid-19. However, this ended up being a blessing in disguise for the brand.
As offices in Bangladesh moved to work-from-home or hybrid work, there was suddenly a demand for office furniture at home. Working long hours from home meant that people needed to invest in durable office chairs.
This is where GRID came in, with their sleek, modern office chairs. GRID focuses on providing furniture that is durable and ergonomic, offering a variety of options for different needs and price points. Starting from Tk20 thousand, their office chairs can cost you upto Tk1 lakh 70 thousand.
Inspired by global brands like Ikea, GRID wanted to offer minimalist designs with a focus on health. Arif Hussain, marketing director of the company, says, "Our focus from the start was on how to provide furniture that minimises health risks. Big chairs were trendy back then, but we chose to focus on small ergonomic designs that would not lead to or exacerbate back pains."
Furthermore, GRID offers furniture that emphasise sustainability, with all their products being certified by Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA).
However, GRID still faces challenges when it comes to logistics as an online based store. "We have to rely on third party delivery companies, who often do not deliver on time, or get scratches on our products. We have not yet figured out the best way to handle delivery," said Arif.
"We are grateful to our customers for sticking with us, and being patient when they do not receive their orders in time," he added.
Swadhiti
One of the major trends in modern furniture design is the focus on sustainability and environment. Customers are increasingly becoming environment conscious, forcing companies to design products that are more environment friendly.
Unfortunately, many furniture stores have not fully caught up to this shift in demand for sustainable products.
For Hasibul Hasan and Sara Islam, the co-founders of Swadhiti, sustainability and simplicity, two hallmarks of modern furniture trends, are the primary driver, even above profit.
"The furniture stores in our country, both brand stores and non-brand stores, use expensive polish on their products. We wanted to offer a more natural solution. We may use materials like mahogany if a client specifically asks for it, but we generally use discarded wood," says Hasibul.
According to Sara, they draw inspiration from the Japanese concept called 'wabisabi,' which states that there is beauty in imperfection and asymmetry.
"We believe in simplicity, and our products are minimalist, yet multifunctional. Our clients are usually groups of people who like to live simply, such as bachelors. We have also had many young artists buy our products," said Sara.
Swadhiti does not have a factory, as they do everything by themselves. Due to their commitment to sustainability, they do not use plastic or contribute to cutting trees for wood. Their carpenter collects discarded wood from local sources for their products.
Swadhiti also struggles with the logistics of delivery, due to a lack of decent options. For smaller furniture, they prefer delivering it themselves to ensure that it is delivered safely.
Hasibul is currently a student, aiming to graduate in one year. He says, "We are not looking to grow too much at the moment, because I am busy with my studies. However, next year, I have plans to expand our reach."
