Let there be light

INTERIOR DESIGNER Wit Chongwattananukul, the brains behind the successful Open Air Studio that has created distinguished surroundings for many luxury hotels and restaurants, is filling a gap in Bangkok’s retail market with the opening of his first store Air & Craft.

Aiming to meet the needs of urban dwellers with limited space, Air & Craft is offering home furnishings by six well-known European brands along with selected items by local designers on the first floor of his office, which has been transformed into a showroom and coffee bar. 

“I love crafts. Here we have either luxury brands or Ikea but nothing really in between for people who are looking for good quality, well-designed and functional furniture at middle-of-the-road prices. I want to fill that gap and I firmly believe European designs can meet those needs,” Wit says. 

“I now have the distribution rights for six European brands but I’m only stocking collections that I know will appeal to Thais. Most of these take their inspiration from the classic designs of the last century.”

Wit’s office on Narathiwas Soi 10 is a converted house painted white with solid wood floors and a shady backyard where customers can enjoy a coffee.

The brands in stock include DCW from France that is famous for industrial-style ceiling and floor lamps. Adapted from styles popular from the 1920s to ’60s, they are fashioned from powder-coated steel to create a satin-like texture and are both lightweight and fully adjustable. 

Among the designs are a 1922 Lampe Gras 214 wall light with an adaptable black shade and a Gras No 312 ceiling lamp with an extension arm that’s available in black satin, blue, chrome, yellow and red. 

Gubi from Denmark also focuses on mid-20th-century styles with a range of home decor items designed to look great in any contemporary residence. They include the Bestlite BL in charcoal, which comes with an adjustable brass leg and the Grossman Shoppa floor lamp made of metal. 

Founded in 1911 by Eugen Bolich, the German manufacturer Ebolicht is now in hands of third generation members of the Bolich family and they have conserved the craftsmanship while developing lighting innovations. Wit stocks a collection of the firm’s vintage-inspired ceiling lamps made from premium, powder-coated stainless steel and in different designs such as the Kiel Strahler model that looks like a big spotlight.

Spanish label Santa & Cole established in 1985 and has produced many iconic modern designs including a reproduction of the 50-year-old Cestita portable lamp made from solid oak and with an opal white polymer shade, and the TMM 1961 floor lam, which uses a cross-shaped base to support a square shaft and allows the shade to move up and down. It comes in cherry wood, beech, oak and wenge.

“I’ve chosen to focus on lighting as it can make an enormous difference to a room. I know from experience that it’s hard to create a lamp that looks cool but is both functional and durable and all those in stock meet those criteria,” Wit says. 

He is also offering a selection of wooden chairs and stools by Czech Republic firm Ton that includes the Armchair 30 with an open backrest and a plywood seat. Also in stock is German furniture maker e15’s Ch04 Houdini Armrest chair, which comes in oak or walnut-veneered plywood and has an umbra grey lacquered finish. 

Air & Craft is also home to ceramic ware by master potter Somluck Pantiboon, candles infused with flowers, coconut and plants by Pawis and outdoor furniture from Plural.

  

SHINY AND BRIGHT

Air & Craft is at 7 Narathiwas Soi 10 off Sathorn. It’s open from 9.30am to 7pm on weekdays and open by appointment on Saturday and Sunday. Call (02) 676 2187-8 or visit wwwAirAndCraft.com.