Knock on Wood

HOME decor themes may come and go, but wood is something that never goes out of style. "The appeal of wood and why we prefer it over any other material is its sensory characteristics such as colour, lustre and grain," says the Bali-based American designer Mary Justice Thomasson who worked with Indonesian artists to launch her debut furniture collection. "We also appreciate the natural characteristics, feel of wood and its comforting quality." Wood also ages beautifully, so if you're looking for a long term addition to your home, you won't go far wrong.

Infinity Stool

S$240, from The Table Guy, tableguy.sg

The Table Guy, a homegrown solid wood retailer, is best known for offering slabs of wood that

can be customised into table tops. Those who want something smaller can opt for something like the Infinity Stool. Made of suar wood from Indonesia, there is also the option to add on legs to the stool. When placed on its side, its curved design makes it comfortable enough to sit on; when placed upright, it becomes a side table.

Mary Justice Designs Flora collection

From $2,400, from Mary JusticeDesigns, maryjusticedesigns.com

American designer Mary Justice Thomasson creates furniture pieces that double as works of art. Her collection features teak and mahogany folding tables with removable trays painted in designs featuring the flora and fauna of the Indonesian archipelago. The Flora range, for example, features nutmeg, once a precious commodity. Each piece is hand-carved, hand-stained and hand-painted.

Arthur Zaaro Teak Wood Bowls

From S$25, from Arthur Zaaro, arthurzaaro.com

American designer Aaron Foeste is known for making dining tables and cutting boards from locally grown trees, under the Arthur Zaaro label. Under Mr Foeste's care, not a single part of a tree is wasted. For example, the roots of a teak tree are turned into rustic bowls, perfect for a back-to-nature decor theme.

Forma Acoustica Screen

S$2,500 from Grafunkt, grafunkt.com

How can you soundproof a home without making the space look like a recording studio? A cork screen from Forma Acoustica would do the trick. Design lecturer Nic Ooi and industrial designer Nathan Yong are launching Forma Acoustica, a collection of decorative panels using cork. The pieces are hypoallergenic, lightweight, fire-retardant, and are also an excellent thermal and acoustic insulator.

Minimalist Wall Rack

S$350, from Triple Eyelid,tripleeyelid.com

Keep your clothes neat with this fuss-free looking wall rack. Local firm Triple Eyelid upcycles products from discarded industrial waste. For this wall rack, the timber frame is made from reclaimed solid oak, while the hanging rod is bakua wood that was once used as a scaffolding pole.

Angsana Work Desk

S$1,200 from Roger&Sons, retail.rogerandsons.sg

If you are still on the hunt for a work desk, consider this piece from local furniture maker Roger&Sons. Its fuss-free design means it fits with any home decor style. It is handmade from the angsana, a native tree of Singapore. Unlike African mahogany or the raintree, the angsana tree has golden yellow tones with beautiful grains

Art Deco Speaker Cabinet

S$1,120 from Journey East, journeyeast.com

As wood gets better with age, vintage pieces are in high demand. This speaker cabinet from Java dates back to the 1930s but has since been transformed into a bar cabinet. The deep shelves offer plenty of room to store glassware. Made from solid, matured teak wood, its design is a combination of cubist-inspired geometrical form, Art Deco and mid-century styles.

D-Bodhi Wave Round Coffee Table

S$288, from Journey East, journeyeast.com

This Wave Round Coffee Table is a piece that does double duty as table and storage space. It comes with a solid teak wood top that has been reclaimed from old buildings in Java, and is paired with a rattan frame that is available in two colours. Lift off the top and there's space to store all your bric-a-brac.

Chorus Dining Chair

S$2,400 from atomi, atomi.shop

Some dining chairs are pretty to look at but aren't necessarily comfortable. The Chorus Dining Chair doesn't have that problem as it scores on both form and function. The solid oak wood chair has a T-shaped backrest that is inspired by the Qing Dynasty chair, while its seat is gently curved to hug bottoms. Each chair is crafted by hand in Japan.

Kraton Home Kayu Ayu Wood Collection

From S$12, from Kraton Home, kratonhome.com

Margareth Ting, founder of home accessories label Kraton Home, wants to show that wooden tableware is affordable and can fit into all homes. The brand recently expanded its Kayu Ayu (Indonesian for 'pretty wood') collection. These include bowls, trays, serving boards and other dining essentials. There are also crockery pieces to choose from - teak, Indonesian rosewood and Sapodilla wood from rainforests in Java.

Natural Japanese Hiba Wood Squared Stool

S$1080, from atomi, atomi.shop

Miss Japan? You can bring the scent of hiba, or Japanese cypress into your home with this stool. Each stool is made by joining four logs together, and it can also be used as a side table or simply as a decorative accent piece for the living room. Don't worry about the cracks as they have been purposely created to allow the scent of the wood to diffuse more easily.