•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   
•    EYEWITNESS   

“A nice piece of furniture can really make your day,” said Peter Schonhofen, co-founder of Kare Design. “It enhances your mood and adds to the quality of life.”

It would seem there is no shortage of people who agree. In 1981, Schonhofen and his good friend, Jurgen Reiter, opened their first furniture store in Munich. “We started with a very low budget and very much energy,” Schonhofen said.

In spite of the lack of funds, their enthusiasm rubbed off. What began as a student shelving store quickly blossomed as customers fell for the pair’s fresh and versatile designs. Kare Design now has 57 stores around the globe, including its latest addition, which opened in Senayan City mall in Jakarta last week.

Kare’s Jakarta store is spread over 820 square meters and is divided into themed corners that are intended to inspire customers.

Larissa Redzic, Kare’s chief interior designer, shared her home decor expertise with the Jakarta Globe. “When I have visitors to my place, I really like it when they roam around and find things that they adore, when they go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over every little detail,” Redzic said.

“But you shouldn’t decorate your home just to impress the guests,” she added. “You should put a bit of yourself in every room. Just add some interesting items to reflect your individuality.”

According to Redzic, every room should have its own character. There should be a piece of furniture or decoration with a unique or unusual design that establishes the ambience of the room.

“You can put one or two focal points in a room,” she said. “It can be a painting, statue or unique piece of furniture.”

For example, she said, Kare Design’s oversized black-and-white prints of the New York City skyline can give your living room a cosmopolitan feel.

Mirrors can also be important pieces in your house, she added.

“A specially designed mirror is a showpiece by itself,” she said. “It reflects light and makes the room appear brighter and larger at the same time.”

The prisma mirror in Kare Design’s Jakarta showroom was phenomenal. Created with multiple-edged prisms, the mirror captured light from the chandelier above, scattering it in multiple directions and creating a magical, whimsical feel.

With a little creativity, Redzic said, even ordinary furniture pieces can attract attention. A simple bookshelf, for example, painted in a vibrant color and installed slightly crookedly on a wall, can create a fun and dynamic vibe.

While there is plenty of room for playing around with furniture, she said, functionality and practicality should also be a consideration.

“I think Jakarta is pretty much like big cities in Europe where the apartments are small and rents are very high,” Redzic said. “You need to adjust yourself by choosing the right furniture for your place.”

So, unless you live in a very big house, you should try to choose furniture pieces that have more than one function to maximize space. Kare’s Tibetan chest, designed like an old coffer and made from solid wood, can be used as a quick storage spot for household clutter, such as magazines, newspapers and toys. It would also work great as a coffee table and would pair easily with white or dark-brown sofas or armchairs.

Kare’s Vulcano coffee table is another example of multifunctional furniture. The top of the coffee table can be raised to arm level and used as a dining table.

“With this table, you can comfortably enjoy your dinner while watching TV in your living room,” Redzic said.

Another cute and functional piece is the Bookworm table. The whitewashed wood and aluminum table can be used as a chic breakfast table as well as a reading table. The table comes with a small reading lamp and the table top can be raised and adjusted for your comfort.

You can also choose furniture pieces that can be put together or converted when they are not being used.

The Diva makeup table, designed with white crocodile-look leather, consists of a set of drawers, fold-out mirrors, jewelry boxes and a chair that can all be put together as a box when not in use.

The more indulgent Colonial Bar, meanwhile, is shaped like a life-sized shipping trunk with wheels on the bottom, and opens up to reveal compartments for bottles, wine glasses, shakers, shot glasses and cigar boxes.

Lounge Cubes are also useful multifunctional pieces for space-poor apartments. The glossy open-ended cubes can be stacked up and used as book shelves or even room dividers in a studio apartment.

“You can also pick a tall one [Lounge Cube] and use it as a night stand or side table,” Redzic said. “And you’ll have room below to put your favorite books or magazines.”

Last but not least, Redzic said, you should also take quality and price into account when shopping for furniture.

“The highest prices don’t necessarily mean top-quality products,” she said. “Do your homework and visit a number of stores in town to learn about their products.”

Kare Design stores around the world employ “lifestyle consultants” like Redzic. They are professional interior designers that will listen to your needs and offer useful suggestions. You can also invite them to your home or apartment to help you decorate your rooms.

To begin, you can visit their Web site — www.kare-indonesia.com — and download their three-dimensional room-planning software. This software will help you to envision the feel and ambience of your room. You can be your own interior designer and position and replace furniture pieces with the click of the mouse before you actually buy them.

“When you decorate your place according to your individual taste and style, you’ll feel better whenever you come home,” Redzic said. “Because you’ll definitely find yourself there.”

Kare Design 
Senayan City 
6th floor
Jl. Asia Afrika, Lot 19
South Jakarta 
Tel. 021 7278 1222