COVER STORY STORY : Stephanie Roy PHOTOGRAPHY : Chavalit Kamolthammanon
Lalita’s
Lalita’s Passion Love for for Timeless Eco-friendly Interiors Interiors Personal st yle is a phenomenon that gradually evolves throughout a person’s life. Whether haute couture or interior design, fashionistas enjoy chasing the latest trends of today, but may seek more classic and traditional staples tomorrow. As an award-winning actress and design graduate, Lalita Sasiprapha (Mew), has always been at the forefront of fashion and design. Currently building a home in Thailand’s royal resort town, Mew and her childhood friend Paveena McLean sit down with Tropical Living to discuss décor, furniture and how living eco-friendly can fit into anyone’s interior st yle evolution. 12
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A
s the daughter of veteran actress
Jaruwan Panyopas, Mew has
inherited the talent, poise and
beauty of her mother, so it was
no surprise when she started her
own successful acting career in 1981. Thai audiences will remember Mew for her breaking role in Prisna in 1987, since then devoted fans have followed her progress from a teenage idol, to an established award winning actress. Now happily married to Narubodee and with two young boys, Mew embarks on her latest home construction project along the shores of Hua Hin, where she reflects on how her taste and choices in design and décor have developed alongside changes and events in her life. Before marrying and having children, Mew shares that she typically went for the trendiest, coolest and most flashy concepts. Fast-forwarding to today, she prefers to decorate her living spaces with practical and timeless pieces. “I really like old wooden furnishings as they are warm and tell a story. I appreciate the history behind old wood and antiques,” she explains. The actress’s love for more traditional furnishings is displayed as she mixes and matches modern and classic pieces throughout her home.
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Mew shares her appreciation for the past lives of recycled wood products with her childhood friend Paveena McLean (Bib). Friends since the age of 10, Bib turned her passion for reclaimed wood into furniture brand Absolutely Fabulous. Situated in the heart of Bangkok’s financial district just seconds away from the bustling Sathorn Road, Absolutely Fabulous is a bastion of home décor specialising in elegant furnishings made from reclaimed teak wood.
Recycle and Reclaim The actress often looks for furniture made from old or recycled wood, “its an environmentally friendly way to shop and can be fun seeking out second hand items to decorate my home.” Which Mew does with pieces hailing from everywhere including old houses and floors in Ayutthaya, to local creations and bargains from Chatuchak Weekend Market. Bib explains that you don’t have to sacrifice style for environmental awareness. “Absolutely Fabulous is a perfect match for anyone with an eco-friendly style
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vision as all of the brand’s furniture is old teak,” she tells us. Wood for the products comes from a variety of sources including old furniture, houses, floors, and walls. As the store’s owner describes her love and admiration for reclaimed wood, she tells us that, “It has a lot of meaning, history and it is beautiful.” Because of the natural scars, marks and grooves from the recycled teak, each piece of furniture has its own characteristics and identity. When customers make a purchase, they are definitely buying a unique and one of a kind piece. Bib believes the beauty in the imperfection of re-used wood is very similar to that of humans. “You must first appreciate the natural beauty within and then you must love wood,” she continues.
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As for Mew’s interior design inspirations and influences, it depends largely on her atmosphere and environment. While she is currently building a new home on the beach, classic wooden pieces complement the natural surroundings. She has always chosen pieces that fit perfectly with the personality of her home, tastefully blending old with new. Her childhood friend believes no matter where you’ve chosen to call home, wood is timeless and works well with almost any setting. “It doesn’t matter if you live in a busy metropolis or the quiet countryside, both nature lovers and city dwellers can find signature pieces at Absolutely Fabulous. Most pieces are warm and relate well to almost any environment,” says Bib. According to the brand’s owner, walking into Absolutely Fabulous and feeling as though you are walking into a home is a key concept. “Customers are allowed to sit and even lie down on the beds to decide if they like them or not. We want everyone to feel relaxed upon entering and to fully imagine certain pieces fitting perfectly in their homes.”
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Design Fusion Absolutely Fabulous has two signature lines; the Classic Line signified by dark colour wood; and the Grey Line with more natural hues. All furniture lines are precision machine cut and assembled by hand by experienced craftsmen. With an Englishman and Italian native based in Indonesia as its designers, the furniture has both European and Asian influences. Customers are offered the best of both worlds, as an authentic Eurasian look shines through in the final products. The brand’s popularity with celebrities and the country’s expatriate community can be credited to its outstanding customer service. Upon walking into the store, customers are asked if they want immediate help or if they prefer to browse. The objective is to allow everyone to move throughout the showroom comfortably, free to explore the three floors of signature furniture. Visitors are encouraged to look thoroughly at the products before making a decision. “This is part of our concept. You walk in, you feel comfortable, you feel relaxed and if you need us, we are here to help,” says the owner. Because giving the best products with the best service is crucial, all pieces are quality checked from the loading docks and undergo additional showroom inspections. Potential buyers are welcome to come into the store as many times as they want before making a firm decision on not just a piece of furniture, but a life long home investment. From the time
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of purchase to delivery, to even if the customer moves away, the company provide the highest standards of after-sales service. Bib explains, “Recently a customer relocated, unfortunately the removal company dropped his dining room table. He simply called the store, explained the situation and took photos of the problem. He later received a touch up kit, which provided advice on how to fix the damage and what to use — all free of charge.”
Giving Back to Nature As our conversation with Mew draws to a close, she emphasises the importance of shopping with environmental consciousness and how proud she is of her friend for creating a product that combines their shared passions. “Its great that Bib has made it easy for shoppers to buy items made from recycled wood for their home, and that she also contributes to help plant more trees, in essence replacing old with new” explains Mew. As with any precious natural resource, reclaimed teak’s recent spike in popularity has resulted in a huge decrease in supplies. For this reason, the company participates in the Trees for Trees initiative. Created by the Indonesian Government, the store pays a certain percentage on each shipment of products to the initiative, allowing the organisation to plant more trees. Absolutely Fabulous affixes all of its products with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Logo. This trademark stamp certifies that the brand complies with the highest social and environmental standards on the market.
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After three successful years of providing high-quality home furnishings, Bib admits that even Absolutely Fabulous’ style vision has evolved and changed since its opening. The brand is expanding its collection and adding a third line called the Metal Line. Designed by a Dutchman residing in Indonesia, this latest concept also fuses Asian and European influences with shiny metal and natural coloured teak to create an elevated contemporary look. The store’s fourth floor will open June 2010 and will house this new cutting edge addition. “The new Metal Line from Absolutely Fabulous is younger, a bit more masculine and very metropolitan,” Bib adds. For more information visit the Absolutely Fabulous showroom: 142/40-41 Sathorn Soi 12, North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bangkok Telephone: +66 (0) 2635 2040 www.absolutelyfabulousthailand.com
Celebrities Choice The manufacturer of Absolutely Fabulous has celebrity fans across the globe, including Hollywood actors and royalty, here are just a few that have graced their home with the fine furniture: Sharon Stone Janet Jackson Donny Osmond Ozzie Osbourne Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell Oprah Winfrey Pierce Brosnan Bruce Willis Gary Sinise John Cusack LeeAnn Rimes Arnold Schwarzenegger Liz Hurley Alan Rickman Dennis Quaid Anastacia Angelina Jolie The Edge (lead guitar, U2) Prime Minister of New Zealand Tim Henman (UK #1 tennis player) HRH King Abdullah of Jordan
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