Artwright, a distinguished name in Malaysia’s design industry, was founded by Yong Chee Leong in 1965 with the aim of crafting products that rivalled the quality and standards of those made in England. Its initial offerings showcased a drafting board and stand, laying the groundwork for the brand’s future success.
It wasn’t until two decades later, in 1985, when the company was succeeded by Yong’s son, Yong Yoke Keong, that Artwright ascended to new heights. With the younger Yong’s introduction of sleek computer tables featuring a honeycomb core—designed to support the growing popularity of IBM and Apple desktop computers—the company broadened its appeal and quickly garnered international acclaim. What started as a niche business blossomed into a thriving enterprise that earned the Gold Award at the 2019 MIID REKA Design Excellence, Malaysia’s most prestigious recognition in interior design.
This year, Artwright embarks on its first venture into high-end residential and hospitality sectors, expanding outside corporate and professional environments with its recently unveiled high-design showroom, A Living Space, in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Globally renowned brands such as Cappellini, LIU.JO Living and LASVIT are featured throughout the showroom to illustrate a diverse range of design concepts.
Cappellini
This Italian designer furniture brand began its journey in a small workshop in the quaint town of Carugo in north-east Italy. Celebrated for its eye-catching, avant-garde designs, several of its pieces are exhibited in museums around the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, MOMA in New York, and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
Among its most iconic pieces is the Proust Geometrica armchair, designed by Alessandro Mendini in 1978 for the Palazzo dei Diamanti, a Renaissance palace in Ferrara, Italy. The Proust Geometrica is a sight to behold, with its vibrant colour-blocked fabrics. They are hand-crafted and hand-painted by the finest Italian craftsmen. “No two pieces are the same,” Yong says of them.
LIU.JO Living
LIU.JO Living is a relatively young brand that pushes the boundaries of redefining modern living experiences. Guided by the values of versatility and sustainability, the Italian brand breathes life into customisable and bespoke pieces, ingeniously designed to be adaptable and multifunctional. Thanks to its versatile range of colours and modular configurations, its designs are like water, taking the shape of its container. Each creation can stand alone as striking independent objects or seamlessly blend into any environment to create a space that is unique and unrepeatable.
LASVIT
In Czech, ‘láska’ translates to love, while ‘světla’ means light. Together, LASVIT can be interpreted as ‘love lights’ or the ‘lights of love’. Hailing from Bohemia, LASVIT is a company that specialises in glass products and lighting installations. Even so, LASVIT is not merely a glass company but also a spacial company that illuminates spaces with brilliant beauty, adding a touch of magic to every corner of the room.
The Duna glass pendant, for example, designed by Zaha Hadid Design, draws inspiration from the smooth, flowing curves of sand dunes. Captured at the forefront of A Living Space’s window display, its ever-changing effects of reflection and refraction effortlessly captivates patrons.
It’s one thing to read about these creations, and quite another to experience it firsthand. As the Marketing Director of Artwright, Chua Yee Ping, aptly puts it: “You must come to A Living Space to get to know these furniture and lighting pieces in person. Only then can you really appreciate the craftsmanship and story that have gone into every one of these pieces and, potentially, form an emotional with them.”
