THE KARANA COLLECTION: HENDRO HADINATA TRANSFORMS SOLID WOOD INTO CHAIRS, BENCHES AND LAMPS OF GRACEFUL, FLOWING CURVES
TEXT: PHARIN OPASSEREPADUNG
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL (AHEC)
(For Thai, press here)
We may have seen many wooden furniture pieces before, but it’s rare to encounter pieces made from solid hardwood that bend and flow as smoothly as those in the KARANA Collection. Created in collaboration between Indonesian designer Hendro Hadinata, founder of Studio Hendro Hadinata, and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the collection is presented at Indonesia Design Week (IDW), from 12–20 August 2025.
The collection comprises three wooden pieces: the Kuta Bench, Sanur Lounge Chair, and Ubud Light, all drawing inspiration from the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which speaks of harmony between people, nature, and spirit. The forms reference the elegant sculptural works of Ida Bagus Nyana, a modern Balinese artist active in the 1930s. The result is a series that blends fluid contemporary lines with deeply rooted cultural sensibilities.
This project served as an experimental platform for the designer. The Ubud Light twists and bends into natural, organic forms that fold back upon themselves, while the Sanur Lounge Chair and Kuta Bench posed challenges in crafting seamless wooden joints that appear fluid and effortless. The design of the collection centers on the idea of movement and continuity, leading to the choice of two materials that best express these qualities: American red oak and American cherry. Renowned for their strength, sustainability, and expressive character, these hardwoods opened new possibilities for exploring form and texture.
American red oak (Quercus rubra), the most abundant hardwood species in U.S. forests, is celebrated for its strength, durability, and bold open grain with warm pinkish-red tones. It is flexible to work with and responds beautifully to shaping and finishing. American cherry (Prunus serotina), on the other hand, is prized for its smooth texture and rich reddish-brown color that deepens over time with exposure to light. Together, these species are ideal for achieving sculptural curves while preserving the natural character of the wood. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, American hardwoods are among the world’s most sustainable design materials. They grow in vast, naturally regenerating forests across the United States, the largest and most diverse temperate hardwood resource in the world, managed responsibly through selective harvesting and long-term stewardship.
For Hadinata, this project was not only about creating new works but also an exploration of unfamiliar materials that expanded his design thinking. “In our previous projects, we primarily worked with locally sourced timber,” he explains. “Working with American cherry and red oak was a challenging yet enriching experience. We had to learn deeply about their unique properties; hardness, grain detail, and color tone, all of which opened up new directions for future projects.”
Beyond concept and material, the success of the collection also stemmed from close collaboration with Omega Mas, a team of master wood craftsmen whose expertise was vital in transforming sketches on paper into tangible furniture. Among the three pieces, the most technically demanding turned out not to be the Ubud Light, but rather the Kuta Bench and Sanur Lounge Chair, both of which required a high degree of precision to achieve their continuous, seamless curves.
Hadinata concludes, “American hardwoods bring a new dimension to my work, in their consistency, scale, and natural beauty. At the same time, the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana ensures that each piece carries not only contemporary relevance but also cultural depth.”
This collaboration reflects the American Hardwood Export Council’s (AHEC) ongoing commitment to encouraging designers around the world to explore the creative and sustainable potential of American hardwoods. More than just a furniture collection, the KARANA project represents a meaningful connection, where contemporary design from Southeast Asia meets natural resources from across the world, opening new possibilities for experimentation and exchange.