DISCOVER FURNITURE AND HOME ACCESSORIES THAT REFLECT SCANDINAVIAN SIMPLICITY, ALONG WITH THE UNIQUE INTEGRATION OF THAI LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP IN HAY BANGKOK
TEXT: CHIWIN LAOKETKIT
PHOTO COURTESY OF HAY BANGKOK
(For Thai, press here)
For anyone with a penchant for Scandinavian design, the name HAY—renowned for its brightly hued yet understated furniture hailing from Copenhagen—likely needs no introduction. At the end of November 2024, NORSE Republics, one of Thailand’s foremost furniture importers and distributors, welcomed HAY’s very first flagship store in Southeast Asia, located in Warehouse 30 on Charoenkrung Road.
Within HAY BANGKOK’s inviting space, visitors are able to discover an array of Scandinavian-inspired home accessories, from chairs, sofas, and tables to everyday lifestyle items, arranged in thoughtfully staged environments—living areas, work nooks, and leisure corners—all designed for a younger generation mindful of maximizing space.
Veekrit Palarit, Managing Director of NORSE Republics
Managing Director of NORSE Republics, Veekrit Palarit, shared with art4d, “HAY’s furniture and home décor naturally complement the new generation’s lifestyle, always looking pared-down yet fresh. When we decided to launch a flagship store in Thailand, we wanted to incorporate local craftsmanship. We collaborated with ceramic artist Mo Jirachaisakul, who introduced us to Thai celadon glazing techniques and helped us weave this time-honored tradition into the design.”
Mo Jirachaisakul
Consequently, upon entering HAY BANGKOK, guests are met with walls adorned in a shifting palette of ceramic tiles glazed in rich celadon. It’s a vision brought to life by Mo Jirachaisakul, who explained the inspiration at the store’s opening event:
“In Thai culture, water plays a central role in everyday life. I translated that concept into the tile design by creating a subtle concavity. When the tiles are laid on the wall, light reflecting off them evokes the feeling of rippling water.”
“The glaze itself, with its greenish-yellow hue, is recognized locally as celadon, typically made from plant ash. Through my research, I found that only few artisans in Chiang Mai and Lampang still rely on wood ash due to rising costs. I searched for alternatives and discovered that ash from chicken grills had the right alkaline content. By using it in the glaze, we reduce waste that would otherwise be discarded, and the result is a dynamic, handcrafted finish where no two tiles look exactly the same.”
Finally, Palarit also underscored the significance of Charoenkrung Road as it evolves into a hub for art and design, blending classic and contemporary influences from a diverse community of creators. As the first HAY flagship store in Bangkok, the brand seeks to contribute to the lively tapestry of this neighborhood by organizing collaborative events and engaging local residents. Looking ahead, HAY BANGKOK hopes to extend its reach even further across Thailand, expanding the brand’s vibrant spirit and design ethos to audiences nationwide.
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