We find out how the New Zealand-born, China-based founder of United Strangers got started in the furniture business
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? HAS IT ALWAYS INVOLVED MAKING FURNITURE?
I left school when I was 15. After that, I got together with a lot of rugby guys and we started a demolition company where we pulled down old houses. I ended up filling my dad’s garage with old recycled wood. And he told me, in a polite way, to do something with the wood. And that’s when I started to make basic recycled furniture and selling it to every member of the family for like a year and a half.
And then I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18. Over there I worked with an architect.
WHAT SEEDED THE IDEA FOR UNITED STRANGERS?
This story is from the October 2017 edition of SquareRooms.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2017 edition of SquareRooms.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Is It A Good Idea To Sleep With Your Pet?
What's good, what's bad, and how to stay healthy
From heritage cocktails to kacang puteh
8 things to discover at FairPrice Finest Clarke Quay
A cultural feast
This March, Kampong Gelam will host its largestever bazaar and mass iftar.
A tale of two tails
Lessons learned from fostering and adoption
From shelter to safety
From appointing a Special Operations Manager to tackle pet hoarding, launching free pet health screenings, to advocating for pet safety in high-rise buildings, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is stepping up its efforts to ensure the well-being of animals across the community. Discover the impactful ways they're making a difference and how you can contribute to their mission, even without adopting a pet.
Penthouse paw-sibilities
From a custom-designed dog bath to non-slip flooring, here's how a couple turned a one-story penthouse into a playground for their toddler and two dogs.
A designer's dwelling
What choices might an interior designer make in their own home? Joshua's family home in Punggol Northshore offers a glimpse.
Hidden potential
The bay windows in a resale condo thwarted the plans of its new owners, until they met an interior designer who saw them as a silver lining.
Paws and personalities
Feature walls and open-concept spaces aren't anything new, but this home has been radically reimagined to accommodate its four-legged inhabitants.
How to design special play corners for your pets at home
Discover the art of designing special play corners that cater to your furry friend's needs and enhance your living space.