New and exclusive to Kota Kinabalu, a furniture store with multiple brands including Niiq, Mobella, Filob-ula, LOQ, PDM Brand, Ease Studio and Hove have shown timeless elegance and grace in its designs. One of the founders of Lane 15, Ethan Chong – a charismatic Sabahan – through his passion for interior design and furnishing, found himself opening a double storey unit in Kota Kinabalu together with three Thai partners.

Asian accents in designs may actually be the key in "wow”ing your clients with your design – creating a unique selling point and setting yourself apart from your competitors. Beyond the aesthetic reasons, there may be psychological reasons to incorporate Asian elements into one's furniture design. "A table is just a table to everyone's eyes, but to me, it's an art. I admire and appreciate its details, materials and quality of the craftsmanship" says Ethan, adding that every piece of hand-picked furniture in the store has its own characteristics.

Just like its furniture, Lane 15 to has its own connotation; the path to be No.1 is to enjoy what you do with passion, creating a symbolic meaning to the figure "5”. Lane 15 hopes to influence East Malaysians through its carefully cultured award-winning furniture designs. The DEmark Award (Thai-land) and Good Design Award (Japan) winning furniture are available in Lane 15.

Since 2005, Mobella's experienced creative minds have been designing sofas, armchairs, bed, and accessories for both domestic Thai market and international projects including Japan and Europe. With 10 years' worth of experience up his sleeves, Mobella's Design Director, Anupol Yooyuen, is one of Bangkok's finest designers. Through his undying passion and many cultural inspirations, some of Anupol's best, Award-Winning work of art was inspired by the Asian culture. With that knowledge, he designed something that would eventually create a sense of comfort. The Noomnim sofa is the first sofa in Thailand to win an Award; the G-Mark Award, presented by Japan. The sofa was designed with the Thai culture in mind.

One's interior space reflects how they see themselves. At Lane 15, the customers' demands are always met. "We want our customers to be happy with what they buy from us. Customers are welcomed to customize their own furniture from its materials, dimensions, and colours" says Ethan, adding that that is the company's unique selling point.

"Seeing the clients happy with my design is probably my greatest achievement. If they're happy, I'm happy. It is my hope that with my designs, people can enjoy the furniture they choose and enjoy it as a lifestyle piece, instead of just treating it as a furniture" says Anupol.

Mobella and Niiq are one of few brands in Thailand that have been exhibiting in Milan's Furniture Fair and Maison & Objet consecutively for years. The Milan Furniture Fair is a furniture fair held annually in Milan and it is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world, showcasing the latest furniture and design worldwide.

Niiq's founder and designer Rangsan Narathasajan has more than 15 years' experience in the modern interior and furniture design field. "Functionality is our first contemplation as well as the sense of natural beauty. We want it to be simple, yet be in harmony with its daily use”, says Rangsan. Most of the products are made from solid wood and some are assembled with assorted materials such as fabric, metal, stainless steel, granite, rattan, to name a few.

Set to spread its wings further, Ethan shares that the company plans to open a second branch, focusing on high-quality finishing accessories such as homewares, wooden products, leather goods and little trinkets. The second branch will most likely see itself in a shopping mall, targeting the wider range of the market.

"We want to expose the locals to different designs and lifestyle by giving them a different quality of living with our products. It's not only always about price but the value and how an item is crafted. Every home tells a story, what we live with defines who we are" says Ethan.

For more information, please contact Ethan on +6019 853 0015, email ethan@laneonefive.com or visit the show gallery at No.1, Jalan Limau Manis, Off Jalan Lintas, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah