Natalie Tai’s furniture brand Takumi Designs fulfils that need with its adorable tables and chairs built with the little ones in mind.

With a Masters in Architecture, Tai, 29 said that her designs and creations are geared towards instilling joy in others, simply because “their joy becomes my joy”.

Tai conceptualised Takumi during the second year of her Masters as a side gig. However, getting the business off the ground was daunting at times as not many investors were open to the idea.

The Covid-19 pandemic only served to make things worse. As was finding a manufacturer willing to create a limited number of products for her as she was unable to produce in bulk then.

She was determined however, to see it through and made a checklist of to-do tasks, going through them step by step, which she found rewarding and exciting.

The overwhelming encouragement she received from family and friends was a big bonus.

Speaking about her design philosophy, the Kuala Lumpur native said design was the result of how one interacted with their environment.

“It’s a different story for kids, as they are constantly exploring, testing and learning their capabilities while still maintaining their imagination. I feel that as a designer, it’s fun to jump into their minds in an empathetic way and design something for their needs as well as their caretaker’s.”

Tai specifically chose wood for her furniture, rationalising that this material helped create a calm space for children to regulate their emotions, instead of brightly coloured plastic that tended to over-stimulate them.

“Having natural elements in a living space will automatically create a calming effect, that’s simply what nature does,” she shared, adding that a lot of Montessori furniture use wood for this exact reason.

The Montessori method of education involves children’s natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods, which Tai integrates into her pieces to encourage independence and self-awareness.

Acknowledging that kids’ furniture is a niche market, Tai pointed out that most brands here are imported from Singapore or Germany with top-of-the-line price tags, hence why she wanted to make something different to offer Malaysians more options.

“I wouldn’t say I have always wanted to delve into this industry but I liked the idea of creating something and sharing it with people. Being my own boss doesn’t hurt either,” she laughed.

Takumi currently has four chair designs and one table design suitable for children aged two and above, including adults, which are also sold as a set.

Called the Himawari set, which means sunflower in Japanese, the table is big, round and yellow like its namesake. Each chair design bears different names – Kuma (bear), Usagi (rabbit), Kirin (giraffe) and Shika (deer).

Tai’s line of products is drawn heavily from Japanese design philosophies as she is inspired by how they raise their children with the values of independence, respect for others and politeness.

Handcrafted from Malaysian wood, namely rubberwood and Nyatoh, the furniture is sturdy, which means it doesn’t tip over or break easily like plastic.

“Children associate their personalities with the things around them, which is why I see kids’ furniture as an important investment in their emotional and mental development, and I personally would invest in good quality products for them.”

For now, Takumi is strictly online. Tai’s dream however, is to open a physical store one day, and to accept customised orders.

“I’ll practise more patience for that to happen someday. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?”

Follow Takumi Designs on Instagram or place an order by calling 012-3815398.