Cover The Arova showroom designed by local firm UPSTRS_ (All showroom photos: Courtesy of UPSTRS_)

Singapore laminate brand Arova has made a name with its contemporary styles and durable products and will mark its tenth anniversary with new designs and customer-friendly initiatives

Decorative laminates empower homeowners to instantly elevate the look of their interiors. Since its founding in 2012, local laminate brand Arova has been popular among discerning homeowners for offering high-quality, on-trend collections in many different designs to suit various interior concepts.  

Over 60 per cent of its products feature a matching edge band, and the brand is also known for various innovations: it is the first company in the market to have over 90 per cent of its collection, which is manufactured exclusively in South Korea, certified as antibacterial.  
 
Its new showroom designed by local firm UPSTRS_ also boasts a digital visualiser that lets customers envision the use of laminates in various rooms so they can make more informed choices. 

In case you missed it: Get Home Design Inspiration From Arova's New Showroom

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Above The 'Pixel City' wall in the Arova showroom acts as a three-dimensional material library (Photo: UPSTRS_)

Developments in manufacturing processes have resulted in laminates that are easy to maintain and highly durable, resisting dampness, scratches and impact to retain their appearance for many years. Modern-day laminates also come in a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, enabling limitless design possibilities and letting homeowners mimic natural materials such as stone and wood at a fraction of the cost of the real thing. 
 
Arova laminates meld style and function seamlessly, making them a perfect fit for any contemporary decor scheme; the firm also recently embarked on a rebranding exercise in 2021 with a fresh new logo, revamped website and social media accounts.

In celebration of the brand’s tenth anniversary, we speak to director Eric Lim to find out more about the brand’s products, its recent rebranding, and future plans. 
 
Read more: How Design Firms Architology Interiors and UPSTRS_ Turned Arova Laminates into Works of Art 

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Above Another view of the pixellated design of the ceiling in the Arova showroom (Photo: UPSTRS_)
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Above The Arova showroom also features an interactive area with a virtual simulator that helps homeowners visualise how a particular laminate would look on their cabinetry

What is Arova’s mission statement?

Eric Lim (EL): We aim to bring a sense of joy back into home-building with a light-hearted approach, and are an ever-present companion to our customers throughout the entire process. Our brand sets a friendly and approachable image to our target audiences: homeowners, designers, developers and architects. 

How does the brand stand out in the market?

EL: We take pains to hand-pick our selection of decorative papers from a German manufacturer, according to upcoming design trends. We also go a step further by educating homeowners on what laminates actually are, and how to maintain them. Visitors to our showroom can also use a special simulator to help them visualise how a particular laminate would look on their cabinetry before they make a decision to ask their designer or contractor to use that particular laminate.

Don’t miss: Tatler Homes Design Awards 2022: Vote for the Best Showroom

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Photo 1 of 2 Another view of the main reception area, which features interior elements and furnishings clad in various laminates from Arova (Photo: UPSTRS_)
Photo 2 of 2 The conference room is an equally stylish and sleek monochromatic space (Photo: UPSTRS_)

How can laminates enhance an interior scheme? 

EL: Laminate designs have improved tremendously compared to 20 years ago, and modern-day laminates can even replicate real marble and wood at a lower cost and easier upkeep. They also come in a huge variety of choices, such as solid colours, wood-like effects and other patterns, so homeowners can easily select an option to suit their preferred interior theme. Arova offers more than 500 stock laminates to choose from. 

Arova is known for working with design firms to turn laminates into works of art. What do you hope to achieve? 

EL: We want to show the public how versatile laminates can be. Besides their usual uses on cabinetry, for instance, they can also be used to form art installations, sculptures, and even custom furniture. 

Read more: Tatler Design Awards 2021: 3 Emerging Singapore Design Firms to Watch

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Above The entrance of the Arova showroom, located at 33 Ubi Avenue 3, #01-25 Vertex (Photo: UPSTRS_)
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Above UPSTRS_ creative director Dennis Cheok and Arova (Photo: UPSTRS_)

You’ve been in business for a decade. How will Arova mark its tenth anniversary?

EL: Among other initiatives, we will launch a special 10th-year anniversary catalogue with over 70 new designs. An intuitive step-by-step guide will help our customers through the design process, from first browsing our social media for influences, then on to our website to learn more about our company, what laminates are and how to care for them, then on to our catalogue to choose the materials, and lastly visiting our showroom to use the laminate simulator and confirm their choices. 

What are your future business plans? 

EL: We would like to focus on increasing our manpower and adapting more to the culture and design preferences of the markets we operate in. Different countries have different design trends and preferences, and this is something we definitely want to learn more about. 
 
We are currently in the midst of planning to do a pop-up event later this year; it’s an exhibition (with artworks made using laminates) to educate the public about how versatile laminates can be.

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Above The tenth anniversary monograph celebrates Arova’s latest milestone (Photo: Arova)

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