ANN/THE STAR – Childhood friends Franki Turner and Gaya Subramaniam, who have stayed connected despite living in different countries, started a business together in 2021.
Turner, founder of the accessories brand Frankitas, and Gaya, a distributor of Malaysian brands in Singapore (including Frankitas), decided to collaborate on a new venture. Together, they launched Bungalow 18 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The appointment-only showroom is located in a 30-year-old home in an upscale neighbourhood, offering two storeys and expansive outdoor space where visitors can freely explore and draw inspiration. Inside, the showroom features avant-garde lighting, art, decor items, textiles and furniture suitable for home interiors.
MEMORIES OF HOME
Bungalow 18 draws inspiration from their nostalgic childhood days spent at Gaya’s family home.
“Home was a sanctuary of safety, warmth and laughter for us. In Bungalow 18, we aimed to recreate that comforting atmosphere, blending it with our passions for shopping, wellness, dining, and genuine human connections. We envisioned a space that feels inviting, like a second home,” Turner said.
They left the house largely untouched upon moving in, appreciating its inherent beauty.
“We wanted to honour the house. We didn’t want to do any demolitions; we just did cosmetic work. Internally, we kept it simple and true to the 1970s design elements, which we simply adore. The only thing we added was the bar (at the verandah, facing the garden) and we kept it simple by using recycled wood.
“Meanwhile the pergola you see at the back of the house is made out of upcycled wood. It creates extra covered space for dining or simply to relax. Sustainability is very important to us, be it recycling or upcycling. It’s a big part of who we are and our ethos, personally and professionally,” added Turner.
Turner and Gaya have eclectic taste, love bits of the old and new, and marrying the two together.
“We have an appreciation for the old, such as old music, old vintage rugs, vintage jewellery. There is so much history and stories in these things. We are old souls,” said Turner.Take for example the chandeliers in the living room that came with the house. “Although I’m not a chandelier type of person, their classy look somehow worked with the overall house so we decided to keep them.”
According to Turner, in everything that they do, they have to consider nature, humans and the senses.
“We did not want to buy too much of everything, thrifted where we could, reused pieces from our own personal collection as we didn’t want the place to look clinical or matchy-matchy.
“Gaya and I are colourful people, as you can tell. We love colours. For me, there are no rules for colours anymore. It’s just about the way you feel, how you want to feel that day, so colours are very important,” said Turner.
Raised in a kampung as a child, Turner professed a deep love for nature.
“With this house, we wanted to have flora and fauna. The garden was barren when we got the house, so I planted every single tree you see there. We now get a lot of bees – good, non-stinging bees mind you! There’s plenty of caterpillars which turn into butterflies, different types of birds, dragonflies and crickets in the garden,” said Turner, on the wildly beautiful garden.
They also have their own vegetable garden in the backyard where essential kitchen plants like lemongrass, bunga kantan and daun salam are grown.
These are used mostly in the drinks and meals served at Bungalow 18’s weekly pop-up cafe, which operates on a by-reservation-only basis every Friday.
HAPPY TO BE HOME
“Gaya and I are home proud, not in a snooty way but we want to create a certain feeling when we walk into the house. The feeling that ‘I’m home, I’m comfortable and I love the home because it’s me and I’m at peace’. Our advice is to always keep it minimal. Don’t get us wrong, we love colours but minimal could also mean the layout of your space and being mindful of the things that you put in that space so it’s not cluttered,” said Turner.
“We then add pops of colours with cushions, rugs and lighting. You can take a little risk with the colours that you use, plus colours make people happy.
“Sometimes the easiest thing to do to spruce up your space is by changing your cushion covers or moving things around,” added Gaya. – Rina Ahmad Sapiuddin
