Back in 2007, Julie wrote about the Japanese artisanal brand TRUCK Furniture: “We’ve been admiring this Osaka-based company for a while; we’re waiting for the day when the line becomes available in the US.” More than decade later, that day has finally arrived.
While American fans have always been able to purchase TRUCK pieces via the website and have them shipped from Japan, now they get to see them in person first. We first learned of the exciting development from photographer Justin Chung’s Instagram account, where we spotted images of founder Tokuhiko Kise‘s cool downtown Los Angeles loft-cum-showroom, though, truth be told, it took us a minute to figure out that they were of his new space in LA and not the original store in Osaka, so similar are the two. Both locations have oversized windows that let in plenty of natural sunlight, both feature a naturalistic palette of white and brown, both have an industrial-meets-rustic vibe, and both, of course, are appointed with TRUCK’s handsome, weighty furniture (while the pieces are refined, there’s nothing delicate about them).
“The space in LA is the same as the space in Osaka. I have only one face,” Tok tells us.
“It kind of just happened. I’m good friends with [LA furniture designer] Stephen Kenn, and a space opened up in his building in LA, so I took it. It was initially less of an ‘outpost’ than it was a place for me to stay when I visited, but then it developed into this kind of showroom that I could use to share what we do at TRUCK.”
Because it’s not exactly a storefront, it hasn’t officially “opened.” Those interested in seeing Truck pieces in person can make an appointment to visit the showroom. And for those who live outside of LA, here’s a sneak peek.
Photography by Justin Chung, courtesy of TRUCK Furniture.
For more on Japanese design, see:
- Flame: A Japanese Lighting Company Embraces the Dark Side
- Shopper’s Diary: Oblaat in Japan
- The Ace Hotel Kyoto: Japanese Design Meets Bohemian Style
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