Tatler+
Happenstance brought this enterprising couple into the woodworking industry; it took a surprising experiment with epoxy resin to spark their passion for the material
Melvin Lau did not start De Woodscape with an interest in woodwork. In fact, his academic background in accounting and hospitality are worlds away from his current occupation. The Dutch entrepreneur co-founded the firm three years ago with his Indonesian wife, Novia Kiang, after receiving a fortuitous business opportunity with a furniture manufacturer.
The company started as a store that sold custom-made furniture using wooden slabs imported from Indonesia. Shortly after, the couple decided to do the treatment and finishing processes in-house to ensure the optimal quality of each product; they also recently opened a factory in Indonesia which oversees the wood drying process. Lau’s Singaporean cousin, Marcus Ho, joined the company this year as its operations manager.
(Related: You'll Never Expect That Indonesian Artist Irfan Hendrian's Artworks Are Made of Paper)