STONINGTON, Conn. — Indonesian handcrafted boutique furniture producer Bale Homewares says it plans to shift its focus towards becoming more project orientated over the next five years.
The handcrafted outdoor/indoor furniture and decor brand said it is expanding beyond its e-commerce furniture business by offering customized one-stop shopping solutions for furnishing entire homes and commercial spaces, which includes lighting, roofing, panels and rags.
The homewares company has already landed six-figure projects and formed partnerships with restaurants and hotels, highlighting its ability to handle large -scale, high-profile work. It also plans to provide furniture in the hospitality industry.
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“We going to be meeting with an architecture next week to work on an entire house in Florida,” said Bale co-founder Matt Bondlow. “We did a project with chef Jose Andres for his new restaurant in Stanford, Calif., and we worked with Cedric Vongerichten, son of celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten for his French-Indonesian restaurant in New York. So that’s what makes us a little different because we provide customization.”
From handcrafted beginnings
Bale (pronounced like Bali), which means a place to gather in Indonesian, was established in 2019 by husband-and-wife designers Lita and Matt Bondlow. Lita Bondlow is originally from Indonesia and was inspired by the traditional craftmanship of her homeland. What started as a trip from Indonesia to furnish her apartment with throws and pillow covers quickly became a side business. The couple started selling at the Brooklyn flea markets, before expanding into handcrafted furniture.
“And one day an interior designer came up to us and said, ‘Can you do some bar stools for a client,’ and we said sure, and then the rest is history,” said Matt Bondlow. “It just took off.”
In the summer of 2020, Bale launched its furniture product line, and the Bondlows moved out of New York to Connecticut.
“We opened a little store there, and then the pandemic happened; everybody got to buy furniture,” said Lita Bondlow. “Suddenly, we were exploding, and in 2022 we took off. We were scrambling to figure it out, learn on the job, making tons of mistakes. We had to learn how to ship furniture properly, do budgeting, work with suppliers in Bali and make everything on time and in the midst of it all, we had to change our company name from Bali Bangalow to Bale due to trademark infringement.”
Teak pieces built to last
Apart from its tailor-made projects, Bale offers a range of indoor and outdoor handcrafted furniture including dining tables, coffee and side tables, chairs, lounge furniture, and accessories. All furniture is crafted from solid teak and wood by artisans in Indonesia, with no veneer or mass-produced pieces.
“Indoor is probably a majority of what we sell,” said Matt Bondlow. “We do outdoor teak chairs and dining tables and furniture with synthetic materials so that they’re great. They’re commercial grade, long lasting, great for hotels and restaurants, and the interior stuff is with natural materials like leather, cowhide, sea grass, raw cotton. Everything is sustainably sourced, environmentally friendly and made of natural materials.”
Bale’s Connecticut brick-and-mortar store stocks some of its unique pieces while the e-commerce website highlights its popular brands. It collaborates with different suppliers, shipping nationwide. Matt Bondlow said the brand is gaining recognition, which has boosted revenue.
Building on its growing profile, Bale’s high-end lounge chairs sell from $1,200 to $2,500. Barstools and chairs range from $500 to $1,000, while dining tables start from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the table size.
“Our price point is high because most of our clients are high income people who want to go one piece at a time and appreciate the quality of the materials,” noted Lita Bondlow. “They also want to decorate their home in style. One of our best-sellers is the Sadia Teak Counter Stool. It’s been our best-seller year after year, it is beautiful, made of solid teak and easy to maintain. It has been featured on HGTV.”
From Indonesia to U.S.
In addition to its showrooms in Connecticut and Indonesia, the company operates two warehouses in Central Java and Bali, Indonesia, to store pieces before shipping them to the U.S. It also works with four different suppliers in Bali and Java, each focusing on different materials.
“We try to make it a real, personal relationship with our clients no matter if you’re just buying four chairs or buying 400,” said the Bondlows. “It’s how we’ve been managing this, and we’re trying to grow organically, too. We don’t want to grow too big because if you have too many pieces, you get a little bit out of control and you lose quality. Keep it small, keep your selections, you know, simple and neat and clean.”
By next spring, the boutique furniture manufacturer plans to launch new dining tables, chairs and side table pieces, adding to the dining tables and dining chairs launched this fall:
- Kamal table – Rectangular teak table with clean, architectural lines for everyday meals or festive gatherings.
- Hara table – Crafted with natural teak, designed to anchor the dining room with warmth and understated style.
- Nala table – A versatile teak table, ideal for alfresco dinners and weekend hosting.
- Darma table – Classic yet modern outdoor dining table built from solid teak, perfect for year-round entertaining.
- Lola chair – Minimalist silhouette with a handwoven seat, balancing comfort, and craftsmanship.
- Ashta chair – Teak and woven leather design that adds textural richness and timeless appeal.
- Kamu chair – Stackable indoor-outdoor teak dining chair, lightweight yet durable for flexible hosting.
- Taman chair – Contemporary outdoor chair with handwoven detailing, blending comfort with sculptural style.
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