Our Top 10 Pieces From the New Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i Furniture Store

From modern-organic dining tables to modular sofas and customizable beds, here’s what you’ll find at the newly opened Ala Moana boutique.

October 5, 2023

Brie Thalmann,

Frustrated with the lack of local furniture options for dressing their investment properties, Renee Yan, a lawyer, and Chuen Yee, the founder-principal designer of MCYIA Interior Architecture and Design, decided that it was time to create a line of their own. With the help of a few partners, the friends went to work creating Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i, their line of simple yet elegant furniture that launched this August with a spacious storefront at Ala Moana Center.

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Pika Side Board, $3,920. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
2/10

Lilo Swivel Lounge Chair, $2,620. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
3/10

Ahe Office Desk, $1,672. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
4/10

Nohea Fabric Sofa, from $3,530. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
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Aukai Coffee Table, from $1,260. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
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Nohele Fabric Sofa, from $2,990. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
7/10

Mililani Side Boards, from $3,433. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
8/10

Arco Dining Chair, $997. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
9/10

Tua Dining Table, from $830. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i
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Anya High Back Lounge Chair, from $1,350. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i

You’ll find that pieces fall into one of three style categories. “It’s modern but not cold,” Yee says of the line’s aesthetic. “The materials we use are warm and inviting.”

The Contemporary Collection focuses on minimalist, functional styles ideal for smaller spaces—condo owners will appreciate the modular couches, swivel lounge chairs and slimly profiled beds. The Wabi Sabi Collection offers luxurious materials, such as Italian Nappa leather, top-grade North American Walnut and Italian marble. It’s handsome Mililani Side Board, with its wave-patterned panels, and gorgeous Nohea Sofa are standouts. And the breezy Island Collection channels a casual-chic vibe with slatted wood accents and braided rope trims, as spotted on the Pika Side Board and Anya Lounge Chair.

Nohea Fabric Sofa in Beige, from $3,530. Photo: Courtesy of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i

For many pieces, sizes, fabrics and other materials can be customized to taste. Custom tables and sideboards take around four weeks to receive, while sofas and beds clock in at 10 to 12. And, of course, non-custom pieces, in stock at the company’s local warehouse, can be received immediately.

As for the price points? They come in around mid-range. “We wanted to offer that high quality at reasonable prices,” Yan says. Those looking to refresh entire rooms or homes can reap the benefits of Wabi Sabi Hawai‘i’s furniture packages, which come with discounted prices. And if you’re in need of interior design services, whether small scale or full overhauls, it offers those as well via Yee’s firm MCYIA Interior Architecture and Design.

Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., (808) 475-5195, wabisabi-hawaii.com, @wabisabi_hawaii

This article appears in the November 2023 issue of HONOLULU Magazine.