Malaysian makers show why wood will always be relevant. When we think of wooden furniture, most of us picture that deep brown kitchen cabinet in our grandparents’ dining room — the one we only notice during festive seasons.

It squeaks when you pull its ornate handles, but it still holds the kind of solid wood we rarely see in modern homes.

This had us thinking—has wood gone out of style?

Perhaps wooden furniture feels like something to inherit rather than design. Or something reserved for a certain tax bracket — or taste palette. Not for the everyday homeowner. But, our minds would sooner be changed, especially when talking to three leading wood manufacturers of the furniture industry, LB Furniture, TMH Furniture, and Triswift Designs. These are Malaysian manufacturers who have carved out their place through craftsmanship, innovation, and a renewed vision for wood.

The memory of wood
But before diving into design and production, we first had to ask, why wood? What personally drew them to working with wood? For all three, the answer was thoughtful and heartwarming. “It could be childhood memories of having lived in a house full of antique wooden furniture and accessories. But as time passed, I started to notice the warmth and personality that a wooden product brings into a living space,” says Vincent Tan, second-generation owner of TMH Furniture. Jia Hao, a member of the Marketing team at Triswift Designs, revels in the uniqueness of working with wood. “Wood is authentic, warm, and full of life. Its unique grain, texture, and natural aroma give each piece a distinctive character while offering our design team endless creative possibilities.”

This sentiment is also shared by Esther Er, General Manager of LB Furniture. “I’ve always been drawn to wood because it is a natural, versatile and timeless material. Every piece of wood has its own character, and transforming it into furniture that becomes part of someone’s home feels meaningful.” And that philosophy shows up not just in sentiment, but in the way wood is being reimagined in Malaysia today.

The new language of wood
LB Furniture develops an impressive range of solid-wood products — including a collection for children. In a world where wood is often associated with age or permanence, LB Furniture takes it in the complete opposite direction. “When developing a new design, our first and most important priority is safety. We ensure that every bunk bed or kids’ furniture item complies fully with all relevant safety requirements before moving on to the creative aspects,” Esther Er shares. “Once safety is secured, we focus on creating designs that are both playful and practical — combining functionality, thoughtful product features, and appealing colour combinations. This approach allows us to maintain the craftsmanship and durability expected of quality solid-wood furniture, while still delivering designs that children love and parents trust.” It reminds us that wood isn’t just a material, it’s intention. If a child can sleep, climb, and occasionally cause chaos, while a parent feels at ease, then that furniture is doing its job — beautifully and quietly.

Triswift Designs takes another route entirely. “The introduction of marble has added a new dimension to our designs, allowing us to create pieces that are modern, refined, and premium in feel,” Jia Hao tells us.

“For example, the TS Tinnie Marble Collection combines the natural grain of wood with clean, modern lines, reflecting Triswift’s pursuit of a balance between natural warmth and contemporary sophistication, and showcasing our commitment to innovative design.” From both LB Furniture and Triswift Designs, one lesson stands out: wood isn’t limiting. It can be playful, luxurious, experimental, almost as if this material adapts rather than dictates. TMH Furniture, the first in Malaysia to introduce bentwood technology, pushes that idea even further.

“It opens up a world of possibilities in terms of design options and choices. Turning what might be an impossible design with solid wood into a scalable and unique design using veneer,” Vincent Tan shares, when asked about how bentwood technology changed the way they approach designs. “All our product categories carry the same principle and focus on a quality lifestyle that is affordable. From big, bulky and generic products to apartment sized, aesthetic designs that is a big lifestyle change of the younger generation today,” he adds. Speaking to all three manufacturers, one thing becomes clear: wood is still being pushed forward, not preserved in its prehistoric form. Technology, home sizes, and changing consumer habits shape how each company works with it.

The future of wood
For LB Furniture, the focus moving forward is responsibility and compliance. Esther explains that customers now expect transparency in timber legality, more environmentally conscious packaging, and finishes with lower emissions. These shifts influence production planning and material sourcing. Triswift Designs is preparing for a market shaped by online retail and more flexible lifestyles. Jia Hao shared, “Over the next three years, occasional furniture is expected to grow the fastest due to its versatility, adaptability, and strong performance in online sales channels.” He also mentioned the growing interest in mixing wood with “metal, fabric, or leather accents” to create pieces suitable for modern interiors.

TMH Furniture is looking at the future from a design and identity standpoint. Vincent hopes to see more originality come out of Malaysia. “Hopefully we can develop young talent that can carry our industry to a whole new level. Focusing on original designs and Malaysian craftsmanship, Malaysia will be able to stand out in the world of furniture.”

Tackling assumptions
The assumption that wooden furniture feels old-fashioned also came up, and while all three acknowledged the perception exists, their responses place it more in outdated imagery than in the material itself.

“Yes, maybe,” Vincent said when asked if people still see wooden furniture as dated. “But we are seeing a comeback of wooden furniture especially with the younger generation that wants an aesthetic home with warmth.” Esther’s view reflects this shift in design language: “Wooden furniture is sometimes seen as old-fashioned, but that perception really comes from traditional designs—not from the material itself.” Maintenance is often another barrier for buyers, yet the answers we received were pretty straightforward.

Vincent says, “Wood is something that was once alive and it continues to change as time passes and I think that’s the beauty of it. Proper maintenance is just common sense, especially for something that you cherish and wish to keep for a long time.”

Jia Hao summarises care simply: “Maintaining wooden furniture is simple: wipe with a dry cloth, avoid prolonged exposure to moisture, and use coasters or mats when needed.” And Esther highlights lifespan: wooden furniture can “be repaired, refinished, or refreshed instead of being discarded.”

See it in person
After gathering their perspectives, wood doesn’t quite feel tied to a particular generation, aesthetic, or era anymore. It exists across all of them. It can be paired with marble, shaped into playful forms for children, scaled down for smaller apartments, or engineered into curves and silhouettes that weren’t possible decades ago—not in Malaysia at least.

If anything in these conversations sparked curiosity, it may be worth experiencing the work in person. Wood is difficult to understand through explanation alone. Its presence is best understood up close. MIFF 2026 will be your chance to do that—to see how the industry is moving, to meet the people shaping it, and to witness where wood is heading next. Consider this your invitation to be there.