Rita and Matt Bondreau, who visit Indonesia every year, are struck by the contrast between the craftsmanship of handmade furniture in Rita's home country and the mass-produced products that tend to permeate American homes. This split sparked their vision for Bali Bungalow LLC, a furniture and home decor business offering products sourced exclusively from small-store artisans in Indonesia. By launching the business, named after the Indonesian island of Bali, the co-owners hope to promote sustainable living in the U.S. while supporting small-scale artisans and highlighting Indonesian culture. I thought about it. Bali Bungalow is centered around “artisan craftsmanship,” Rita Bondrow said. “They use traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations and want people to make good choices about products that will last a lifetime, rather than furniture that you throw away every year or every other year. ” The Bondrows travel to Indonesia each year to visit Rita’s family, and during that time they seek out local artisans who meet the business’ standards of style, quality and sustainability. Typically, they work with her six to 12 artisans to source retail inventory and facilitate custom commissions for design and furniture services. The concept behind Bali Bungalow became a reality in 2019 when the Bondrows, who were living in New York City at the time, launched their business as an e-commerce store. After relocating to Stonington, Conn., during the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to open their first brick-and-mortar store in the town's Velvet Mill Shopping Center, and in late June they would open a store in downtown Providence. The second store was opened in . Matt Bondreau said retail expansion was part of the business plan from the beginning, and while the Stonington store continued to perform well, the company wanted to pursue an urban environment for its second store. . Providence is “a really ideal location for us” in several ways, he said. “We love the culture, we love the arts, we love that this is a college town, and we love that people come from Boston and Newport,” Bondrow continued. Bondreau added that the location is commutable from Stonington, and he and Rita continue to live between the two stores. In addition to retail and e-commerce sales, Bali Bungalow also provides furniture and design services to commercial enterprises such as restaurants and hotels. These commercial projects account for about 40% of business revenue, with retail and e-commerce sales accounting for 60%, and while they have been implemented in other states across the country, the co-owners say they will is hoping to enter this market soon. This year, he said, this side of the business is growing towards retail matching. In addition to furniture, we also carry decorative items and household items such as pottery, plates, silverware, and fabrics. Rita Bondreau said the product ranges share a focus on natural materials such as rattan, wood, seaweed and cotton, reflecting the company's focus on good practices. . In another part of his environmental work, he works with the Vermont nonprofit One Tree Planted to plant three trees in Indonesia for every chair sold at Bali Bungalow.
