Singaporean furniture brand Cellini will turn 40 next year, celebrating four decades of sculptural metalwork, family leadership, and a vertically integrated business model.
Founder Tan Cheng Whatt, now 79, first conceived the company in 1960s Florence. There, he was captivated by Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus With The Head Of Medusa. The Renaissance bronze, with its hidden internal structure, revealed how metal could be transformed into fluid, enduring shapes.
“It was so fascinating—centuries ago, they could produce scaffold sculptures,” Tan said. The experience, along with British sculptor Henry Moore’s organic forms, inspired him to create furniture that combined industrial precision with artistic curves.
From shipyard components to sculptural furniture
Tan studied metallurgy in West Germany on a Public Service Commission scholarship before returning to Singapore. After completing his bond at National Engineering Services, he spent years casting specialized components for Jurong Shipyard, delivering heavy machinery parts himself in a pickup truck.
The 1985 recession eliminated shipyard orders, prompting a shift. A sleek London desk with cast aluminum legs became his next inspiration. “I realized I could use my engineering skills to make a coffee table,” he recalled. In 1986, he launched Cellini with $180,000.
Early success arrived during Singapore’s HDB boom. A rotating TV console with a cassette cabinet became a bestseller.
Cellini’s production process remains entirely in-house. While most brands outsource manufacturing, the company oversees every stage—from foundries and chemical pre-treatment to welding, polishing, and leather-sewing.
Related: Reasons to Hire Professional Services for HOA Management
Its luxury furniture showroom in Singapore reflects this approach, blending craftsmanship with accessibility.
A family affair, tested by crises
Cellini has weathered multiple challenges. The 1997 Asian financial crisis left the company unable to pay 11 months of rent for its Defu Lane factory. The pandemic brought another trial: 50 showrooms closed, revenue vanished, and payroll loomed.
The family reduced their salaries, and employees followed without protest. Instead of slowing production, they accelerated it. “Our best sales came during 2021 to 2022,” Janice Tan said. “While others struggled with supply chain issues, we built inventory.”
Today, Cellini runs 50 showrooms across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Its commercial projects include Marina Bay Sands casinos and luxury resorts like the Maldives’ Huvafen Fushi. Yet in Singapore, many still mistake it for an imported brand.
The company’s endurance is a family achievement. Tan’s son Janssen, 52, serves as group finance director, while his daughter Janice, 51, is the group marketing director, and her husband Jason Hong, 52, is the group managing director. Their son, Tyrus Hong, 25, joined as a product designer in June after training at Lasalle College of the Arts.
Tan, now semi-retired, still experiments in his home workshop, crafting Medusa figurines and other designs—skills he honed through online tutorials. His grandson assists him, passing knowledge between generations.
The brand’s 40th anniversary arrives in October 2026. For now, its headquarters and experience center remain in Changi South Street 2, where metal continues to be shaped into art.
