Meru Design was founded on the island of Bali n the Dutch West Indies. Our buyers travel throughout Indonesia, to Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores, Sumbawa, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Timor to find our unique pieces.
We take a strong, environmentally conscious approach to furniture design through an innovative recycling method. Our buyers in Indonesia purchase old houses, Dutch colonial sugar mills, tools, instruments and boat parts made from teak.
This historic wood is then hand crafted by native Indonesian artisans. These craftsmen use primitive tools and traditional techniques. Once the piece has been completed, it is individually hand-finished using a traditional, natural process.
The word Meru, which is derived from Hindu, means cosmic mountain. High in the Himalayas, the birthplace of Hinduism, lies the sacred Mt. Shivaling. This enormous mountain represents Shiva, who according to Hindu tradition is the creator and destroyer of all things. Mt. Meru lies next to Mt. Shivaling and is said to stand in protection of Shiva.
For hundreds of years on the Hindu island of Bali, the Balinese have built multi-tiered temples, called Merus, to represent this sacred mountain. The tiered roofs are always built with odd numbers from one to eleven, the highest number eleven, representing Shiva.
Meru Design strives to find and create unique pieces that embody the spirit of Indonesia.
