new java santai is a project to explore and develop contemporary javanese design. it is based in yogyakarta, the center of arts and creative industries in java.
we founded santai because despite the rich artistic heritage, strong daily-life creativity and beautiful tropical materials, it is difficult to find good contemporary javanese furniture. santai wants to change that. we want to create stunning designs that are inspired by the javanese culture and portray the true beauty and transport the lifestyle of java. santai furniture have the great chance to
21/08/2026
The RAKYAT line is solely crafted from recycled teak of old houses.
It is our contribution to a circular economy: Reusing aged teak, transforming it into new long lasting furniture and enabling repeated refurnishing by solid construction and modular elements.
Our goal is to keep the reclaimed teak in a cycle for as long as possible to protect it from rotting or burning and ultimately releasing carbon back to the atmosphere.
31/07/2026
In Java, people don’t just “sit”. They “jegang” with one leg up, “ongkang-ongkang” with legs hanging down and “sila” with their legs crossed.
Acknowledging such naturally cool sitting styles, RAKYAT furniture encourages to sit beyond conventions. By adding a footrest in a seemingly disturbing spot for example, to invite you to raise one leg up.
22/07/2026
The RAKYAT low-backrest stool is a space-efficient and visually light sitting furniture, that still provides an essential support for the lower back. It is just enough to lean back and rest a bit, while not overpowering the room.
The thin backrest and slim legs are the result of our analysis of Javanese street furniture. Here, daily life carpenters work with a very wide basic seat frame that allows all other elements to be exceptionally thin and therefore highly material efficient.
The new low-backrest stool comes with the option of a solid or upholstered seat and various finishing choices such as natural, black or walnut stain.
18/07/2026
The RAKYAT sofa draws inspiration from simply-assembled rest platforms, found in cozy corners across Java.
The furniture evolves around a core rectangular frame to which the verticals are attached. This intuitive technique creates a boxy and calm aesthetic that allows fine details to claim the spotlight: the exposed end-grain squares at the end of components and the colorful array of handwoven Tenun Lurik cushions on top of a plain surface.
The backside of the sofa is designed to be exposed in the center of a room, with thin components creating a skeleton-like look and underscoring RAKYAT’s emphasize on material efficiency.
Images by Volo Studio.
Join us for the launch of our new RAKYAT line at 2026, 11 - 21. June 2026, .
RAKYAT
Appreciating everyday people’s sense of aesthetics, wisdom in carpentry and ability to create lasting products from leftover materials.
Rakyat [Indonesian: everyday people, folks].
08/06/2026
Reclaimed teak, rectangular shapes and exposed end grain. The new design language, informed by core elements of Javanese street carpentry.
The RAKYAT side chair is complemented with a handwoven ‘Tenun Lurik’ signature fabric from Jogja.
Images by .yk.
06/06/2026
Hidden in plain sight across Java, surrounding us in daily settings: an incredible pool of street carpentry, sitting styles and joinery details.