"Batavia Home"
The Collection Magazine, September 2004
Although her professional training is in business, Widya Pertusi of Batavia Home, 356 Springfield Avenue, Summit, definitely has an artist's eye and sensibility. This beautiful new store is filled with furniture, ceramics, and accessories that are creatively displayed in arrangements that make it warm and inviting, like a lovely home.
Widya was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and came to the United States in 1991 to attend the University of Denver. She went on to earn an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, where she met her husband, Paul, a Basking Ridge native. After graduation, they decided to make their home in New Jersey.
Following several years of work in the business world, and after conversations with her sisters about how she should have her own business, Widya ventured into the retail world. Long familiar with the beautiful arts and crafts that are produced in her native Indonesia, she knew that these were what she wanted to showcase in her new store. "I wanted to feature the beautiful craftsmanship of my native country, to introduce the people here to some of the uniqueness of my Indonesian culture, " Widya said.
Batavia Home certainly reflects that. Laid out almost like a home, with warm bright colors on the walls, hanging curtains for accents, a wood floor highlighted with carpets, and dining table sets laid with lovely handcrafted ceramics, the shopper almost wants to sit down and relax in one of the chairs on display! The furniture is teak wood rubbed to a rich patina. Exquisite landscape images of Bali hang on the walls. Unique accent pieces, pillows, runners, and duvets, are elegantly displayed on the coffee and end tables and among the chairs and a classic four-poster bed. Widya's interior design consultant, who selected the colors and "look" for the store, is a friend who designed the new Bloomingdale's department store in SoHo in New York City.
Batavia is the old name for Jakarta. It hearkens back to the days of Dutch colonialism, when the Dutch ruled the islands of Indonesia, called for many years the Dutch East Indies. The Indonesian furniture that is displayed in Batavia Home reflects a European influence in its design. "Everything in the store is handmade," Widya explained. "The furniture and accessories in Batavia Home reflect a distinctive Southeast Asian craftsmanship fused with 19th century European classic design.
Designing and choosing which pieces to purchase and display in Batavia Home are integral parts of Widya's responsibility. Traveling several times a year, she brings in what aesthetically appeals to her and claims her choices are "instinctual." "I always try to bring harmony and balance to my own home, so when I design or select the furniture pieces, I instinctively apply the same thought process," Widya confided. Judging by what is displayed in the store, her instincts are very good! She says the public's response has been very positive. "We're doing well for a new business," she added. "We received such a warm welcome that we now feel part of the neighborhood."
If you're looking for distinctive yet classic furniture and beautiful ceramics and accent pieces, stop in Batavia Home to see what they have to offer!
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