Urban Living Perfected
Style, scale and comfort come together exquisitely at apt. by HomeWorld.
Local fans of modern urban home design, rejoice: apt. by HomeWorld is celebrating its one-year anniversary as metro Honolulu’s freshest shop for sleek furnishings. The latest enterprise launched by the C.S. Wo & Sons family of companies brings the longstanding furniture retailer into the city-dwelling circles of today, as apt. spotlights pieces that are smartly selected to complement condominiums in the area.
“apt. directly reflects our values and mission to be the best home furnishings retailer through innovation, exceptional value, continuous improvement and ultimate customer experiences,” says Damian Pherigo of the C.S. Wo & Sons executive team. “One constant since our founding in 1909 has been change, and our willingness to evolve our business to meet the needs of our local community.”
Located on Ward Avenue, apt. is a bright and contemporary shop that was previously the site of C.S. Wo & Sons’ Ashley Homestore. In 2022, C.S. Wo & Sons had an opportunity to open a larger Ashley space at its flagship location on Beretania Street. This decision was a win-win, with the new Ashley location providing room for more robust offerings alongside C.S. Wo & Sons’ HomeWorld, Red Knot and namesake brands. The debut of apt. in Kakaako in 2023 was tailored to the town’s growing population.
The showroom features “vignettes” with arrangements of complementary pieces as examples of scale and design combinations.
One of apt.’s bestsellers, the “Isanti” set by Ashley, includes a sleek table with chairs and a bench for modern living spaces.
Pops of color from the cushions included with the “Cashton” sofa and loveseat lines by Ashley exude contemporary Island flair.
“While Ashley provides exceptional value to Hawaii, we recognized that HomeWorld, Red Knot, and C.S. Wo & Sons also offer products well-suited to the scale and style preferences of many urban Honolulu residents,” explains Pherigo. “We saw an opportunity to better serve this community by curating products from all our brands, as well as new products from our trusted vendors, that aligned with their specific needs and lifestyles.”
The name apt., a play on the abbreviation for “apartment” and pronounced A-P-T, highlights the brand’s forward-thinking approach. “We wanted a name and brand image that captured these concepts and evoked a sense of Island urban high-rise living while being slightly edgy and not overly literal,” says Pherigo.
Dana Uyeno, sales manager at apt., works with homeowners to find the perfect furnishings for their needs.
The “Mansfield” wood accent chair by Jonathan Louis is a popular item with a whimsical print.
“When developing our newest concept for our Ward Avenue store, we selected smaller-scale and modular furniture to accommodate those living in the surrounding condos from trusted high-quality vendors,” he adds. “We also aimed to reflect the community’s architecture and lifestyle through contemporary yet natural urban Island styles that are approachable and not overly trend-forward.”
With furnishings and accessories from sought-after brands like Four Hands, Natuzzi Editions, Urban Chic, Palliser and more, apt. showcases the best in comfort and aesthetics. Pops of color, soothing neutrals, cozy textures and refreshing organic forms are hits with customers. For an elevated, one-stop shopping experience, apt. also offers customers the chance to create “room bundles,” with a discount taken off the purchase of multiple complementary furnishings to easily outfit any space.
As with all brands under the C.S. Wo & Sons parent company, homeowners can shop at apt. with trusted guidance from knowledgeable staff. According to Pherigo, who is part of the fourth generation of the Wo ohana, customer service with aloha has anchored the family-owned enterprise for more than a century. Ching Sing Wo opened his first general store in downtown Honolulu in 1909, and apt. is the latest venture in a historic local legacy.
“Just as customer needs and business conditions have changed over the past 115 years, we continue to evolve as part of our commitment to deliver the ultimate customer experience,” says Pherigo.
Learn more about apt. by HomeWorld and shop its online inventory at homeworld.com/apt.
Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.
