About Us

The best of West Coast and Japanese studio furniture and lighting

The Kozai Style in Vancouver Canada brings together a tightly edited and exclusive collection of the very best of local West Coast studio furniture and artisan lighting, complemented by carefully selected chair and lighting lines from Japan. 

Our collection reflects a fusion of mid-century modern, open West Coast sensibilities, a less is more aesthetic, and superb West Coast and Japanese craftsmanship. Most importantly, our pieces celebrate the unique character and personality of each and every piece of solid hardwood. Our name Kozai (literally hard material in Japanese) is a woodworking term used by Japanese craftsmen to designate hardwoods

Kozai was opened in 2003 by Ron Cromie, a long-time resident of Japan and China who has always had a fascination with furniture and furniture making. He was soon joined by Hideki Shimizu who was born in Tokyo Japan, studied fine arts in the U.S. and London, and has a passion for design and an eye for detail.

In our early years, Kozai focused on the meticulously crafted studio furniture and lighting we had seen living in Japan. Since then we have have increasingly focused on the best of the burgeoning studio furniture scene in Vancouver. At the same time we continue to add to our Japanese lines, especially chairs, at which Japanese workshops excel both in attention to detail and ergonomic comfort. 

Whether Canadian or Japanese, our artisans design from a thorough understanding of material and craft. Their designs are clean and simple, and focus on ergonomic comfort and end-use.

Kozai clients are increasingly international and we can ship just about anywhere in the world. In recent years, in addition to the U.S., we have shipped both furniture and lighting products to London, Italy, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Japan. 

Architects & Interior Designers

We welcome contract orders from accredited architects, interior design firms, furniture specifiers, and project managers.

On the lighting side we have worked with designers to some of the world's leading luxury hotel groups, including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. We have also supplied both lighting and furniture to high-end residential show suites locally and abroad. Where cost and time effective, larger orders of Japanese items can be shipped directly from Japan to the destination site.