TLR Eclectic

growing needs and our expanding business. From your home to your office, our buyers select from a vast range of internationally recognized brand names you can shop in our showrooms. We offer one-of-a-kind pieces custom designed and hand-crafted in our TLR Joinery workshop.

[ our history in brief ]
In 1993, we opened our doors as The Living Room in Dar es Salaam, showcasing imported home furnishings. The store was the first of its kind in Dar, establishing us as a leader in the industry. In tandem with an extensive network of international manufacturers, buying trips for the showroom took The Living Room to Europe and South East Asia in pursuit of top quality furniture at a value which brought high street furnishings to the Dar es Salaam show rooms. Five short years later, in another strategic decision, The Living Room made the leap into selling office furniture. The business grew solely through word of mouth and business-to-business sales, and twelve years later, office furniture sales now account for 70% of TLR’s revenue.

[ about the founder ]
Born and raised in Tanzania, Company Chairman and Founder, Mr. Dilip Kanabar has built TLR Eclectic living by the Mantra “There are no shortcuts to success. One has to work hard and make smart decisions”. This vision and passion have been the backbone to the TLR’s success as the country’s leading premium furniture outlet. Before entering the furniture market, Mr. Kanabar’s taste for quality and style led him into importing name brand tailored suits from Europe, bringing the design sophistication of brands such as Christian Dior and Yves St. Laurent to Tanzania. It wasn’t until the purchase of his first home in Dar es Salaam and his fruitless search for furniture that spoke to his style and tastes, that he decided to import the furniture designs he wanted. The beginnings of the dynasty were laid and in 1993, The Living Room was established with headquarters on Nyerere Road Dar es Salaam. As the company’s evolution continues, TLR Eclectic remains grounded in what Mr. Kanabar began and what we stand for; a delightful experience, great assortments, and incredible attention to detail. With no project too large or client too small, at TLR Eclectic we pride ourselves in our guarantee: to deliver the most professional service, personal attention and retail excitement for you, our customer. From the very beginning, we’ve upheld the notion that `no’ is not in our vocabulary. There’s always a way if you care. And we do.

[ a word on the word eclectic ]
e.clec.tic; Eclecticism combines elements from a variety of furniture genres; traditional, classic, neo-classic, rustic, contemporary, and modern, so when you are eclectic, you choose individual elements from a variety of styles that are unique to you. That make you eclectic. That let you be original. We’ve re-designed our showrooms and added lots of new styles on our floors, so we needed a word that would house all of our offerings - eclectic: a space for all things artful, creative, and functional. We want you to be able to express yourself. Your style says so much about who you are. Every piece of furniture you buy expresses a little about you. Your furniture tells part of your story and your dreams. You don’t settle for what’s utilitarian or disposable because you’re collecting things that have meaning and reflect your singular style.

[ the upside down chair ]
The only way to be truly original is to connect to your core. The original you. And to connect to yourself, you have to be willing to identify the good, the bad and the ugly. Everyone has their own way of doing this. Whatever path you choose, you’re mining yourself for the unique way you be you. And this inquiry is going to bring you to an emotional state; an intentional moment; an accessible place; an inspirational gesture. With these tools, you get to stitch together the fabric of what makes yourself, who you are and what you believe in, and what you do to say something about who you are. Otherwise you’re just another sheep in the flock. The chair represents the one unifying piece of furniture for TLR eclectic. Ubiquitous, non-de script, generic. Turned upside down, the one single chair becomes a shape, a sculpture, a graphic, a symbol that makes it so much more than a chair. It personifies ‘be original’.

“The way to be truly original is to connect to your core. You have to be willing to identify the good, the bad and the ugly.”