Round And Round Gallery: The Quaintest Lifestyle Store For Fans Of Slow Living
Our kinda of place to slow down for art and tea lovers
The founders of the poetic crafts and object concept store Round And Round Gallery want you to pause, breathe and take in beauty. Gu Tiantong and Deng Chao, who started the place with their background in collaborating with artists from Japan and China, and curating exhibitions for them; and Jane Cai, who’s behind the tea room Inner Teahouse, which opened within the same space in December 2024. Says Cai: “We wanted to provide a tranquil environment for art and tea enthusiasts – a place where people can reconnect with themselves, cherish the present moment, and find their inner peace amidst the hustle and bustle of life.”
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: With years of experience curating exhibitions for artists from China, Japan and Singapore, its founders decided to channel their love for arts and crafts into a permanent physical space in March 2024 and turn it into a lifestyle for all to enjoy. Besides retailing paintings, decorative objects and plenty of teaware – all lovingly handcrafted – there’s a tea room within dubbed Inner Teahouse, which opened late last year.
The tea room, Inner Teahouse, opened within the same space in December 2024. Jane Cai, a 30-year-old tea enthusiast who previously worked in the construction industry and now runs the space, says: “We wanted to create a tranquil environment for art and tea lovers — a place where people can reconnect with themselves, cherish the present moment, and find inner peace amidst life’s hustle and bustle.”
WHO’S BEHIND IT: Architectural designer‐turned‐artist Deng Chao, 32, and architecture PhD student Gu Tiantong, 31, are the originators. The 30‐year‐old Jane Cai – a like‐minded tea enthusiast who was formerly in the construction industry – joined the team three months ago to set up and run Inner Teahouse.
WHERE IT’S LOCATED: #01‐46 at the bohemian arts enclave that’s 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace. Says Deng: “This place is a small utopia for many of us. All the shop owners around us are gentle and lovely people, each with their own creative vision ... The community is a perfect starting point for anyone to try something new and you’ll not find such a space in Singapore anymore.”
Gu Tiantong and Deng Chao co-founded the space, drawing on their expertise in collaborating with artists from Japan and China, as well as curating exhibitions for them.
WHY YOU’LL KEEP GOING BACK: A visit will give you the mental getaway you need when you’re caught up with the chaos of, well, life. Peruse its eclectic range of artistic handmade vessels in a tranquil home‐like setting that’s the stuff of slow living Pinterest boards. As Deng puts it: “Having a physical store is critical to us ... The texture, traces of handwork and changing colours of a craft object under different lighting conditions can only be truly experienced in person.” The service at the reservations‐only Inner Teahouse is equally romantic: It seats only up to four, and Cai walks you through the origins and brewing process of the exquisite range of teas – all served in the same sort of vessels sold on site – with such elegance and poetry, it’s hard not to be charmed.
This article first appeared in the March 2025 Great Fashion Edition of FEMALE