SOBA 2026 MANIFESTO

When warm hugs and the circle of our closest people gather to mark the turn of the New Year, we love to pause for a moment. To look at what remains behind us, and what is yet to come.

Every year, we write a small "manifesto" - not to leave it as just a pretty sentence on paper, but to serve as a reminder of our focus. A reminder of what we do, and how we do it.

This year, we are highlighting one word: Coexistence.

It sounds simple, yet it is often the hardest thing to achieve. And usually, the obstacles are us. In an industry where we deal with spaces and furniture that can change the atmosphere of a home, a hotel, or an office, it is sad to see how much energy is sometimes wasted on the race, instead of the service. On "winning the job" at any cost, instead of creating a meaningful relationship with our customers and an experience that lasts.

In our region, there are numerous showrooms, furniture stores, and concept stores. We would all benefit from collaborating, not competing, but rather as colleagues. 

This would benefit all, but mostly the people who come to us, because we could provide a clearer and more honest selection, and direct the client to where it truly excels. 

No showroom is (and never will be) big enough to cover everything alone.
And size is not the criterion for quality.

The same applies to the way we communicate. Inspiration is important, but copying is a short-term solution. If we all offer the same thing, the market becomes noisy and saturated. People get confused, prices are driven down, and a job that should be creative and joyful becomes an exhausting race.

At SOBA, we love what we do, and we want that to be felt. Thank you for recognizing this—especially through your honest Google reviews, without sugarcoating, and with concrete feedback. This is precious to us because it holds us accountable and makes us better.

So, what does coexistence actually mean for us?

For us, it means:

Less chit-chat, more real talk.
Less typing, more doing.
A more relatable vibe, fewer cold digits.

Money comes and goes. Good design remains. And the people who work with integrity remain.

That is why we choose to be better together, and not to forget to pause and thank everyone who brought us to this point.

People are our power.

Whether professionals or design enthusiasts. Whether it is a single piece or a whole universe of items in the bill of quantities for a large-scale hospitality project, it is all equally important to us. We approach everything seriously, with full attention.

And lastly: It is our responsibility to offer impeccable service, to act as a valuable ally to the brands we showcase, to our esteemed collaborators...to our clientele.

For the days ahead of us,
CEO and owner of Soba,

Mario Vurdelja