A new brand of furniture introduced in Mumbai seeks to fulfill all those fantasies one may have nurtured about living amidst old-world elegance. The newly-opened company, named Master Pieces, says it is committed to the idea of reviving the magic of period furniture. The brand recreates the European classical furniture of the 18th and 19th centuries with its intricate designs and carvings. The company says every piece is made of the best quality teak wood. Apparently, not an inch of ply or veneer is used. The in-house team of designers and craftsmen ensures that no design is repeated and is difficult to duplicate.Proprietor Inseeyah Ezzuddin, herself an interior designer, has chosen a rather unlikely location to display her wares, though. The mill area of Mazagaon would not qualify as a prime spot for a trendy furniture store. But Ms Ezzuddin defends her reasons for having opted for the place. "Well, people travel all the way to Navi Mumbai on the outskirts of the city to purchase furniture from some new showrooms that have come up in that area.
We are more accessible than those, and besides, our kind of furniture has little or no competition," she claims. "So anyone looking for period furniture would come to us. Besides, in the US and in England, you will find that the warehouses are situated on the periphery of the city. After all, that is where one finds the space for display and parking."
Ms Ezzuddin says her showroom, which has a display area of about 1,500 sq ft, allows her to show off a wide range of products, which would not be possible if she had a smaller place in a prime location. The display at Master Pieces includes 18th century two-pillared, D-ended dining tables, dining chair sets with wooden top tables, and bow-shaped top rail dining chairs with glass topped rectangular tables. Also, there are serpentine writing tables, open-elbowed and shield-shaped chairs, traditional bureau bookcases, and an entire range of Victorian furniture including tea tables, gold gilt serpentine tables, side tables and tray tables.
Naturally, these masterpieces do not come cheap. "The tables cost upwards of Rs 3,000 and are really worth it; they are beautiful, sturdy and practical.
Our chairs are priced around Rs 8,000-12,000 a piece. If you compare our furniture with other brands available in the market, you will find that our carving details are very precise and our lines rather elegant. Indeed, we are not pricing our products high, because we are just starting off and want to ascertain the response to our brand. Once the demand goes up, we will either adjust the price or increase production," says Ms Ezzuddin.
The Ezzuddins travelled to Europe in search of authentic designs and brought over expert carvers from West Bengal. "These workers are skilled at providing the shellac finish which lends a lovely, satiny sheen to our furniture," says Ms Ezzuddin. Master Pieces is targeting corporate houses and hotels to sell its range to, and also hopes its pieces will impress interior designers and architects.
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
