FURNITURE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY (FDT) explores how top brands achieve a harmonious blend of craftsmanship and machinery in the world of luxury bespoke furniture.
India- an ever-expanding luxury market the luxury market in India is poised for growth; a report by KPMG suggests that it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% over the next few years. The high demand of luxury homes, increasing disposable income of consumers and the growing trend of urbanization have been cited as the primary drivers for this development. Likewise the sale of luxury homes Anarock Property Consultants point out has scaled up by 115% in the first nine months of 2023. The market for luxury interior décor in India is expected to reach $30 billion by 2025. A significant portion of this growth will be powered by Tier II and Tier III cities. Nevertheless this will amplify the sale of luxury furniture, a fact which is backed by Mordor Intelligence’s report on Indian Luxury Furniture Market. The report predicts India Luxury Furniture Market size estimated at USD 4.35 billion in 2024, is likely to reach USD 5.35 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.24% between 2024 and 2029.
Customization has always been the backbone of the Indian furniture industry also since it made way for an exposition of intricate craftsmanship. Karigars use to craft pieces which would last for subsequent generations. Designing and creating such furniture pieces, however, demanded a significant amount of time.
Apartment9’s Delhi-designed entertainment lounge in a basement exudes inviting comfort with playful textures and a palette of blues, greens, blacks, and golds. The dappled chandelier light softens the mood, complementing a vibrant blue sofa, while neutral tones in another corner come to life with handpicked accessories.The Industrial Revolution simplified the furniture manufacturing process. It made way for bulk production of furniture pieces in varied colour, design and finishes. People didn’t have to wait endlessly to make a purchase; it is easier to procure a single piece or more.
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Having said that, the demand for high-end custom designed luxurious furniture pieces continues to remain popular; this popularity is largely due to the micro-level customization that can be achieved. Such customization results in the creation of personalized and unique one-off pieces. The fact that these pieces are handmade using age old techniques and high-quality materials, also turn out to be the USP.
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Offering his insight on luxury furniture, Hardesh Chawla, Director, Essentia Environment, and Gurugram says, “Luxury, by definition means exclusivity. Usually, when you consider the upper echelon of luxury, even in Europe, things are always handmade. Look at Birkin bags, or any Patek Philippe watch. Most of the delicate finishing work done on such items is by hand by super skilled workers. Even Rolls Royce doesn’t get finished until someone draws a straight line across its body by hand! However, just the fact that something is handmade doesn’t make it a luxury object. The most important components of luxury objects are the high-quality materials and superior workmanship. Today, fortunately, both are available in India in abundance.” Essentia Environments is a 25-year-old brand that commenced its journey in 1999. Today, it engages in the business of design, turnkey build solutions, manufacturing, and supplying furniture, wardrobes, millwork, along with decor accessories.
In the modern world, where time has emerged as a crucial factor, machines have become the need of the hour. There is nothing like completely machine-made or handmade while designing bespoke furniture. Amalgamation of techniques is at play brands have been utilising the services of skilled karigars while using machines like CNC routers, panel saws, edge banders etc., to get the desired fineness and quality.
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Speaking on the unique blend of machines and craftsmen, Kashish Raheja, Creative Head, ANCA, Delhi-NCR says, “The use of craftsmen and machines depends solely on the type of furniture piece being conceived. In contemporary times, machines serve as an additional form of intelligence, with technology acting as a tool to streamline processes and meet deadlines. There are tasks that may take significantly longer or be impossible to achieve manually, highlighting the efficiency machines offer as an extension of our capabilities.”
ANCA 1985 is a 38 years old furniture manufacturing brand with and in-house furniture manufacturing facility spread across three acres in Noida.
Product- Coffee Table & Cabinet | Collection- The Ganga Collection Brand- Essentia EnvironmentsSeconding the opinion, Juhi Jolly, Director, Home ET TU, Delhi says, “We, as a brand, maintain an identity that embraces both the human touch and the advantages of machinery know-how. This approach assists us in cultivating a deeper understanding of our products and in developing an extensive and exclusive range for our clients.” Home Et Tu is a luxury furniture brand that designs bespoke Furniture, Wardrobes, Kitchens, Mill Work, Washroom Vanities and Window Dressings.
In the realm of luxury furniture, machines have ensured that the tale of craftsmanship and bespokeness continues without stretched time limits. It has yielded positive results even in scenarios where quantity comes into the picture.
Design By Zayin LivingTalking about how Zayin Living achieves the delicate balance of machinery and craftsmanship while also keeping a tab on the quantity of pieces desired, Lata Valia, Founder & Director,
Zayin Home Living, Mumbai says, “In the world of luxury bespoke furniture, each piece is a testament to the delicate balance between machine precision and skilled craftsmen. The use of advanced machinery, including CNC routers and panel saw machines, ensures clean cuts, standardized quality, and helps in optimizing production processes. Yet, it is the meticulous touch of skilled artisans that transforms each creation into a work of art.”
“Handcrafted embellishments including intricate carvings, unique textures, and precise detailing,” she exclaims “breathe life into the furniture. This symbiotic relationship between technology and artisanal expertise, enhanced by CNC routers and panel saw machines, defines our philosophy. It results in creation of pieces that not only meet the highest standards of craftsmanship but also carry the soulful essence of human artistry. Thanks to these advanced machines, it allows us to scale up our production volumes without compromising on quality and precision.”
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Custom- made Bed by Home Et Tu, DelhiThe most crucial aspect of designing bespoke furniture is striking the right balance between workmanship and machinery. For example, machines can handle the fitting and finishing work while the design can be handcrafted. Each furniture piece has unique requirements, and the work is tailored accordingly. Additionally, many brands are collaborating with global designers to invoke exclusivity in furniture design, catering to various interior styles.
Talking about the same, Anuja Gupta Founder & Creative Director, Apartment9, and Delhi says, “At Apartment9, we offer a range of styles from French Modern to classic contemporary to monochromatic. In India’s luxury bespoke furniture industry, handcrafted and machinemade elements must collaborate seamlessly. For instance, while machines assist with veneer finishes, lacquer handling, and polyester application, manual dexterity remains essential. It’s all about finding a balance. In our French or European classic collections, hand carving is indispensable; the precision achieved by hand cannot be replicated by machines. However, when aiming for clean lines and impeccable finishes, machines play a vital role. Achieving harmony between handcraftsmanship and machinery is the key.” Founded in 2005, Apartment9 balances contemporary and traditional styles to curate innovative and unique spaces.
The future of luxury bespoke furniture in India is very bright due to the availability of high-quality materials, machinery and abundance of craftsmanship which when blended together, results in formation of stunning furniture pieces. Following the footsteps of ‘Make in India’, there are a number of home-grown brands that are crafting superior quality, fully- customized luxury furniture pieces at par with their European counterparts.
How the craftsmen work; image shared by Zayin LivingHardesh envisions reversing the trend of importing European Furniture and becoming an export major in the furniture segment particularly to the European countries. He says, “At Essentia Environments, we have put all our skilled artisans on the payroll. This ensures that they are not under any pressure to deliver a certain quantity on a daily or weekly basis, and can focus on delivering the perfect output. When we combine this with evolved sensibility the result is a product, which in my opinion, is far superior to what India has been importing from Europe at much higher rates.”
Furniture Design by ANCA 1985Supporting the vision, Gupta opines, “Unless someone is exclusively looking for a name tag, the current Indian Luxury brands are leaps and bound ahead of their European counterparts in terms of quality, designs and pricing.” In alignment with these sentiments, FURNITURE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY (FDT) asserts that the essence lies in the design process and its execution. Combining handmade craftsmanship with modern machinery yields breathtaking masterpieces and achieves designs that were once deemed unattainable. Machinery facilitates the fusion of diverse materials to craft distinctive furniture pieces, offering the advantage of combining the finest aspects of both worlds.
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