This interior designer in Chennai likes creating 'happy furniture'

We’re not sure if Asha Panickar is a fan of Pharrell, but this line of  furniture definitely makes us happy 
This interior designer in Chennai likes creating 'happy furniture'

Asha Panickar likes creating ‘happy furniture’. If you’ve never felt a surge of glee while sitting in your favourite chair in the morning, this interior designer promises to draw it out — quite literally —with hand painted blossoms on your bureau to tables inlaid with crystal. So it’s a bit of a surprise when we find out that Asha, who is past 50, is a former school administrator and until recently, had long left behind her college roots in interior design. “Five years ago, while on a break in Trivandrum I came across a sideboard with the most colourful tiles,” she recalls with delight. Realising how happy it made her feel, she decide to make a second career out of it to spread the love. Asha shares,“I did some research and decided to make furniture that would be so pretty and unusual that it would offer others that very same feeling.”

 With pieces so intricately made that it can take up to six weeks to put together a table — her month-old store Asha Prabhu Designs (the second name is her father’s) in Kilpauk, let’s us know that the business of ‘happy’ takes a marathon of labour hours to get right. 

Asha Panickar
Asha Panickar

One and only

That means two to four weeks for something like Burma Teak to be seasoned. Next up, a round of polish to establish a background colour to the table. And all of this is before an artist can even begin working on design which can take up to a week. Carving with an inlay of stones is a whole other design story. But for this furniture designer, it’s all well worth the effort. The fashion graduate from Sophia Polytechnic in Mumbai reasons that, a one-of-a kind piece makes a fairly good incentive for the discerning customer. “I’ve had friends who’ve bought clothes for Rs15,000 to Rs 20,000 — only to find others wearing the same outfit at a party. I can guarantee that your friends or relatives will not get the same table that you buy for your house,” she asserts. Customised orders that she received so far cover embellishments like inlaid mother of pearl, Swarovski crystal, and tiles that bear  the lustre of what looks like silver and gold, without the excessive price tag.


Forever blossoms


However precious sheen aside, stepping into the 1,200 square foot space which is dominated by a range of bright-coloured sideboards — it’s evident that Asha has a penchant for painted blossoms. “I love flowers and find it difficult to look after flowering plants. I feel sad when a bouquet gets limp, but this way they’ll always stay fresh,” she shares with a broad smile. With shrinking living spaces, her new furniture line that goes by the name ‘Artiture’ also makes it a point to combine aesthetic with functional storage. “Whether it’s a side board, dressing table or a puja cupboard, that is definitely high on the priority list,” Asha assures us.  

Prices: Rs 8,000 to Rs 60,000. Details: 9444670232 or visit ashaprabhu.com

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