Handcrafted marquetry furniture brings nature motifs to modern interiors

In her latest launch, designer Swetha Vegesana reimagines nature through intricate marquetry craftsmanship, using natural wood to create a calm, garden-inspired narrative expressed through clean geometric designs. Her Hyderabad-based design studio, Intent Made, specialises in handcrafted luxury furniture that merges traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern architectural precision.

Handcrafted detailing that brings wood to life

Each table reflects a thoughtful engagement with material, where the inherent character of timber becomes central to the design language. The chequerboard surfaces are crafted from contrasting solid wood pieces, each selected for its natural tone, grain, and subtle variation, creating a composition that is visually striking yet grounded in authenticity.

For Swetha, the inspiration was nature itself, along with a desire to capture fleeting moments in a lasting material. “There is no grandeur of the landscape here; instead, you will find a bird poised on a branch, the delicate flutter of butterflies, and the stillness that exists within movement. I have tried to translate these natural motifs into wood, reflecting the harmony between architectural order and the softness of the natural world,” she explains.

So, what was the idea behind choosing marquetry as the main technique? “Marquetry was chosen because it turns the surface of furniture into a layered, expressive design. Instead of adding decoration on top, the pattern is built into the wood, so it feels natural and part of the material itself. There is both precision and artistry, made possible through the careful selection and placement of individual wooden pieces. Another advantage of marquetry is that it creates subtle shifts in tone, depth, and movement, lending the motifs remarkable richness,” she adds.

The collection uses a combination of solid woods selected for their individual tones, grain patterns, and natural warmth. Contrasting species are arranged to create the checkered base, while different woods are layered in the marquetry to achieve depth and tonal variation, allowing bird and butterfly motifs to emerge organically.

“We have used solid woods like rosewood, teak, vengai, ash, and cedar, which allow the inherent beauty of the timber to define the visual character of each piece,” says Swetha. She adds that the motifs are created using hand-cut marquetry—a meticulous process where individual wood pieces are precisely cut and assembled to form each image.

Every motif is broken down into smaller sections, with each piece crafted from a carefully chosen wood species based on tone and grain. These are then joined to create the final composition. “This technique allows the detailing to come entirely from natural variations in the wood, giving the birds and butterflies a sense of depth and movement,” she says.

Price on request. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

@ManuVipin

For more updates, join/follow our

https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n

https://t.me/+qUK5DvyQQJI2NWFl

https://www.youtube.com/indulgeexpress