This Punjab-based design studio is creating furniture that preserves the memory of trees

Punjab-based design house Studio Pallavi’s latest collection, Holding Space, helmed by Srishti and Pamaljeet, reflects a quieter and more intuitive approach to living. Crafted from naturally aged Sheesham wood, the collection brings together traditional joinery, natural finishes, and fluid forms rooted in the philosophy of life-centric design. Inspired by celebrated woodworker George Nakashima’s belief that every piece of wood carries its own character, the studio allows the material itself to guide the design process.

Discovering hidden histories inside Sheesham trees

Every piece begins long before it enters the studio. Trees over 80 years old are sourced locally from Punjab’s Malwa region and naturally seasoned for more than two years without chemical intervention. Each log carries markings formed over decades — flowing grains, knots, cracks, tonal shifts, and irregular edges shaped by weather and time. Rather than concealing these traces, the studio preserves them, allowing the individuality and memory of the material to remain visible. The final pieces are hand-sanded and finished with food-safe tung oil.

Talking about the inspiration behind the collection, Srishti recalls conversations during their time at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. “It was during one of the evenings at NID while we were discussing design as a broader framework rather than just physical objects. Space as a living entity slowly started to take shape — how everyday life is affected by the spaces one inhabits and how being close to nature changes the brain for good,” she says.

As those conversations deepened, so did the idea of Holding Space. “Treating spaces with as much respect as we treat our loved ones because they shape us. The objects we put into a space create ripple effects through constant interaction and therefore must be chosen carefully,” she adds.

The duo believe contemporary design often follows a western frame of reference while overlooking older civilisations and ways of living. “The pieces in the collection may look visually different from their predecessors but they follow the same principle of being low in height, not caging the user in predefined functions, and letting people decide what they want it to become,” says Pamaljeet.

Working with aged wood, they explain, became an emotional experience in itself. “A tree tells a lot of stories. Once sawed into planks, it sits like an open book. One can notice when a storm passed by, when it faced drought, or even where a farmer once hammered a nail to hang clothes,” they say. “Working with it felt like working with something still living, still telling you things, still demanding care.”

One of their favourite discoveries came unexpectedly during the sawing process. “A thick iron nail suddenly disrupted the cutting. The tree had slowly engulfed it over decades,” they recall. “Finding it again felt like uncovering jewellery. It carried stories of people, places, tired evenings and lived histories.” The studio now preserves these rare details in many of its pieces.

The process, however, comes with its own challenges. Since the furniture avoids nails and screws, the joineries have to perform both structurally and visually. “The joineries are unforgiving. One has to understand the grains correctly or the purpose is defeated,” they explain. “The challenge is to ensure the joinery holds the piece together without making the visual language feel complex.”

The collection also carries subtle references to Punjab. Sheesham, fondly called Tahli, is the state tree of Punjab, and the designers wanted the pieces to hold a sense of “Punjabiyat” without forcing symbolism into the work. During the process, they found inspiration in Punjab’s endangered state aquatic animal — a rare dolphin found in the Beas river and Harike wetlands.

Exploring its form led them towards reimagining traditional butterfly joinery into a fish-like shape. “The final form is far from the actual aquatic animal, but it became the starting point for further explorations,” they say. “As function could not be compromised, we moved forward with the form best suited to the wood and the piece itself.”

Prices start at Rs 1 lakh. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

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