Date With The Orient

Ancient rosewood sideboards with fire breathing dragons. Ornate birchwood sofa sets with phoenix carved in. Gilded bowls, lacquered trays...

Ancient rosewood sideboards with fire breathing dragons. Ornate birchwood sofa sets with phoenix carved in. Gilded bowls, lacquered trays and unique art panels. This collector8217;s dream-come-true exhibition, Window to the Orient, was organised by Jyoti Punj Anand of The Inside Story at the India Habitat Centre8217;s Exhibition Hall this week.

8220;Everywhere you go in India, you see teak, teak and more teak,8221; says Anand, explaining why she decided to bring the exhibition-cum-sale of authentic Oriental furniture to Delhi, 8220;My clients were complaining they only saw Italian lines so I decided to do something different.8221; So, for four months she toured China, Japan, Vietnam and Korea sourcing the exquisite pieces. Now even Anand has forgotten which piece is from where. 8220;They all use mother-of-pearl inlay work and lacquer finishes and the motifs 8212; dragons, lotus ponds, bamboo bushes 8212; are the same too,8221; she defends.

Anand has some very unique displays at the exhibition. For one, the birchwood furniture is of the exotic burl variety, which is quite rare. The gilded bowls and trays are not painted but have gold leaf work. The fine lacquer finish often comprises more than 40 coats. Some of the panel paintings are done with crushed and pigmented shells. 8220;The idea is not to go completely Oriental but to select a few pieces and blend it with your home8217;s decor,8221; says Anand, 8220;The exhibition is basically targeting the older generation, but some of the lighter pieces would fit into any home.8221;

Anand, who trained at the Inchbald School of Design in London and launched The Inside Story in 8217;90, firmly believes in the importance of sound training. 8220;The standards here are quite pathetic,8221; dismisses this perfectionist, who has also done follow-up courses in upholstery, wood turning and polishing. 8220;There is a real need for professional grounding. How can I stimulate my team if I8217;m not informed myself?8221; she questions.

She was always interested in furniture, as it is such an integral part of a room8217;s interiors. However, apart from designing for her showroom, she does offices, restaurants and homes with TGIF rating as a special success. 8220;Luckily, these are always short term projects, so I8217;m always doing new things,8221; says this interior designer who believes in giving the clients what they want, 8220;I8217;m proud of the fact that I don8217;t have any particular style.8221;

And now that she has built up her team of designers, carpenters, painters and polishers, she can afford to take on a diverse range of projects. 8220;I know I have evolved from when I first opened by showroom in 8217;96,8221; says Anand, 8220;While I8217;ve always had a good eye, I can now tell at a glance what will work, and if not, what the problem is.8221; She attributes all this to her professionalism, commitment to perfectionism and the personal interest she takes at every stage. 8220;I don8217;t just give orders and then forget about it,8221; she insists, 8220;I approach each project with equal enthusiasm.8221;

While Anand grumbles she hardly gets anytime to herself, she enjoys freaking out with friends and family or laughing it out with a riotous comedy film. She also enjoys working out, but if she8217;s home alone, relaxes with books on art and furniture. Anand, along with husband Gautam, doesn8217;t believe in planning too far ahead. 8220;Five Year Plans don8217;t work for me,8221; she protests, 8220;But I know I8217;ll keep trying out something new, for I hate monotony and am easily bored.8221;