Art for arm's sake

Visit the two month old Poltrona Frau at Kala Ghoda for their award-winning furniture art. It's not surprising that a single dining chair here costs more than a roundtrip to Italy

Italian furniture design centre, Poltrona Frau, whose name translates as Frau Armchair, has opened their first outlet in the city. Boasting of an eclectic collection of coffee tables that balance on soft spidery legs, sofas shaped like the pouty lips of Hollywood actress Mae West, and with a founder whose story reminds you of Carlo Collodi's Pinnochio, it's a wonder this store hasn't featured in a Disney movie yet.

"Poltrona Frau was founded by Renzo Frau in 1912," shares Nicola Obert, managing director of the Tata-Poltrona joint venture, and a Google search reveals that the original Frau's "Poltrona" or armchair designing workshop in Turin was a modest space where craftsman designed chairs using the finest quality of wood and leather available.
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In time, his superior products caught the attention of the royal family and in 1926, Poltrona Frau became the official suppliers to the royal household. Incredibly, the company has managed to retain their reputation over the years, teaming up with some of the world's finest designers and architects to create furniture that qualifies as art.

"Every piece that is purchased by us comes with an authenticity tag," Obert points out and shares that occasionally the brand even releases a limited-edition series, "In Cassina's LC 2 series of armchairs (a patented design of renowned Swiss-French artist Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand), the metal frame of the limited edition pieces have a unique blue tinge." A simple yet elegant ivory armchair that we spotted is from the ordinary LC 2 series, Obert reveals, sharing that this piece costs Rs 2,15,000.

More wonders await us on the second level, where the Cappellini line is displayed. Offering the example of what he calls, "the S-bend chair," Obert highlights that several pieces of this collection are on display in New York's Museum of Modern Art. Designed by self-taught British designer, Tom Dixon, this dining chair whose frame resembles the letter S from one angle, is available in straw (Rs 80,700) or leather (Rs 89,000).

Tradition is the central theme of the store's signature line as is evident by a stunning tan Chesterfield sofa and a trademark red leather armchair on display on the third level, which is entirely dedicated to the signature line. Equally marvellous is a coffee table from the Geometrie series, designed out of dark, open-pore Wenge wood.
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Priced at Rs 1,36,400, it's upon closer inspection that you'd note the amazing design on the table's surface where large squares diminish into tiny ones from one corner to the other while across another diagonal, the squares morph into rectangles. We suggest you go with plenty of time but beware of the temptation to stay behind and ogle indefinitely.

AT: Poltrona Frau Furniture Design Centre, ITTS House, Kala Ghoda.
TIME: 10.30 am to 8 pm (Monday to Saturday), 12 pm to 6 pm (on Sunday)
CALL: 66153334