Oriental Living Company (Featured Shop)

Oriental style furniture brings with it the balanced interplay of many elements - simplicity in design without sacrificing comfort, ingenuity of the artist's craftsmanship, distinct furniture lines carved from exotic hardwoods that are decorated with glossy lacquer finishes, detailed engravings and paintings…..All combined into an elegant whole adding character and personality to the room they adorn. If you've been on the lookout for authentic Oriental Furniture that can add to the aesthetic beauty of your home giving it a zen, well-traveled, eclectic vibe, your quest is over. Today we take a look at “Oriental Living Company” based out of India. 

Oriental Living is the newest online furniture boutique that brings exquisite, handcrafted antiques and reproductions of Oriental Furniture right to your finger tips. The lady and brain behind the label “Oriental Living” is Manisha Gandhi (We recently featured Manisha's beautiful home in the Real Homes, Real Designers segment. You may read more about the home tour right here). Having had the opportunity to travel and live in countries like Hong Kong and Vietnam and developing a deep erudition of the workings of the oriental decor and furniture industry, her love affair with oriental furniture has turned into a more long term commercial endeavor. 

TECD: Hello and welcome to TECD Manisha! Tell us a little about yourself and how your passion for furniture and design led you to  launch Oriental Living?

Manisha: “Thank you for having me on TECD, Sruthi. 

I was born and brought up in a culturally rich and diverse setting. I’m half Mallu, half Gujju, married into a MP family with two little girls. Like most B school graduates, I too aspired to be a part of the corporate world. The years I spent climbing the corporate ladder made me realize that it wasn’t meant for me. The gujju blood in me dragged me into being an entrepreneur. We were based out of Hong Kong when I started my sourcing firm. Being closer to China, I had the ability to source products for big retailers in India. Having worked with a lot of big brands and retail chains in India, I decided it was about time that I venture into the industry of furniture and design. Thus started the Oriental Living saga in 2007. Having been influenced by my parent’s love for colonial furniture, paintings and antiques, this seemed like the perfect undertaking for me to dip my hands into it as it had the best of both worlds that I love – decor&design and oriental furniture."

TECD: What is it about Oriental furniture that makes your heart tick ?

Manisha: “I think it is the clean lines, traditional methods of crafting, rich patinas and the ability to blend in with any setting...modern, traditional, neutral, highly colored...it looks great everywhere. It adds zen and harmony to the room it graces.” 

TECD: Tell us more about the range of Oriental furniture showcased at your boutique? 

Manisha: “Oriental Living features an amazing range of pieces. Some of which are the classic Horseshoe back chairs, colorful Chinese buffets, Ming dynasty style classic cabinets, blanket chests and antiques with carved iron hardware. The bulk of our antique furniture dates from the early 20th century, although some pieces are 18th & 19th century. A range of reproduction furniture is also available at Oriental Living.”

TECD: From what I've gathered, most of the pieces are originals that have been restored at your factory. Help us understand the process involved to make them market ready? 

Manisha: “Yes, most of these exquisite pieces are old and original and selected from different provinces in China, Mangolia and Tibet on the basis of their originality and patination. The process of restoration happens at our partner factory and our own warehouse located in India.” 

TECD : A word of parting advice for our women entrepreneurs who would like to take on a venture like yours?

Manisha: “My mother taught business management for over 30 years. So right from childhood, I was exposed to the word PRODUCT and understood how important it was to the business selling it. As an entrepreneur, I've learnt that if you like and believe in the product and love what you do, the product will sell.” 

And now for a special offer for the readers of "The East Coast Desi". A 10% discount is being offered on any of the pieces from the Oriental collection! All you have to do is mail Manisha at office@orientalliving.co.in  to avail the offer. Oriental Living ships free across Pan India ! For international shipping you may contact Oriental Living right here or connect via their FB page. 

Image Copy right/Credit : Oriental Living