Cane furniture is no longer passe, says SHELLY ANAND

Are you planning to buy furniture for the drawing room and are in quandary as to what to select? Before you go for that heavy wooden item, see a few pieces in cane a well. Surprised? Don't be! For cane is no longer passé, it is fast taking on the avtaar that is chic. It has moved gracefully from the verandah to the living room. Take a look at Vetasa, Manju Singh’s brainchild and you will see how the humble cane has come of age. Started in 1979 (when Singh could not find ‘acceptable’ cane chairs for her husband’s study), the shop today is synonymous with style and elegance-designs are available in cane, rattan and wicker combined with steel, wood and leather. Vetasa attempts to divert attention from wood to eco-friendly materials such as cane and rattan, and has demonstrated-in all these years- that they can be as elegant and lasting as wood. I always felt that classic and contemporary design in conjunction with the natural strength and beauty of rattan could transport furniture from the verandah to the living room. Fully upholstered wood pieces are not only heavy, but difficult to maintain. Cane furniture is however, aesthetic and easy to maintain, says Singh.

Bringing a new look to furniture designing, Singh mixes several mediums and materials like wood, rawhides, steel and finally beveled thick glass. The pieces cover a wide range, which include single chairs and double-seaters with appealing upholstered cushions. Center table with glass top, consoles, dining sets and headboards. Prices vary depending on the piece and design. For instance, a single chair is available for Rs 5, 000 and goes up to Rs 15, 000. Similarly, a four-seater dining set with glass top table comes for around Rs 25, 000. To cite a few examples, there is ‘Decan’ (a sofa in steel frame in a malachite green with Assamese wicker work); ‘Munnar’ (a planter’s chair in solid teak wood woven in cane); ‘Pondicherry’ (Karnataka cane framed dining chairs and intricately woven seats); ‘Malabar’ (a chaise lounge in solid teak with finally woven Assamese cane) and ‘Razia Sultan’ (a center table whose frame is in Karnataka cane). So go on , take your pick!