Renu Chainani, furniture designer
I have always loved two things — designing and travelling. And that’s what I decided to do with my life as well. When I started my leather home and office accessories export business, it was a natural progression for me to then actually design the products. That was how Eastern Treasure Lifestyle came into being.
My designs are mostly inspired by the places I visit, and they, in turn, take me to other places. I grew up in Nigeria in Africa, from where I moved to Europe where I did a course in interior design. And India, of course, has always been my home. I have travelled extensively between these three continents, where I have been exposed to everything from African safaris to European cafes and restaurants, to Indian markets. I have been influenced by tribal cultures and the sophisticated European culture, as well as the rich and colourful culture of India.
Be it a temple in Bali or a market in Morocco or Thailand, they all find a place in my designs and influence them. That is the reason you’ll find maps and other navigation tools and things related to discoveries in my creations. The series of storage cabinets in my recent collection offers a glimpse of different places that I have visited.
Another thing that really fascinates and inspires me are remarkable quotes by remarkable people. I like to interpret these in my designs.
I have been working with leather for many years now, and use it in most of my creations. The recent collection of decorative tiles that I worked on, in collaboration with Tempesta Luxury, uses leather-embossed stones combined with painted metallic luxury stones.
Most of my works are functional, related to what I see on my travels and what I can see myself using — products like floor furniture, wall coverings, laundry baskets, kitchen and bath cabinets etc.
In terms of the sensibilities of my designs, I am more of a neutral person. I like colours, but I usually prefer neutral palettes. So you’ll usually find a lot of browns and blacks in my designs. And when it comes to more vibrant colours, I lean towards orange and red.
I am also inspired by fashion and design magazines. Some iconic designers who have influenced me are Armani, Kelly Hoppen, Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren. I love Armani and Hoppen for the way they brilliantly flirt with neutrals, and Cavalli for his bold and outrageously wild prints and colours. Ralph Lauren I admire for his timeless, eternal chic.
