The Furniture Boutique Where East And West Meet

A small terrace apartment in New Delhi plays host to a hidden gem of the design world. Limón Studio is a small furniture label run by Aradhana Anand that specialises in marrying traditional Indian textiles with modern designs. Aradhana describes Limón as “a repertoire of classic silhouettes, great legs, straight backs and smooth curves with quirky, indigenous detail.” While you may think that an overly poetic description for furniture we can assure you that it barely does justice to the beauty of her creations.

All her pieces are handcrafted using region-specific Indian saris on Western frames, an innovative move that really captures the two cultures, and displays the colours, textures and versatility of the Indian handloom industry. Limón first came into being during the summer of 2015 as the result of Aradhana’s long fostered creative passion, she realised there was a gap in the market for high quality furniture that “had rich Indian nuances and could perhaps fit into any type of home.” This was exactly what she strove for with her first collection. The focus was initially on chairs, however, the upcoming second collection promises to include benches ottomans, side tables and soft furnishings, so there’s a lot to look forward to from Limón.

Limón came about when Aradhana grew weary of the corporate world and decided to explore her creative side. She spent 9 years in the maritime industry as an oil freight trader living in Dubai and later Singapore, when she decided to exit the corporate space to probe her own aesthetic leaning and make a profession of it. Towards the end of 2013 she left Singapore, travelled for most of 2014 and started Limón in 2015 after doing a fair bit of market research and chair prototype experiments. With practice she discovered her niche and hasn’t looked back since.

Of all her stunning creations her personal favourite is the Tobias Wingback. The framework is traditional with a Queen Anne style body and legs and has fast become their most requested order. She mentions that it is also the most fun chair to “dress up.” She enjoys watching the transformation of the chair from being ‘neither Western nor Indian once the Sari goes on.’

As a small boutique with such a specific product, limón faces some crucial challenges in market. The most obvious being the price issues thrown up by mass-produced, cookie-cutter furniture. A lot of work goes in to creating each item and as such they retail at a price that befits their elegance but one that may not appeal to the general public. Aradhana sometimes finds it hard to keep up with the commercial manufacturers, she laments, “I feel a tad overwhelmed in the space of promoting and advertising, especially against larger firms with deep pockets.” This may be a bit frustrating but she does prefer the fact that Limón’s growth has been organic and hopes that it will only continue.

This little boutique may not be showing up on billboards any time soon but their exquisite work is well worth considering. Their small, customisable business has the kind of charm that is lost in factory produced furniture, so if you’re looking to fill your home with character and old world splendour, Limón is the perfect place for you.