Welcome To The New Age Of Panesar Design.

Every single piece of furniture in the Panesar centre interiors showroom feels like old money.

The kind Chris Kirubi has, with intricate details in the fabrics and carvings in the furniture in total comparison to French and Italian renaissance design.

But in reality, that’s just faux cover up on what’s really bubbling in the carpentry workshops behind the store.

“There was just no option. We needed to evolve our style and make it younger because our current clients are younger and actually want to spend.” Says, Vir Panesar the energetic 26 year old, taking the creative direction of Panesar interiors to a whole new level of modernist chic.

The now executive director, never saw the need of studying Interior design or furniture design based subjects. He grew up around his family’s company long enough to learn from some of their best designers but most importantly he notes, Gary Kalsi.

“He just recently passed away and had worked for the company for 15 years. He was a genius when it came to detail. He always reminded me how difficult it was to make furniture it was just like making a car he said; you had to know the proportions of where the client would sit, what kind of cushions to use and on and on.”

With that kind of knowledge passed down to him, their clients trust him to create their custom designs. He began his journey 3 years ago as an executive director going onto create and instigate, alongside the team of designers consisting of his father Moni Panesar and Phena Kawuondi ,some of their most iconic designs. UP picked these three:

THE ELLETO:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elleto, is a desk he made for his friend and her love for her shoes. Specifically her Christian Louboutin shoes. Not only did it look like one of her heels, it’s also the most unexpected modernist piece of furniture made this side of the Sahara. It was joint with recycled Mahogany and given a splash of red paint and a fine new varnish. It’s a collision of cool youthful imagery, function and class. It cost about half a million shillings.

 

THE AMBULARE:

 

“It wasn’t the oddest request we’ve gotten but this particular client wanted an under the staircase day bed, classical but with a twist.”

And didn’t he just give it a twist, informally dubbed “the chair that walks”. Is made of white leather fabrics rebelling against the idea that more earthy tones of leather ooze out classicism with the mahogany equally painted in white too. The folds in the leather definitely make it seem like it has a life of its own, perfect description of furniture personified.

 

THE FIFE BENCH:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He didn’t want to define what was the original function of this bench but. it’s safe to assume we can imagine its perfect location is by a poolside veranda, somewhere in Vipingo. Made of palm wood and the fabric patterns almost in allusion to west African print fabrics with the simplicity of how the yellow , purple and black circles all blend together could make anyone go gaga for this boho-chic look.

 

Next time you are on Mombasa road, pass by their Panesar Centre Showroom.

By, Akinyi Nyangoma.