An enunciated pronunciation of the Sanskrit Om, luxury home and interiors boutique OMA opened doors in a three-storied Victorian building in Kolkata recently.
Right next to a line of luxury boutiques featuring Ritu Kumar, Anita Dongre, Shantanu & Nikhil, it sits on the crossing of Elgin Road and Woodburn Park Road. OMA is on the ultra-luxe spectrum of things with Paul Smith candles and Venetian mouth-blown glass chandeliers.
This is one of their largest stores (of the 13 nationwide) occupying nearly 3,200 sq.ft. across three floors. OMA took over a 120-year-old Victorian-era building in the area and restored it over several months. “Although the façade of the building was in disrepair, it had good bones. That is why we saw immense potential in this heritage mansion and knew it was the ideal space for OMA’s Kolkata store,” says Gaurav Chopra, Director and Creative Head of OMA.
Kolkata had long woken up to its richness in terms of heritage architecture. Restoration of old buildings has become quite popular with organisations like Calcutta Architectural Legacies (CAL) at the forefront along with a smattering of boutique hotel and café owners, and artists taking up the mantle of reformation and awareness. So OMA is by no means the first.
The main challenge of “refurbishing this building was preserving its original charm while ensuring it met modern standards”. OMA’s background interiors and architecture “played a critical role”, they say. “The foundation needed significant work, and extensive recasting was required to stabilise the structure. However, we ensured that every aspect was thoughtfully restored, reflecting the essence of the space, much like every piece in OMA that represents original beauty with a touch of luxury,” says Chopra.
The building’s French windows were punched out into rectangular tall ones to “maximise natural light” while the stairs were made one of the focal points. The original railing was preserved and used with a recast staircase. A small capsule lift was also added to aid traipsing through its three floors easily. The building’s naturally high ceilings were another key accent and helped “accommodate elegant chandeliers, including exquisite Murano pieces”.
Brands to look for
Gien: Loire Valley 19th century earthenware brand known for collaborations with famous designers like Paco Rabanne, and Andree Putman.
Vista Alegre: Portuguese Porcelain tableware.
Peugeot: Acclaimed French designer brand known not just for its cars but its spice mills and bakeware too. The current collection features striking bright bakeware and cookware with a minimalist feel.
Sarl Kiade: Glossy made-to-scale models of yachts and pleasure boats that are validated by the original shipyards.
Other products on display too build on its vintage theme with luxurious four-poster beds to showcase their soft furnishings, chaise lounges at the edge of the bed, or dainty floral print tableware from Wedgwood that looks just the picture of an English tea party.
The colour palette is understated and dominated with pale pastels very reminiscent of Scandinavian interiors featuring varying shades of pale beige grey and cream. Brief pops of colour come from earth tones with woodsy green in giant vases, or stunning cherry wood finish yacht replicas by Sarl Kiade.
The home fragrances and candle section range from premium to extravagant featuring the much-acclaimed Paul Smith’s Bookworm or Parisian candle brand Trudons. Other tableware high on the swag quotient are the Konitz line of vide poches or trinket trays, coasters, coffee cups and travel mugs featuring Picasso artwork. What else would a ₹3,595 coaster be, if not for a little soft flex?
Published – October 18, 2024 04:08 pm IST
