PROFILE

Architect Anita Kataria’s lifestyle boutique is exclusive as exclusive can be. Called The Right Address, it’s the only distributor in India of American luxury home accessory brands — Steuben Glass and Jay Strongwater.

While Steuben Glass, the New York-based brand is known for its functional and ornamental pieces in handcrafted glass, Jay Strongwater, based in Rhode Island, specialises in designing objets d’art for tabletops, like enamelled boxes, photo frames, candlestands, floral mirrors, ornamental lamps and much more.

The 550sq ft store is divided into two with the section on the right devoted to Jay Strongwater. Most of the designerware here is pewter plated with sterling silver or given an antique brass finish. The section on the left sparkles with pieces from Steuben Glass.

Kataria, an architect for about 18 years, joined her husband’s architecture firm, LaArchplan, soon after they got married. While the couple still works on interiors and building projects for hotels, corporate buildings, housing, townships, shopping malls and corporate interiors, they spend time sourcing exquisite pieces for their store and assisting clients in doing up their homes. “Being an architect, it’s my job to educate and assist my clients in home improvements,” says Kataria.

Eight years ago when the couple visited the Steuben factory they were enamoured by the craftsmanship of the products. Some years later Kataria was approached by Steuben Glass to introduce the brand in India. She started from the ground floor of her house in Soami Nagar in South Delhi.

Steuben Glass brings crystal-lovers collectibles like carved animals, bar accessories and very fine pieces of art made by artists who engrave on the crystal with copper wheels.

Nine months ago she introduced another opulent American brand, Jay Strongwater, at her store. The prices of the Steuben Glass products start at Rs 16,000 and scales a whopping Rs 50 lakh. Jay Strongwater’s hand-enamelled metal articles and Swarovski-studded pieces are priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 30 lakh.

Trends

According to Kataria, while some people believe in minimalism, some swear by opulence and grandeur. Kataria feels a clean and minimalistically done space lets you play with colours. “At times people go over the top by filling their homes with valuable collectibles but the trick lies in making each and every piece stand out in the crowd,” she says.

While some clients are inquisitive about what they are buying — the brand, its speciality and how would it look in their space — others just buy off-the-rack, going by instinct, she feels. Kataria says that it’s okay to let people have their way as long as they don’t go overboard.

PROducts

From Steuben Glass, crystal lovers can take home vases, bowls, plates, decanters, drinking vessels, candlestands and more to put a sparkle on their tabletops. Steuben specialises in exquisite functional pieces and ornamental glass for decoration and interesting artworks. What makes these special is that they’re created by artists specialising in engraving glass using copper wheels and diamond points.

The Petal Cut Collection by Steuben Glass is all about stemware and barware with petal-like facets cut into the base of each piece. The collection costs about Rs 1.45 lakh. In this line, old-fashioned glasses and highballs cost Rs 10,000 each while decanters are priced at Rs 65,000.

The store also has a section of cute collectibles called Hand-Coolers for Rs 16,000 each. These are shaped like tiny animals — frogs, hippos, eagles, turtles, roosters, squirrels, dolphins, elephants and fish.

To cast your emotions in crystal as it were, you can pick a product called the Memory Book, a book in crystal. You’ll have to dig deep for this one as it’s tagged at Rs 1.50 lakh. You can get inscriptions on the book to mark significant occasions like a wedding or an anniversary. The cost of the inscription will be an extra Rs 1,000 per letter.

But if you’d rather write yourself, pick up Steuben’s Signature Bowl. Priced at Rs 1.4 lakh, it comes with a diamond-tipped pen which allows you to write on it.

But if you are out to colour your interiors then try the enamelled and semi- precious stone-studded products from Jay Strongwater. Its grand jewellery box is hand-enamelled and studded with Swarovski crystals and costs a cool Rs 4.5 lakh. The hotseller though belongs to the Nottingham Series and is called the Kyla Leaf Based Crystal Vase which costs Rs 1.54 lakh. The brand also boasts of a Ganesha and his mouse in enamel, hand-set with Swarovski crystals priced at Rs 57,000.