ABOUT
Brand Ethos
Luxury is inimitable. Each ChippiWara piece is made for the client’s unique needs and spatial requirements, translating their life’s story into an everlasting piece.
A product made by hand comes with the distinctive touch of the master artisan behind it, making it truly one of a kind.
The Team
ChippiWara’s design team is led by Tanveen Ratti, a product designer with over 20 years of experience in the Indian craft sector and direct linkages with the artisan community.
Our craftswomen and men work in traditional ateliers, breathing new life into the art of Marquetry and Taarkashi that have been practiced in their families for generations.
As the client, you are a crucial part of the process of envisioning your heirloom piece.
The Studio
ChippiWara was founded in 2018. The studio is based in Delhi, with production centers located in artisanal clusters across India.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
MARQUETRY
Marquetry is a technique of patching together pieces of timber to create patterns. Natural coloured timber with unique grains are selected, cut and juxtaposed in combinations that create visual stories.
A traditional practice of Mysore, marquetry came to India with Masters from Persia who initiated ateliers that flourished under the patronage of Tipu Sultan.
Today, it is created by both women and men artisans who manually cut pieces of wood to compose exquisite designs on mapped templates. The cutting is entirely done by hand, and a great deal of precision and patience is required to produce the final piece.
The marquetry designs are drawn at the ChippiWara Home studio in Delhi according to client specification, creating a product that combines tradition and technology.
TAARKASHI
Taarkashi is a technique of wire inlay in wood. Flattened brass wire is embedded into the surface of the timber to create nature-inspired or geometric patterns and landscapes.
The craft originally flourished in 16th century Rajasthan, where it adorned places of importance, inlaid with precious gold and silver wire. A traditional practice of Northern India, Taarakshi has a long and detailed process that involves seasoning and engraving the wood, especially Shisham (Rosewood) used for its dark hue. The surface is inlaid with fine metal strips, followed by buffing and polishing the finished product.
The result is gleaming metal designs on glossy, rich wood that features on everything from little boxes to trays, panels and larger furniture pieces.
HANDMADE FURNITURE
+
INTERIOR PANELS
Handmade Furniture in Reclaimed Teak and Traditional Metal Techniques
The reclaimed teak comes from old structures and buildings that are brought down to build new modern constructions. The salvaged timber is used to create handmade furniture with an embedded history: well-seasoned pieces made with traditional joinery techniques and a contemporary design sensibility.
Metals including copper, brass and steel are used to design furniture utilising long-established methods.
Interior Panels
ChippiWara specialises in creating interior panels using craft techniques and customised designs of the client's choosing, in varying dimensions that can be used across spaces and functionality.
The Founder
Tanveen Ratti is the founder of ChippiWara.
She completed her Design studies at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi in 1998.
A traveler and collector of materials, practices and objects, the designer works with craftspeople engaged in traditional skills and practices across India, with the aim to revive forgotten sustainable practices.