Under a sunlit glass roof, with the pristine blue Chennai sky overhead, Dhruv V. Patel, 33, sits at his favourite spot in his store, now spread over 3,000 sq. ft, away from the bustling traffic near Cathedral Road. Patel talks about the relaunch of the Vishvesh store and that they are on to something — “luxury home furnishing”.
The family-run Vishvesh has been a pioneer in that space, in the city, for over five decades. When it comes to picking curtains for homes, Dhruv says, “It’s no longer just about privacy, but also about dressing up the home, to make it look beautiful and feel luxurious.”
Vishvesh’s custom-designed rug that shows the natural rings of a tree, symbolising the growth and years of the store.
The store has expanded its focus now to include rugs, beddings and furniture. It showcases a wide array of custom-made drapery and rugs (sourced from Jaipur and Mirzapur), handcrafted carpets, premium wallpapers (Armani Casa, Mayflower, Sabyasachi, among others), and statement furniture pieces, which they have just begun manufacturing.
Armani/Casa pays tribute to Emily Dickinson’s iconic garden with a poetic wall covering inspired by the wildflowers she cherished.
First launched in 1971 by Dhruv’s grandfather Jashbhai Patel, and named after his father Vishvesh, the store sold curtain fabrics. It is now managed by Dhruv and his brother Harsh.
From 150 varieties then, the catalogue has expanded to 500-600 options today. The change reflects evolving customer demands for diverse textures and contemporary styles. “Customers don’t always know what they want; they just want a house. The real credit goes to architects and interior designers,” he says.
Dhruv V. Patel (far right) with his father and brother Harsh.
‘Luxurious, one-stop solution’
The idea is to “offer a luxurious, one-stop solution by bringing together multiple brands, giving each segment a significant space to be displayed properly,” he says, since “limited areas per brand often mean customers have to visit multiple times to make selections, which can be inconvenient.”
Vishvesh’s custom fabric lounge chair.
From polyester, cotton, and viscose mixes to silk and natural linen, the store exhibits a strong focus on fabric. Curtains are priced between ₹600 and ₹60,000 per metre of cloth while wallpapers start at ₹55-₹70 per sq.ft. “For the curtains, we work with a mix of well-established Indian and international brands to cater to diverse tastes and requirements. Our long-term Indian partners include Atmosphere and Vaya from Bengaluru, Ara Deco from Delhi, and Pure Fine Fabrics (an associate of Asian Paints). Internationally, we source from Clarke & Clarke (U.K.), Didar (Iran), Elites, and Nobilis (Paris), to ensure that our customers and architects get premium options. For wall coverings, we collaborate with Arte, Harley Quinn, Elites, Noblis, and Armani Casa,” he says.
Premium silk wallcovering by Omexco.
Besides hand-tufted carpets, accent tables inspired by nature, and upholstered furniture pieces, there’s also a dedicated bedding section, in collaboration with Delhi’s Sheers of India, that offer exclusive handmade bedding and pillows.
Curated taste
Chennai’s home-buyers began shifting towards luxury goods post-pandemic, he says, adding that the market is still nascent. Besides Casagrand real-estate chain, Vishvesh has worked on show flats with Tulip residences.
Vishvesh’s custom-made rug.
Architect Indu Sugumar, of I and S Studio in K.K. Nagar, who has been working with Vishvesh for over 25 years and has extensively used their products in her residential projects, has designed the new retail store over eight months. Dhruv ensured sustainability was woven into the renovated space by using LED lighting, and more than 70% of old plywood in the false ceiling to avoid wastage. Stretch ceilings create the illusion of natural light, while select wall coverings, including CMO Paris and Armani, add opulent textures — some with animal prints.
In addition to tapping into the social media audience, Dhruv also plans on hosting small monthly workshops for artisans at his showroom.
Published – September 12, 2025 05:30 pm IST
