The Best of Old and New

Mangesh Lungare's interior architecture and Peter D'Ascoli's fine upholstery bring a distinct character to the very first store opening of Chester's in Bengaluru.

- ADARSH SONI

We wanted the interiors to feel distinctly Bangalorean with references to both the colonial influences of the late 19th century and the 1970s' modernist styles," says Ananth Ramaswamy, creative director and partner of Chester's, as their first store opened in Bengaluru this January. Best known for their Chesterfield sofas, where they also get their name from-Chester's started as a leather processing company in the late 1980s, and within no time, they were manufacturing elegant European-inspired furniture. And with their constantly evolving business, a flagship store in the city was inevitable.

Located on the historic Infantry Road in the old cantonment, the space was designed in collaboration with AD100 architect Mangesh Lungare. And when it came to seeking inspiration for the project, Ramaswamy and Lungare went straight to the rich architectural pulse of the city.