Pallavi Zaveri, who launched Augst Furnishings in Pune, shares with Tania Roy details about her venture and the thrills of learning a new trade

As Pallavi Zaveri walks me through her luxury home decor store, Augst Furnishings, in Koregaon Park, she asks me to sit on the Kylie Minogue duvet displayed on the shop floor. The gorgeous satin bed linen with attractive metallic leopard-print and sequin panels looks gorgeous and oh-so-inviting! As I cautiously try to settle in the neat, ivory-coloured Kylie-inspired bed, I find the mattress firm yet cosy. Zaveri promptly informs that all their mattresses are made in-house. She even pulls out the tucked linen to show me the deep mattress, which lends the bed its extra cushiony comfort. “However, you can also use the firmer side of the mattress, if you do not like a soft bed,” says Zaveri, who along with her sister-in-law Mona Meherally launched the third outlet of Augst Furnishings in Pune last month. There are two outlets in Mumbai.

“Mona Meherally and her husband Sadiq launched their first store, which offers fabrics and soft furnishings, in Mumbai in 1995. They were planing to start an outlet in Pune some time back, but I feel the market here is now more ready for it. At our Koregaon Park store, we offer the complete home decor range including furniture and accessories like light fittings, decorative artefacts, wallpapers, etc. So once you step into this one-stop shop, you will find all your interior designing needs fulfilled,” shares Zaveri.

The drapes, fabrics, throws, tables, lamps are sourced mostly from Europe, and also cities like Dubai and Singapore. However, the furniture is custom-made according to the client’s needs. Taking centre stage at Augst Furnishings is a beautiful brown leather sofa (faux leather I am told) which is complemented by a huge leather coffee table on which sits a smart wine tray with vintage embossing. “There’s a lot of demand for faux leather in India because of religious sentiments. Besides, there’s an awareness about animal rights,” informs Zaveri, adding, “But we also have pure leather if the client demands.”

Zaveri is thoroughly enjoying her stint as an interior expert. Prior to Augst Furnishings, she had been working in Mumbai at the SPJ Sadhana School for mentally-challenged children with multiple disabilities for more than 20 years.

“I was a project coordinator and we set up three workshops for the kids where they were making products, learning packaging and various other things. I was teaching them screen-printing,” says Zaveri who has been artistically inclined since childhood and has also been working for social causes. “Even when I was in school in Panchgani, I helped children at an orphanage,” adds she.

The furnishing store is a different ballgame altogether, but she is picking up the skills quick. “At 50, I have started my new venture but I feel very energetic at work and rejuvenated. I enjoy myself immersing in the world of colours and designs, and offering suggestions to my clients,” says she.

To give you a comprehensive idea of how you can bring about a transformation in your interiors, Augst Furnishings offers catalogues that give you the coordinated look for various types of decor.

“We have 750 catalogues at our store and we are getting more,” says Zaveri who travels extensively to different countries to update herself on interior designing trends.

Passionate about her work, this mother of two is also a health freak. “Everyday, I do circuit training and also practise yoga. But I do not believe in dieting,” says the cheerful lady who is also a theatre buff and often drives down to NCPA in Mumbai to catch the latest plays.