It's furniture first at Canvas India Trade Fair 2012.
Of all the things, including electronics, cars and even real estate, up for sale at the fair that kicked off on Friday, fashionable imported furniture is drawing the maximum number of queries.
Be it the stylish sofas with the finest fabric or the customised space-saving beds, the products from Malaysia, Thailand, China and Vietnam have floored customers.
"Traditional designs and heavy wooden furniture are pass�. These days, design, look and comfort rule the roost. We have brought imported furniture from Vietnam and people are loving them. They are affordable too," said Sandeep Chaudhary, owner of Style Square, which imports furniture from Vietnam.
While Style Square uses solid wood, the other imported furniture are made of medium density fibreboard (MDF), a processed engineered wood. These, mainly procured from Malaysia, Thailand and China, claim to be termite-proof, which increases their durability.
"These furniture are stylish and are free from termites, which makes them all the more desirable. Moreover, MDF board is the best for veneering (layers of ply for polishing). Wardrobes and beds are high on demand," said Golden, the proprietor of Baba Furniture at Shashtrinagar, Kadma.
The two-storey beds, comprising a lower double bed and a folding single one on top that can be used depending on requirement, are a huge hit.
"The base of the upper portion of the bed has a whiteboard that can be used by children to fix photographs and such other stuff. We have got a number of enquiries for this product on the first day itself," said Harbinder Singh, proprietor of Earthen Symphony.
The pocket pinch is also less. While a bed comes for Rs 20,000, the maximum price can go up to Rs 1.75 lakh. The two-storey bed costs Rs 31,000.
"I am planning to buy the two-storey bed. It's attractive and takes less space. With the living space shrinking in apartments, this is the best option," said Sadhna Seth, a visitor at the fair.