Andhra Pradesh Furnitures

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the cheapest bed of them all?" said I, rhetorically, while gazing at the stunning dressing table in front of me. As I was reflecting upon the question, I realized the answer could be found at the diametrically opposite end of where I stood on the 2nd floor, in the 4-storeyed Andhra Pradesh Furnitures.

Standing tall amid the hustle and bustle of Nampally Market is the 36-year-old Andhra Pradesh Furnitures. Just as you step into the store, you'll find yourself teleported into a new world. The serenity that is a characteristic of this store separates it from the scores of smaller furniture stores around it.

The ground floor is full of wooden sofa sets. Made of teak wood from Maharashtra to Burma, these sofa sets are priced reasonably starting from as low as Rs. 5,500 for a set (two single-seat sofa chairs and one triple-seat sofa). The leather sets start at Rs. 9,000. The salesman promised a long life for the furniture, owing to the quality of the wood. Nobody could dispute the lifetime of the wood with one look at it, with the exception of the roots that bore the wood.

As you climb the stairs to the first floor, you'll see some more drawing/living room furniture. The high-end furniture includes some attractive sofas with Diwan sets (single piece) at Rs. 15,000, showcases starting at Rs. 12,000, and wall cabinets of various sizes starting at Rs. 6,000. With the area of each floor being around 8,000 sq. feet, carrying some energy bars in your backpack would be a wonderful idea.

The second floor would leave your head spinning - a 100 odd varieties of beds, dressing tables and wardrobes. As a reporter, I had my work cut out, so I couldn't resist the desire to lie down on one of the furniture items on display. Finding no salesman to guide me, it was literally a quiet walk in the woods.

By the time I dragged my feet to the top floor, I was left catching some breath at one of the table sets. The 3rd floor is dedicated to the dining room arrangements, and you'll find the more eco-friendly glass table sets quite refreshing. Here again, you wouldn't find a soul. The only voice you'll hear is that of yourself, and if you are not actually speaking at that time, you have more serious problems than being out of breath. I got the feeling shoppers never really explore the upper floors, which explains the lack of staff. The odd customer who musters up enough energy to reach the top floor will find it, er, echo-friendly. I guess it does get lonely at the top.

The store has some amazing furniture, and it caters to a wide price range in every category. But the bad lighting and the shortage of staff on the 2nd and 3rd floors, do leave the customer in the, er, dark about both the quality and the prices of the furniture on display. Also, car parking is non-existent in Nampally. So do visit the store during the day and budget at least a 3-hour visit.