HYDERABAD: Nothing like an accent chair to add a pop of colour to that dull spot in your home which you’ve been meaning to brighten up. Or how about some dramatic lighting to change the mood of your room? And if you are looking for options that are contemporary and Indian in their designs yet are bold and colourful, look no further than Freedom Tree Design Studio and Home Store. This brand arrives from Mumbai to Hyderabad with a brick-and-mortar store located in Jubilee Hills. As we enter, we note the old haveli-style home which has been turned into a tropical-style store, which itself speaks volumes about the local aesthetics they try to imbibe into the ethos of their products.
So what else is Hyderabadi about Freedom Tree Design? Business Head Rishabh Khosla, who walks us through their choicest furniture and decor, answers, “One of the things we are doing is reflecting the culture of Hyderabad through our cushions and print designs. We believe in telling stories through our products which will take you back to the Hyderabad of the 60s and 70s.” They certainly have a penchant to establish a local connect with their products and their stores in Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru strive for the same as well.
In the process of discovering the city, Rishabh informs that they have understood that homes are very, very special spaces for Hyderabadis. “They love going in and out...,” he trails off as he explains that this gels very well with the relaxed vibe that the brand exudes. Which is why perhaps, this is only their second store in South Central India, the first one being in Bengaluru.
Explaining how they plan on offering the people of this city the best of the best, Rishabh tells us that all their furniture, fabrics, textile, ceramics and decor are signature collections. Their gifting products, like pretty kettles, hand-painted ceramics, plump cushions, apart from planters, quilts and a host of other home decor products, are quite the rage, we are told. Moreover, they produce and source from all across the country, making their product range more and more Indian in its designs. They are constantly working on new collections and fresh designs to line up dozen of different products every year. “We want it to be fresh and we are constantly bringing in new designs,” he says.
Designers for products, textiles, furniture, illustrators and even communication designers — Freedom Tree Design has an in-house team for everything that a home might need and their end-to-end service comes as a plus, informs Rishabh. And though customers can order all their products online, Rishabh tells us that they would rather have people over at their store so that the furniture and the decor can be experienced as it should be.
As we walk along the tastefully laid out arrangements at the store, we can certainly attest to this. From the range of options they have to offer, choosing which of their products one would like to take home with them could be a mighty difficult decision to make.
Twelve years ago, when there was a need in the market for colour and bold design, it was then that Freedom Tree launched its very first store. Rishabh, elaborately talking about the inspiration behind how they developed their aesthetics, takes us into their backstory. “In fact, our expertise as a studio, before we got into retail, was in colour research and as a consulting firm. We have expertise in colour design that goes way back,” informs Rishabh.
They strongly believe that people still like a home where they can host a relaxed gathering and their guests don’t have to think twice before planting themselves comfortably on a very welcome-looking sofa.