KOLKATA
A beautiful piece of furniture has a curious ability to hold our attention. Sometimes, it is the gentle curve of a chair, the unexpected finish of a cabinet or the precise meeting of two contrasting materials. At other times, it is something less obvious: the way a table sits within a room or how a carefully chosen texture changes its entire mood. These details have occupied Sharmilee Chopra’s imagination for over 20 years. Today, they form the foundation of FTS by Sharmilee.
Founded by Sharmilee, FTS specialises in luxury furniture and interior design, creating bespoke pieces and complete environments for residences, commercial spaces, retail destinations and hospitality projects internationally. Its work draws from an extensive vocabulary of materials, finishes and craftsmanship, allowing furniture to be developed around the particular requirements of a space.
Travel has been an enduring influence on Sharmilee’s creative outlook. Her encounters with different cultures, furniture traditions and approaches to making have informed a design sensibility that is contemporary without being confined to a particular style. With an eye for unusual materials, beautifully considered furniture and interiors that feel deeply personal, she has spent over two decades exploring the pleasures of living well.
What distinguishes FTS is its involvement in the making process. Clients are offered direct access to the factory and design team, allowing them to understand how their furniture is developed, from initial drawings and material selections to production and installation. Proportions can be discussed, finishes examined and practical requirements addressed before the final piece takes shape.
This close relationship with manufacturing gives the studio considerable flexibility. Furniture is considered for its construction, comfort, durability and visual character, with careful attention to the details that determine how it will perform over time. Guidance on installation, care and maintenance extends that involvement beyond delivery.
The wider practice brings together architects, interior designers and skilled craftspeople. Principal Interior Designer Kanika Jain shapes interiors through thoughtful spatial planning, material combinations and furnishings that establish a particular atmosphere. Principal Architect and Interior Designer Sukhmeet Singh, with over a decade of experience, oversees design development and execution, ensuring that larger planning decisions are carried through to the smallest construction details. FTS also collaborates with external architects and designers, contributing furniture expertise and manufacturing knowledge to projects at different stages of development.
There is something particularly appealing about this combination of creative freedom and practical understanding. A beautiful idea is allowed to develop, but never at the expense of how the finished piece will be used. For Sharmilee, furniture is ultimately about the relationship between people and their surroundings. The finest pieces become familiar companions to everyday life, acquiring memories alongside the marks of passing years.
And perhaps that is what makes a beautifully furnished room worth returning to. Long after the first impression has faded, there is still something wonderful about being there.
