Wall mounted grottos from Mumbai

When a piece of furniture tells a story, you listen. Chacko’s Mehfil, a wall-mounted grotto-style decorative cabinet, renders three endangered species from the Indian subcontinent: the sarus crane, the lion-tailed macaque and the golden mahseer. The creatures, crafted in intricate marquetry and brass inlay in natural wood, may seem unusual on a cabinet. But that is precisely what Chacko seeks to do with its furniture —tell a story, provoke thought and add meaning to a space.

Vipin Joe, the founder of the Mumbai-based design studio Chacko, wants to create purposeful pieces that are full of character. As a designer, he is open to influences, Joe says. And the making of each piece is often collaborative — a dialogue with artists, illustrators and fellow designers who share his sensibilities.

Vipin Joe

Hand-painted arts

In Mehfil, for instance, the animals are illustrated by Italian artist Gaia Eloe Cairo, who specialises in hand-painted decorative arts to create awareness about nature and science. The marquetry is executed by Sampigé & Co, a marquetry studio in Mysuru.

Joe constantly explores material and mood to figure out what his craft-led furniture brand Chacko could be.

The Native Console was born thus. A collaboration with his friend, designer, illustrator and projection artist Nikunj Patel of Studio Moebius, the Chettinad-inspired console was conceived as a piece to be placed behind the sofa, but it went much beyond its scope. “I was having tea with Nikunj; we were sharing thoughts and we were both taken by the idea of a piece that would be a blend of industrial and traditional craft,” says Joe.

The Native Console, he adds, is his favourite. “It has a bit of everything: mid-century Tanjore and Madras in etched brass, teak and stone. An iteration of the console appears in the collection, shaped as a mid-century stereo box, named ‘Yashodha’s Dream’, which depicts playful scenes of Lord Krishna’s Vrindavan. Made in teak, rosewood and aged etched brass, this richly detailed piece comes in both 8-foot and 6-foot versions.

The setting of the studio, in an industrial estate in Kandivali, is an advantage, says Joe. “Our studio is surrounded by people working machinery. The brass etching for these pieces was done by someone who makes badges. It is lovely being in an industrial estate. ”

Intentional designs

Joe’s inspired pieces inhabit the delicate space between art and functionality. An ornate Art Deco-style triptych mirror is an example. The desire to make a piece that reflects opulence resulted in the ‘King of Spades’. Done in collaboration with industrial designer Ashwin Mallya, the hand-crafted design carries detailed line work and precise machine work. The ornate doors open to reveal bare mirrors that reflect the viewer.

Chacko was recently at the Kolkata edition of Raw Collaborative, a design exhibition and creative platform that brings together designers, artists, architects, and craft practitioners to display their work.

After earning his degree in industrial design at Symbiosis Institute of Design, Joe interned with sculptor Subodh Kerkar (founder of Museum of Goa), from where he absorbed the nuances of how an artist’s studio functions. Subsequently, he interned at Auroville, Puducherry, which deepened his engagement with art. Later, he also interned at designer Anjaly Mody’s Josmo Studio in Goa, before starting his own practice. “I was at a point where I was doing everything — making and designing furniture, carving, prototyping, the works. But I wanted a space, a studio, where I could experiment and all of my ideas could unfold,” says Joe. He procured a place, found a carpenter, and Chacko, the brand, was officially launched in 2017-18.

The studio is intentional and conscious of the material it works with.

It uses reclaimed wood, sourced from vendors in Mumbai. “There is a certain beauty in old growth wood. It is naturally seasoned and tight-grained. Each log is different and the wood lends its own character to the piece,” says Joe. Teak, with its orange-brown colour, suits his work the best, which veers mostly towards the mid-century aesthetic. “Working with reclaimed wood is aesthetically, technically and economically viable.”

Currently, Chacko is a small team, “but our focus is on becoming a strong brand with emphasis on our making practices, and our R&D,” says Joe. Sometimes, it is a tiny detail, such as a knob, that could make all the difference, or personalisation — such as little teak wood extrudes on a table, custom-made for a birder.

Chacko’s clientele includes architects and regular people “who are now very involved in curated pieces with a narrative or design that aligns with their Indian identity”, he shares. Joe has also exported some pieces to clients who love the designs and see it as a part of the collection they are building.

Price check

Mehfil: ₹4.5 lakh

Native Console (6 ft.): ₹4.8 lakh

Yashodha’s Dream: ₹9.6 lakh

Published – March 06, 2026 03:36 pm IST