What this miniature chest of drawers lacks in design pedigree it more than makes up for in charm. With its air of rustic simplicity offsetting the bold monochrome colouring, it stands only 37cm high. Its frame is wood and the fronts of the ceramic drawers have been painted by hand so there's no guarantee that every one will be absolutely identical. And that, of course, only adds to the charm. Since I was very young I have had a fascination with drawers: they immediately start me thinking about what I can put in them. And this little Indian-made chest would lend itself to many purposes.
My first thought was: spices. Imagine, each drawer with its own vivid stash of differently coloured powder or exotically scented seeds. But sadly, given how little I'm cooking these days, they might go stale long before I got through them. Nevertheless, it would look lovely on my kitchen counter. So, instead, I could use it to store - in immaculately organised order - those elastic bands, bottle stoppers and twisty ties that usually end up being swept into the "kitchen junk" drawer, never to be found when I really need them.
On the other hand, it would be perfect for my home office, to keep those paper clips, thumb tacks, staples and stuff in. And to add a dash of style to the space. (Given that I spend so much time in my office-office, I want my workspace at home to look as different as possible, while still being efficient). But then a colleague, on seeing the chest, exclaimed, "Oh, that's exactly what I want for storing my jewellery!"
So there you are. Drawers do get you thinking - especially drawers as pretty as these. Available from Marina - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah (Dh275, $75)
