Wazeenah: Turning furniture into a canvas

An autumn sky full of white clouds with wild sugarcanes swaying beneath – a very happy and positive scene that you might want to draw on a canvas, set as your phone wallpaper, or even paint on your bedroom wall. But imagining a piece of furniture painted with scenes like this might be a little unusual.

The choice of colour is quite restricted when it comes to furniture, especially if wood is your first preference. Furnishings in vibrant colours are uncommon.

To distinguish themselves from the mainstream and create colourful furniture with captivating murals and drawings, the brand Wazeenah started its journey two years back.

In July 2020, when the pandemic gripped the best of us, Bushra Tasnim, an undergraduate student at Brac University, decided to nurture and materialise her creative side. 

Along with three of her sisters, she created a Facebook page named 'Wazeenah' to sell her paintings, hoop arts and hand embroidered products. In fact, Wazeenah is the Arabic word for creative.

"Soon after we started, we launched hand-painted lamps and it has been our best-selling product till date. We have sold more than 100 lamps so far," Bushra informed us. 

In 2021, the brand introduced its most unique product yet, nightstands with mural art. The nightstand was an instant hit, the brand has sold more than 50 pieces of it so far. Wazeenah also sells shoe racks, dinner wagons, and other home decor pieces.

Bushra is a student of architecture and in her words, her academic major has helped a lot to establish this business.

"The discipline and time management that I have gained from my architecture training have helped me the most. Juggling a major as difficult as architecture with a full-time business would not have been possible if I did not get the extensive training on pushing myself to my limits and managing time," she explained. 

Bushra believes all her products reflect the work of an architect; they are precise and out of the box. 

Designing and business planning are single-handedly managed by Bushra. Her mother Asma Noor helps her with the carpentry and business execution part.

Currently, Wazeenah is collaborating with many interior designing projects, providing them with the entire solution of interior furniture.

Bushra said, "Lately, many people have been preferring colourful and creative interior ideas and we are happy to design a full set of furniture for them." 

The brand also does customisation works on existing furniture and gives them a brand new look. "If anyone wants to refurbish their old furniture pieces, we cordially welcome them. In this case, we sit with the client, see the furniture and share ideas," she informed us.

From carpentry to embellishment, all of the items are made from scratch. For the furniture items, processed wood/plywood is the brand's first choice, since it is sturdy and has better longevity. They work on several other materials as well. The paintings are done through acrylic medium and all the raw materials are sourced locally.

As of now, Wazeenah has a team of eight emerging young female artists. The brand has a creative studio in Dhanmondi where all the team members work and share ideas.

"It is a fun and safe working place for women. We channel our artistic freedom here. Only the designing and painting part is done at the studio, while the carpentry is done in the factory," said Bushra. 

Most of the items by this brand are sold on pre-order basis. Once an order has been placed, it takes around two weeks to deliver the product. The orders are taken through Wazeenah's Facebook and Instagram pages.

A painted lamp from Wazeenah costs between Tk3,700 and Tk7,800. The price of a nightstand starts from Tk9,000 and goes up to Tk13,000. Price of every product varies with the level of customisation.

"Mural art in furniture is a new concept. It took a while for the market to accept it, but everyone started loving it nonetheless," Bushra concluded.

Price range: The price of lamps start from Tk3,700 and the price of nightstands start from Tk9,000. However, the price will vary depending on customisations. 

Where to find: To know more, visit https://www.facebook.com/Wazeenah.thecraftpantry.bd