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FROM CRAFTSMANSHIP TO CONVENIENCE:
A SHIFT FROM HANDMADE TO MODULAR
FURNITURE IN THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
The Indian residential furniture sector is undergoing a transformative shift from traditional handmade
furniture to modular systems, driven by rapid urbanisation, evolving consumer preferences, and
technological advancements in design and production. Findings reveal younger, urban consumers
favour modular furniture for its affordability, quick assembly, and space efficiency, while older and
high-income users continue to value the craftsmanship and durability of handmade products. By
Prachi Pande and Shiva Shishodia, College of Architecture, Pune
he furniture industry, both globally and in India, is traditional, handcrafted furniture—created by skilled artisans
experiencing a fundamental transformation shaped using natural materials and culturally embedded techniques—to
Tby urbanisation, evolving consumer lifestyles, and modular furniture systems that offer efficiency, scalability, and
increasing technological integration in design and production a degree of mass customisation.
processes. This shift is primarily influenced by the evolving needs
A key trend within this transformation is the shift from of contemporary city life. Modular furniture, usually made up
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