Your chairs, cabinets and beds could be from this woodworking company in Shuwaikh. They make furniture customized as per your wishes. If want a personalized design, all you need to do is to show a model or a picture of the kind of furniture you want, and they will make it for you. They only need photographs or samples of design on the basis of which they mould the piece of furniture. An artist draws the design on a piece of cardboard and carving experts then bring it to reality using a specific kind of wood as per your preference. The products are readied in a few days' time, depending on the quantity of your orders. Now, wood is not easily obtainable in Kuwait. It is imported from Europe, South East Asia or even from as far as the Americas. Mohammad Musrhid Aalam, a woodworking expert at the Al-Jazira Golden Furniture in Shuwiakh, spoke about the state of woodworking business in Kuwait currently, notwithstanding the growing competition in the readymade furniture business.
Aaalam admitted that the woodworking business in Kuwait suffered because of the rising demand for readymade products. "We are not only flooded with readymade products but also with companies dealing in furniture. Dajeej is not the only place to buy furniture. Now one has hundreds of places where people can buy furniture of their choice. Often, this furniture is even cheaper than the rates at which we offer the same," he admitted. Dajeej is located in Farwaniya, a few kilometers meters away from the airport. It is home to several companies that sell readymade furniture, from sofas, to beds to chairs and tables. "Daleej was once home of readymade furniture products, but nowadays there are several companies that sell furniture such as Ikea, Home Center, The One, Midas, which are taking away much of our business.
Earlier, these companies' furniture could not be found in Kuwait. So, the indigenously run businesses, not only mine but many woodworking businesses, were very lucrative, but not anymore," he disclosed. However, businesses as his company's are still surviving, thanks to few Kuwaitis who want their country as a place where all traditions thrive, more the old to modern. Having been in the business for more than a decade in Kuwait, he knows the taste of Kuwaitis when it comes to furniture. "I have been in this company for 16 years and I know the job well. I know what our customers want," said Aaalam. "Some Kuwaitis have a sophisticated taste when it comes to furniture. They want a touch of tradition, so we usually mix the modern and the traditional designs," he added.
His company deals only with designs and giving these finishing touches. The paint job and burnishing of the furniture is done at another woodworking shop. "What we do is design and assembling of furniture only. For adding the finishing touches such as paint and burnishing, we give out the work to another shop. We only have a license to assemble and do the design work, and stick to that because it is a lot of hard work," he admitted. By definition, woodworking is the process of building, making or carving something using wood. Wood that is used in this furniture business is as per the customer's request. The type of wood you choose determines the beauty and strength of the finished product. Many varieties of wood are available, and each has its own properties. "Mostly Kuwaitis like mahogany, cherry, cedar and fir. These are hard woods and that is why these are preferred," he added. Traditionally, Kuwaitis replace furniture at least once every two years, but those who are wealthy replace their furniture every year. The discarded furniture pieces land up in the Friday market. "That is why, you can buy a recycled piece of furniture in Kuwait easily and at reasonable rates, all thanks to the tradition of changing their entire household setting every year," he added.
© Kuwait Times 2013
