Forged brass photo frame by Mukul Goyal.
Forged brass photo frame by Mukul Goyal.

Frame by Mukul Goyal



If you've read this column more than once or twice you'll most likely have noticed my love of the contemporary-yet-timeless, simple-yet-decorative and artisanal-yet-sophisticated. This picture frame by Mukul Goyal ticks all of those boxes - and another one: it's one of those great pieces that looks much more expensive than it is. An alumnus of Milan's Domus Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Gurgaon-based Goyal is a star of India's burgeoning contemporary design landscape. And he is hugely prolific: working mostly in metal, his output ranges from candelabra and clocks to curtain poles and door handles.

But it's his work in forged brass that I like best: the forms have an elegant simplicity and the crumpled surface has a rustic, hand-beaten effect that ensures the gold finish stays well on the right side of bling. That said, whatever your taste, it will fit right in. With its off-set photo "window" this frame plays nicely with proportions - and it's infinitely adaptable: you can hang it on the wall or sit it on a shelf or console, horizontally or vertically. How much more mileage could you want from a thing of such simple beauty?

Crumpled frame by Mukul Goyal, Dh255 from Etcetera Living, Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai; 04 344 8868, www.etceteraliving.com