Sheetal Bhargava, Vice President, Amrapali Steels, discusses the birth of the premium luxury brand Maranello, and why luxury hardware has become a trend.

Sheetal Bhargava, Vice President, Amrapali Steels

How would you define luxury hardware?
Hardware is usually defined by its quality, durability, and functionality, but when you go a step ahead and design hardware in such a way that it’s hard not to notice it because of its design detailing, texture, finish etc– then we call it luxury hardware. Hardware pieces are usually measured in meters, and adding fine details is a challenge in luxury hardware.

We are seeing demand coming for our Maranello brand mainly from consumer segments such as residential and hospitality as our range of products offer great options to architects and interior designers.

What does your range of products and finishes comprise of?
We have a complete range of architectural hardware such as mortise handles, pull handles, locks, hinges, tower bolts, door knockers, and stoppers. Products are available in 19 finishes which we have created by playing around with different combinations, and also single tones. In fact, finishes is our USP as every accessory is available in every finish, and customizing finishes and designs is our speciality.

How was the idea of Maranello conceived?
The Maranello brand was born when we decided to go beyond the working of our century-old hardware brand Jolly Engineering Works to tap the luxury hardware market. Jolly Engineering Works has been delivering excellence and quality to its benefactors for more than seven decades. In adherence to our philosophy, we are further pushing our way into the sphere of luxury accessories that are deluxe and distinguished in terms of quality and capacity. So, we combined the brilliance and excellence of Indian artistry with international quality standards to give birth to a brand-new luxury hardware brand which was exclusively ‘Made in India’. Maranello was launched in September 2021 for its luxury handles, locks, and hinges in India with the same old values and ethics at its core.
Sheetal Bhargava, Vice President, Amrapali Steels
Like every luxury sector, the luxury hardware market too is expanding. This is because spending on every aspect of the interiors while building a new home has become the new normal, especially post-covid as people are spending more time and money on their homes now.

Sheetal Bhargava
At the recently held D-arc BUILD in New Delhi, our Maranello brand of Jaali collection of door handles and hinges received a lot of appreciation as a relevant architectural element of design; it was inspired by the architectural glory of the classical Mughal period. We also showcased our high-quality and unique handcrafted luxury door handles and hinges in collaboration with eminent artists from The Art Floor to artistically represent the much in demand Modern Collection, Vintage Collection, and Classic Collection of masterful Guilloche handles, finishes, and different series of door handles. We believe that a rich repertoire of expression has evolved over the decades of the individual practices of four eminent artists and the finest designers at Maranello.

What finishes and designs are trending in the architectural hardware segment?
Contemporary designs with a simple twist, strong grip, and fuller looking. We are the first in India to introduce Slim Rose and the first in the world to introduce Slim Plate which is 5mm thin and gives the handle a very sleek look. Satin PVD finishes like gold/black and rose gold have a bright future. PVD is an everlasting finish and a lot of furniture pieces these days are incorporating PVD. Satin is more preferred compared to glossy as it is also easy to maintain and looks classy. The richness of brass as a metal of choice is moving the trend towards brass hardware.