Founders CA Amit Khaitan and Shriram Gaud want malachite, lapis lazuli and onyx to live in family rooms, not only in palaces and galleries.
SHARJAH, October 30: A new showroom devoted entirely to furniture and decorative objects crafted from natural gemstones opens in Sharjah on November 1, as Royal Art: Sculpted Luxury brings malachite tables, lapis lazuli cabinets and onyx vases to UAE homes.
Its founders, CA Amit Khaitan and Shriram Gaud, describe the venture as a first-of-its-kind destination in the country: a single address where gemstone furniture and decorative artistry sit together under one vision, aimed at homeowners, interior designers, architects and collectors.
The timing reflects a gap the pair say they spotted in the UAE’s crowded luxury market. “Luxury has recognizable names in jewellery, watches, fashion and interiors,” Khaitan said. “We felt there was room for a dedicated identity celebrating precious and semi-precious stone as functional art.”
A question that became a business
The idea began not with a market study but with a personal question. “Every home holds a version of its owner’s dreams,” Khaitan said. “For some, it is a place of quiet comfort; for others, a celebration of achievement. For me, it inspired a question: could the extraordinary beauty of natural gemstones become part of everyday living?”
Years of working with stone shaped the answer. Khaitan came to admire the way nature produces colour, pattern and character that cannot be copied. “Working with stone over the years, I came to appreciate how nature creates patterns, colors and character that no human hand can precisely repeat,” Khaitan said.
That appreciation grew into an ambition to create furniture, artefacts and decorative objects that do a practical job while drawing the kind of attention usually given to a painting or sculpture. “I dreamed of bringing that beauty into homes,” Khaitan said, describing pieces “that serve a purpose while inviting the attention we usually reserve for art.”
Mr. Shriram Gaud
A partnership built on craftsmanship
The concept took on its commercial shape when Khaitan shared it with Shriram Gaud, now partner in the business.
“When I shared this dream with my partner, Shriram Gaud, we found ourselves aligned in our appreciation of craftsmanship and our ambition for the concept,” Khaitan said. “Together, we began shaping a venture that would bring this expression of luxury to the UAE.”
The partnership pairs a long familiarity with stone with a shared belief that the material deserves its own place in the market. Rather than treating gemstones as an accent within a wider furniture range, the founders built the brand around them, making the stone itself the centre of every piece.
Inside the collection
Visitors to the Sharjah showroom will find a range that stretches well beyond tables. The collection includes gemstone coffee tables, side tables and console tables, along with beds, statement pianos, decorative cabinets, mirrors, mantel clocks, candelabras and ornamental vases.
Each piece combines natural stone with detailed sculptural work, turning everyday furniture into something closer to a collectible. The palette is drawn straight from the earth: the deep emerald tones of malachite, the royal blues of lapis lazuli and the warm translucence of honey onyx. Elaborate brass and gold-toned sculptural accents add further grandeur.
For the founders, no two pieces are quite the same, and that is the point. “At The Royal Art, materials such as malachite, lapis lazuli and onyx offer their own palette and personality,” Khaitan said. “A table becomes a centerpiece for conversation. A vase brings depth and character to a favorite corner. The stone’s natural variations give each creation an individuality that is central to its appeal.”
The showroom is pitched as more than a furniture store. Whether a client is looking for a centrepiece for a large living room, furnishing an entire residence or choosing a single distinctive collectible, the brand promises pieces that bring personality and a sense of occasion into a space.
Why the UAE
The founders say the choice of the UAE as a home for the brand came naturally. The country’s international outlook, its appetite for ambitious design and its tradition of hospitality all fit the concept.
“The UAE felt like the natural home for this dream,” Khaitan said. “Its international outlook, appreciation of ambitious design and culture of welcoming people into beautiful spaces resonate with what we hope to create.”
That last point carries weight in a region where the majlis and the family home are central to social life, and where receiving guests in a well-appointed space is a mark of respect. A gemstone console in an entrance hall or a malachite table in a sitting room fits easily into that culture of welcome.
Sharjah, with its long-standing association with art and heritage, also gives the showroom a fitting setting for a brand that blurs the line between furniture and fine craft.
Royal living, redefined
Despite the name, the founders insist Royal Art is not only for grand residences or the very wealthy. Their idea of royalty, they say, is a personal one.
CA Amit Khaitan
“Our idea of royal living has always been deeply personal,” Khaitan said. “It extends beyond grand residences and exceptional wealth. A thoughtfully chosen piece can bring a sense of occasion to a room, whether it stands in a spacious entrance or occupies a cherished corner.”
That philosophy sits at the heart of the brand’s identity and gives the business its name. The founders argue that the feeling of pride in a home has little to do with its size, and everything to do with the care that went into building it.
“We believe everyone sees something royal in the home they build with love,” Khaitan said. “The Royal Art was born from the desire to honour that feeling: to bring nature’s artistry closer, give craftsmanship a lasting place in daily life, and help people create spaces that feel unmistakably their own.”
