When the British voyaged to distant and exotic lands during the colonial era, they sought to bring the comforts of home with them, both at sea and in their new residences abroad. To meet these desires, they commissioned the finest craftsmen to create impressive pieces of furniture, equipping themselves with portable desks, chairs, sofas, bedroom suites, and punkah fans.
Furniture pieces were expertly designed to fold down for travel—gleaming teak and brass desks, stately mahogany almirahs, and intricately carved four-poster beds could all be disassembled, packed, and even transported on the backs of elephants.
Whether the officers were dispatched to the jungles of India or the tea plantations of Ceylon, the mahogany dining table and chairs had to accompany them—along with beds, bookcases, desks, and gaming tables. These items needed to be relatively easy to break down and move, especially considering the grand pianos, harps, and cases of sherry and port certainly weren't.
Today, long after the sun has set on the British Empire, the romance and elegance live on at Reef. Here, we transport you back to the days of the East India Company and the British Raj, where antique ceiling fans lazily stir in the heat, wicker chairs rest beneath swaying palm trees, and the striped shadows from louvered doors gently fall across shaded verandas.
