Shoparound: Made from teak, bamboo, rattan and water hyacinth, the contemporary Asian furniture stocked in Nirvana in Waterford is all about texture, pattern and natural materials and is proving very popular with interior designers looking for something "a little bit different".

Based in Ballinakill Shopping Centre in Waterford, Nirvana is now two years in business. All its products are imported from Thailand and are hand-made from natural materials.

Once only seen in conservatories and sunrooms, woven furniture is now moving centre stage in main reception rooms and bedrooms, explains Stephen Barber from Nirvana.

As we get more daring with our interiors and the move towards rough textures and unusual influences continues apace, there is a strong demand for good quality contemporary Asian furniture.

"People are bored with leather and pine and are looking for something different. Contemporary Asian furniture is now very popular in mainland Europe and it's becoming quite trendy here in Ireland too."

Customers can choose from a furniture range which includes dining tables and chairs, sofas, occasional chairs, cabinets, beds and mirrors. There is a choice of material type as well as colour - natural straw, chocolate brown and grey-black.

Proving very popular at the moment is a range of lamps. Hand-made from either bamboo or hand-woven rattan, They come in a variety of designs and sizes: table lamps (69), one metre high(125), 1.5 metres (€275) up to 1.9 metres (349).

In the sittingroom, a sofa set comprising a loveseat sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table costs around €2,500.

Interesting home accessories available from Nirvana include striking wood Buddhas priced from 49 and sandstone Buddhas from 95.

Floating candles in coconut cost from 4 and tall bamboo twisted candles cost 19.

Nirvana Handmade Furniture & Accessories

4 Ballinakill Shopping Centre, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Tel: 051 820657