FAQ

Questions, answered.

Ordering, bespoke pieces, the Aftab Registry, delivery and care. If your question is not here, please write to us, and we usually reply within 3 working days.

01

Ordering & payment

How do I order a piece?

Send us a request from any piece in the col­lec­tion, or write to us through the Con­tact page. We usu­ally reply within 3 work­ing days with the price, the fin­ishes avail­able and the timing.

Are prices shown on the website?

Some pieces show a price, and others are priced on request, because the size and finish can change. Prices are in US dol­lars and do not include deliv­ery, import duties or taxes.

Do you have pieces ready to deliver?

Some pieces are ready in the studio, so ask us which ones are avail­able now. For a ready piece, pay­ment is due in full when you order.

How do payments work for pieces made to order?

A 50% deposit books your piece into pro­duc­tion. The bal­ance, with the cost of deliv­ery, is due before the piece is crated and dispatched.

Can I cancel an order?

Yes, within 14 days of paying your deposit, as long as pro­duc­tion has not started. We refund the deposit minus any costs already incurred, such as design work or mate­ri­als bought for your piece. After that, a made-to-order piece can no longer be can­celled and the deposit is not refund­able. For bespoke pieces, the full terms are set out in your commission agreement.

Can I return a piece?

All sales are final, as most pieces are made to order. If a piece arrives dam­aged, please tell us within 48 hours, as explained under Delivery.

02

Bespoke & made to order

Can I change the size or finish of a piece?

Yes. Most pieces in the col­lec­tion can be adjusted: the size, the wood, the stone, the fabric or the finish. See Bespoke Commissions.

Can I see samples before I order?

Yes. For a bespoke piece, we send finish and mate­rial sam­ples, with the draw­ings, for your approval before production begins.

Will my piece look exactly like the photos?

Many of our mate­ri­als are nat­u­ral and each piece is fin­ished by hand, so the grain of the wood, the vein­ing of the stone and the tone of a finish will vary, and sizes can differ slightly. Screens also show colors in dif­fer­ent ways. This is nat­u­ral and not a defect, which is why we send samples.

How long does a bespoke piece take?

Typ­i­cally 12 to 18 weeks from your approval of the draw­ings and sam­ples, depend­ing on the piece and the work­shop sched­ule. We con­firm the exact timing in your quote, before you pay a deposit. A com­pletely new design has a design stage first.

Is there a design fee?

For a com­pletely new design, yes. The design fee is deducted from your final order. Changes to a col­lec­tion piece are quoted directly.

Can I return a bespoke piece?

Because each piece is made only for you, bespoke and custom orders are final. That is why you approve the draw­ings and sam­ples first, and see progress photos while it is made.

03

Aftab Registry

How do I know a piece is genuine?

Every piece car­ries a plate or label with its own serial number. Enter the number on the Aftab Reg­istry page to see the piece, the year it was made and its finish.

Why register my piece?

You receive a cer­tifi­cate in your name, and a pri­vate page for your piece with photos from the work­shop, care notes and doc­u­ments. You can also choose to hear about new pieces first.

Is there a printed certificate?

The cer­tifi­cate is online. Once your reg­is­tra­tion is approved, you can open it from your owner page at any time, print it, or save it as a PDF.

I sold or gave my piece to someone.

The new owner sends a trans­fer request on the Reg­istry page, and you approve it by email. Noth­ing changes without your approval.

04

Delivery

Do you deliver internationally?

Yes, to most coun­tries. Our logis­tics part­ners take care of crat­ing and freight, by air or sea. Deliv­ery is quoted by des­ti­na­tion and by the size and weight of its crate, and always includes transit insurance.

Who pays import duties and taxes?

The buyer. Deliv­er­ies abroad are sent duty unpaid, which means local duties, VAT, taxes and cus­toms bro­ker­age fees are paid on arrival, unless your quote says oth­er­wise. A local cus­toms broker can esti­mate them for you.

How long does delivery take?

Usu­ally 1 to 3 weeks by air, or 4 to 8 weeks by sea, once your piece is ready, depend­ing on the des­ti­na­tion and the car­rier. Deliv­ery dates are esti­mates, not guarantees.

Where is the piece delivered?

Stan­dard deliv­ery takes the crated piece to the entrance of the build­ing, or the near­est ground floor access. In many cities, a local part­ner can also place it in your room, unpack it and take the pack­ag­ing away, for an extra fee.

My room is not ready yet.

We can keep a fin­ished piece in stor­age free of charge for up to 30 days from the day we tell you it is ready. Longer stor­age can be arranged on request.

What if my piece arrives damaged?

Check the crate before you sign for it, and write any damage on the car­rier’s deliv­ery paper. If you find a prob­lem when unpack­ing, stop, take photos and email them to info@aftabgallery.com within 48 hours of deliv­ery, so we can claim with the car­rier. Please keep the crate and pack­ag­ing until we reply. This does not affect your legal rights.

05

Care

How do I care for wood?

Most of our wood is fin­ished with nat­u­ral oils, so it can breathe. Wipe spills straight away with a clean, dry cloth, use coast­ers on wooden tops, and keep the piece out of direct sun­light and away from heat.

How do I care for bronze?

Bronze is fin­ished with a patina, pro­tected by micro­crys­talline wax. Dust it gently with a soft, dry microfiber cloth, and never use water, sol­vents or abra­sive clean­ers, which strip the finish. We rec­om­mend having it re-waxed every 2 to 3 years.

What about other materials?

If your piece is reg­is­tered, the care notes for its mate­ri­als are on your owner page. If not, write to us with the serial number and we send them.

06

Trade & projects

Do you work with interior designers and architects?

Yes. We offer trade pric­ing, sam­ples, draw­ings and 3D files, and can adjust pieces to your project. There is no min­i­mum order. Send your studio details through the Trade & Projects page.

Who can get trade pricing?

Inte­rior design­ers, archi­tects, hos­pi­tal­ity groups, devel­op­ers and pur­chas­ing agents. We look at your web­site or pro­fes­sional account, so there is no paperwork to send.

How long does a project piece take?

Typ­i­cally 12 to 18 weeks from your approval of the draw­ings and sam­ples. We con­firm the timing in your quote.

Can you furnish a hotel or a whole project?

Yes. We make each piece to one stan­dard across a prop­erty, with quan­tity pric­ing and deliv­ery planned around your open­ing. Before a larger order, we can make a first piece for your approval, quoted sep­a­rately. See Trade & Projects.

A question we have not answered?

Letters from the studio

New pieces, first. A few times a year.