MANHATTAN INTERIORS is the retail arm of well known local furniture designers and manufacturers J W Wilson International. A family business founded in 1958 so they’re celebrating 60 years in the furniture trade this year. J W Wilson is currently run by brothers Jim and Allan Wilson, with Tracy Wilson overseeing the Manhattan Interiors shop. Initially J W Wilson manufactured furniture solely for the export market but in recent years they have begun supplying the local market through Manhattan Interiors. The company continues to export their top quality products across the region and beyond. From a small family business they have grown into a major manufacturing and retailing company employing a staff contingent of around 350 people at the factory and 13 in the shop.
Manhattan Interiors first opened at Sam Levy’s Village about 10 years ago – thanks to customers’ requests they now have plans to expand further, opening a second shop later this year. The current shop faces onto the main pedestrian walkway in the Village and has large windows with eye-catching and appealing furniture displays. The displays are constantly refreshed and up-dated to display their extensive range of furniture and accessories. Tracy Wilson, an artist, creates attractive set-ups in the windows (and in the shop) which present well co-ordinated and elegant decor solutions for every room in the home.
The displays are loosely based on the concept made popular by the American furniture store chain Rooms to Go. So, for example, customers could see a lounge space set up with a suite of sofas and chairs, centre table and side tables, colour co-ordinated cushions, curtains, lamps and accessories. The idea is to provide customers with all the decor and design details to create beautiful rooms in their own homes, saving them time and money and loads of little design decisions and headaches, without sacrificing quality and style. Manhattan Interiors has incorporated this design philosophy creating stylish little room tableaus for bedrooms, lounges, dining rooms and delightful children’ rooms. They supply superior bed linen made from top quality Egyptian linen of 200 thread count and above.
They also provide specially selected mattresses from local suppliers Restapedic and Bowline. Curtains and scatter cushions are made locally by Tsitsi, while Tanya provides children’s accessories and Honest helps create the children’s range following Tracy’s designs. Art works are also created by Tracy and other local painters like Barry Kamberami. Some accessories and furniture items in teak are supplied by Revolta’s Roots who are based in Ruwa. Generally customers can purchase the complete room as seen in the decor set ups, or they can select individual items and mix and match as they choose. They can also request some custom made options, for example, they can select different upholstery finishes from Manhattan’s in store range.
Although they mainly provide beautiful furnishing options for private residential decor, Manhattan also supplies up-market lodges, guest houses and hotels. They have recently provided furnishings for some rooms for Holiday Inns in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare. Manhattan Interiors stock a wide range of furnishings and accessories including table lamps, throws, cushions, vases, mirrors, ornaments and artworks. While their style is eclectic and adaptable it could best be described as a fusion of contemporary and classical with a few touches of industrial chic. There are frequently new designs and new ranges to choose from.
As an additional service for customers’ convenience Manhattan Interiors can arrange delivery within the Harare area. Our website is fully operational with prices and pictures and you can now sit in the comfort of your own home and purchase your product directly from the website. For more information visit their showroom at shop 108 Sam Levy’s Village. Mon – Fri: 9.00 to 5.30. Sat: 9.00 to 3.00.
Telephone: (04) 852850 / 51
Mobile: 0772158325
Email: debbie@manhattaninteriors.co.zw
Web site: https://www.manhattaninteriors.co.zw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManhattanInteriors/
Text By Michael Nott
Photography By Michele Fortman
