La Brallentine, an exclusive outlet for imported furniture, glasses, crockery, artifacts and marble statues, is one of them. Displayed extravagantly over five bedrooms and two dining areas at a house in New Delhi's Sainik Farms, La Brallentine comprehends the needs of the jetsetter's lifestyle and promises to fulfil them.

Says Jyoti, one of the four Mittal sisters who have come together to launch the store: ``Though there is no dearth of people selling imported furniture or crockery, we are marketing them as entire rooms. Our interior designer explains the nuances of the assortment of beds, wardrobes, drawers and candelabra that complement each other, depending on the kind of furniture finish you seek. Forinstance, the finish can be marble, Duco or Duco-paint,'' she says.

La Brallentine is a realisation of Vandana, Jyoti, Sapna and Bhavna Mittal's dreams to offer the pleasure of shopping overseas to discerning Indian buyers. The furniture, imported from Carrara near Venice, is priced in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 4.50 lakh. The European glasses and the Japanese crockery are priced between Rs 3,000-Rs 15,000 and Rs 5,000-Rs 25,000 respectively. Marble statues from Italy are priced in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 12 lakh and gift items can be bought for anything between Rs 2,000 to Rs 25,000.

Another businessman to realise the potential of selling imported interiors accessories to the high-heeled from his residence is Jai P Jindal. Jindal's bevelled, inlaid, spray carving and grind carving glass panels brought to India in collaboration with the Washington-based Ameri Glass Company are also high-end but offer value for money.

The tastefully done glass panels are dust, frost and sound proof, besideshaving anti-seismic features. Priced Rs 4,000 per sq ft upward, they are targeted at the cash-rich section of buyers. ``Our target audience are interior designers, architects, builders, diplomats and big corporate houses,'' says Jindal, the man behind the Jindal Art Glass Innovations. Jindal again retails his glass innovations from his residence-cum-showroom in New Delhi's Golf Links.

Most of the qualities in the panels emerge from their sturdy three-layer construction. The exquisite inlay work in geometric and leaf patterns has been executed by hand in Washington. Jindal started importing the panels two months back and claims to have sold over 100 pieces already. ``A toughened layer of glass that covers the inlay work on both sides imparts quake resistance to them. The three layers also ensure that no air or moisture passes through the glasses, making them frost-proof. They are less prone to theft, too, as breaking or removing the glasses is almost impossible,'' he says.

Decorative glasses are becomingpopular by the day, according to Jindal. ``Houses that let in plenty of light keeps the inhabitants in touch with nature. However, too much sunlight can make a room uncomfortably hot and glaringly bright. Variants of decorative glasses bring distinctive features with them-etched glasses ensure privacy, leaded panes cast soft shadows and stained glass floods the room with coloured light. Our designs are statements in sophistication and detailed elegance,'' he explains.

The price of elegance may be high, but it is no longer a distant dream. The consumer does have better choice today.