How did you start your career in Interior Design industry ?

I started in 2002. Started doing part time job along with my college.

Early Interior Design projects I was involved were for companies like Oman airways, ICICI banks & few other reputed banks.

Early stage in my career, I started site supervision. This is the only way to practically understand how design on papers gets realised in to real world.

Every project has some niche requirements, for example Banks need certain touch which is different from some other workplace.

Later started working for “Kiran Gala & Associates” in Sion. In 4 years period, got chance to work on Interior projects of Bungalows, Farm house, Apartments, Sample flat for builder & showrooms. I was involved in Designing & execution.

After this, started working for Mr Jayesh Shah (Architect from famous Talati & Associates ). Here, I got chance to work & learn about RCC designing, Columns, beams & about slabs which is more of a Architectural aspects.

Presently, I am working for another reputed firm that undertakes creative bungalows, Hotels, Farm house & Home renovation.

As an Interior Designer, How do you compare Home Renovation with Commercial Renovation ?

Residential projects are any day more challenging. Each & every home is unique. Every home Owner has different level of expectations. Designing homes is more challenging in fulfilling. Once has to understand clients liking & need. Design Home in such a way that suits client’s liking & space is utilised effectively. All this within limited budget Home owner has set.

In hotels or commercial projects we have to do as per hotel management or commercial managements. They keep in mind what classes of people are going to visit and accordingly they ask for interior designing. And we have to do the work of only one room and rest all might be 20 or 100 rooms they all are done in same manner. In banks the layout or in commercial once it is done so all other projects related to same company have to be done in same concept.

What are some of the top aspects of Hoem Renovation & how does a good Interior Designer approach it ?

We go step by step in each room of the clients.

Living room – how much seating arrangement is required, formal or casual seating . is TV paneling required or or simple look is fine, is false ceiling asked by clients, simple design or different as per clients imagination etc.

Dining room – Dinning of how many people. As some of clients they have 4 members in home but they go for 6 people dinning, after that arranging plates, spoon & other crockery near to dinning table.

Common fresh rooms – It means bathroom & wash room to be used by home members & guest who visit home. Wash basin area outside or inside bathroom.

Kitchen – How much storage is required, is overhead storage required, cabinets above platform, how about open kitchen or close Indian style kitchen, how platform should be done, do they need any crockery unit added in kitchen & modular kitchen.

Bedroom – just bed or bed with storage, is Study table required, book shelf, dressing table, Wardrobe – how long & on which side of bedroom, shutters or doors for loft above the wardrobe, separate wardrobe for husband & wife etc.

Color of house – What is you color selection do you like bright colors or light colors. Do you want use wallpaper on wall or regular paints, luster or velvet or plastic paint.

Furniture – So you want it in laminate or veneer, laminates are economically good veneer but expensive. As in laminate we have limited choice but in same in veneer we have more option & even what type or color of polish you would like to have.

Flooring – Do you want to go with natural stone or artificial like in natural Italian marble or regular marble, granite. If tiles then of what size – 1 meter x 1 meter or 32’’ x 32’’ or smaller. It all depend on the budget of clients. Do they want it glossy or in mate finish.

Lighting – Do clients like direct light (general light ) means white in color or indirect lights (atmospheric light) means yellowish in color. How room should feel during evening or night time etc. If clients needs both light – white & yellowish

How does a project differ – if an Interior Designer is hired or project is directly executed by Contractor ?

Good stuff about Interior designer – brings attention to efficient space utility, combination of furniture as per clients requirement, color combination, finishing in work, and home renovation is done as per imagination of clients. We use workmanship of a Contractor but as per clients expectation.

Not so good stuff – There are many Interior Designers but very few who can come up with concept & plan of action that fits your case. It is easy to collect pictures & copy them but very difficult to understand what client really wants.

Good part of directly working Contractor – You save money & work is done in smaller budget. Good contractor will give you appropriate advise & workmanship.

Not so good stuff about working directly with Contractor – Contractors have inclination towards one particular department, for example. If a Civil mason work after years of experience becomes Contractor, he is more inclined towards civil work. If you were making Wardrobe, he will suggest you to make marble shelf inside. Same way if a Carpenter had turned in to Contractor, he will push for more wood work. When you make marble shelf, it will last for ever however in future if you want to change design of your wardrobe, that will not happen. So you see this kind of thinking will not come with Contractors.

Here we are not saying contractor are not doing proper work, if client is paying him proper than he will surely do the work very good, but if he is not paid proper or lower than he will complete the work in short time, this will give you poor results.