An Indian Summer & Serendipity Presents....

I cannot believe I'm missing this!  An Indian Summer and Serendipity have curated an amazing event that celebrates design talent, art and culture... and all this is going to be happening in an incredible setting... a beautiful haveli in Chattarpur, New Delhi. It's going to be happening on 27th and 28th September so if you are anywhere near Delhi, it's something you absolutely don't want to miss. This one is for all you you who love all things pretty...For more details click here. 

Sadly, I'm going to be on my Sri Lankan holiday and I'm missing this :( So feeling pretty torn between excitement over our vacation (which I've been planning for the last 6 months ... hehehe) and disappointment that I'll be missing all the prettiness. 

Remember peeps... 27th & 28th September at Serendipity, Chattarpur, Delhi.

Cobalt Designs- Beautiful Designs in Metal

A while back Valay Gada of Cobalt Designs reached out to me and invited me over to his studio for a cup of coffee and a chat about his work. Unfortunately I haven’t made it over to his studio as yet, but one look at their website & I fell in love with his studio’s work.

Founded in 2012, Cobalt Designs is a partnership between two young designers, Valay Gada & Michael Rodrigues. The studio works primarily in metal alloys like brass and copper. The pair is inspired by classical traditions and they are deeply passionate about preserving the tradition of Indian craftsmanship, bringing them relevance and adapting them to the modern aesthetic. They do this by engaging and working with local artisans and nurturing local talent.

Their product range is spread over a wide range of categories, from luxury furniture, lighting, bath accessories, mirrors, hardware and some costume jewelry too. They also work with architects and interior designers on customized pieces such as jalis and murals.

Their work is contemporary and edgy with an emphasis on a high level of finishing and is inspired by industrial design, Art Deco and traditional Indian crafts.

Here's a peek at some of their works...

More from Cobalt Designs here and here. 

[All images courtesy Cobalt Designs]

Feature- Usine Studio

I am absolutely thrilled about featuring Usine Studio as part of my Young Indian Designers series. Established in 2010 and headed by Jiten Tosar and Yatin Kaviya, this dynamic duo are slowly making a name for themselves in the design scene in Baroda and Gujarat. The three of us go way back- we were 'partners in crime' in DGA, a leading design firm in Baroda. 

Usine is known for its contemporary design aesthetic with a slightly minimalist bent and a strong focus on detailing and finish. Their work has also been published in some leading design magazines like Inside Outside & Better Interiors.

Here are a few of their works...

[All images courtesy Usine Studio]

My Latest Project

For the last 18 months I have been working on Govindam, a 4500 sq ft bungalow in Noida, and about a week ago I completed the photography of this site. This project, like any project I take on, ended up being a real labor of love- a site that tested my patience, made me want to pull out my hair in frustration, and where anything that could go wrong, did. But with a great team and wonderful clients, we managed to get things done and I am so proud of the results.

Originally I was simply going to post images of the site, but as I was nostalgically looking through all the pictures of the site that I clicked over the 18 month period, I thought it would be far more interesting to show the story of the site and its transformation from when my firm, SPDA, took on the project to the present. 

Here goes...

The Exterior

Clockwise- The site before we started work, our proposal for the exterior and the finished exterior

The Living Room

Clockwise- The original living room before work commenced, a conceptual 3-d of the space and finally, the living room as it looks today

The Dining Area

(Before)

(After)

The Entertainment/ Family Room

[All images courtesy- SPDA]

You can see more images of this site here.

Feature- Kunal Shah Designs

I've noticed that I have been focusing quite a lot on international designers and their projects, and while that will still continue, I also wanted to highlight some of our own, homegrown talent. So with this in mind, I'm starting a new section in the blog which focuses on  showcasing young Indian designers who are going places. 

To kick off this section I'm really happy to be able to show you the work of my friend and fellow IED alumni, Kunal Shah. Kunal founded Kunal Shah Designs in 2004. This boutique design firm believes in a restrained and understated design aesthetic that focuses on subtle nuances and finer details. I love the clean lines and almost minimalist feel to the spaces he creates. They are very contemporary and yet unmistakably Indian.

Kunal travels a lot and often draws inspiration from his travels and his other passion, art. He is inspired by the works of Geoffrey Bawa, John Pawson, Gaudi and Bijoy Jain. Here are a few select images of the firm's work...

[All images courtesy- Kunal Shah Designs]