Deadlines, budgets, consumer briefs, infinite website visits — on most days, architects and designers are consumed by the wants of others. But ask them what they create when nobody is watching, and the solutions reveal one thing way more intimate. Designing for themselves turns into a uncommon pause, an opportunity to play, experiment, and specific: a reminder of why they fell in love with design within the first place.
“Designing for ourselves is an adventure of creativity. I have a penchant for the fantastical, and I am drawn to all things brutalist. My partner, however, favours minimalistic aesthetics, deep, moody hues and has a keen focus on functionality and quality. Such projects reflect not just our tastes, but the rhythm of our lives together,” says Smita Thomas, founder, Multitude of Sins.
The Solo Waltz has been painted in a cherry pink tone and blends seamlessly with the remainder of the house by e & co.
| Photo Credit:
Ishita Sitwala
These initiatives are sometimes an unfiltered expression of their distinctive design sensibilities and philosophy. “Without a client brief or external expectations, the only constraint is our own clarity of purpose. Such designs emerge from a space of freedom,” says Bhadri Suthar, co-Founder, tHE gRID Architects, Research & Design Studio.
Designing one thing for their very own use at all times feels rewarding. “Unlike working on client projects where there are multiple perspectives and requirements to balance, creating for my own space gives me complete freedom to experiment, blend different influences, and push boundaries. It becomes an honest reflection of my own story, memories and aesthetic, almost like a diary entry captured in design,” says Nishtha Duggal, co-founder and principal, The Concreate Story. Further, designing for your self typically means designing from the depths of self and soul. “Designing for myself feels like a dialogue with my own instincts. Unlike commissioned work, where you respond to someone else’s story, here it becomes about looking within; what I need, what feels right, what makes me smile. They carry emotion as much as craft. There is a joy in creating without boundaries, where playfulness can meet function seamlessly. These moments of self-design are special because they are pure and they remind me why I fell in love with design in the first place,” says Eshita Marwah, founder, by e & co. Here is a have a look at some eclectic merchandise designed by the architects for their very own areas.
Mind the chair | tHE gRID Architects, Research & Design Studio
The uncooked log of wooden symbolises nature and the dwell tree planted within the log stands for life on earth.
| Photo Credit:
PHX INDIA
Co-founders Bhadri and Snehal Suthar have designed an unique chair named ‘Inclinaire’ and a desk known as ‘Eunoia’ for their workplace house. “They embody our core values of simplicity, honesty and love for nature. These pieces are not just objects — they are manifestations of our thinking, shaped by years of refining design to its essence and a constant urge to simplify,” says Snehal. Inclinaire, crafted from delicate metal with hand-polished teak wooden, attracts inspiration from honesty of type, integrity of joinery and reverence for pure supplies. The chair, which is ergonomically aligned with the physique’s pure posture, is a lesson in restraint with the geometry balancing the lightness of type with structural solidity. There is minimal use of screws, and the perforated teak seat balances weight whereas enhancing consolation. “The idea was to distil a chair to its essentials without sacrificing comfort or character. It was important for us to create a piece that anchors a space without dominating it,” provides Bhadri.
The horizontal traces on the seat, which have been handled as a sequence of linear perforations, assist stability weight.
| Photo Credit:
Inclined Studio
‘Eunoia’ represents their love for nature and a material-driven strategy. Built from a repurposed wood log, the desk options uncovered joinery and no artificial overlays. “It is a living desk that is designed to house a bonsai plant as an intrinsic part of the piece. ‘Eunoia’ reimagines the workspace as a living ecosystem. More than a desk, it is a bridge between human creativity and the natural world. This was conceptualised not as a typical office desk, but as a piece that aligns with the energy of our studio,” quips Snehal. Both merchandise had been executed by their agency’s product design arm, Carpenters.
Tibetan desk | The Concreate Story
A Tibetan chik present in a neighborhood market and vintage columns from a European embassy.
| Photo Credit:
VRITIKA GERA
Adorning Nishtha Duggal’s residing house is a centre desk which, as she places it, got here collectively “rather serendipitously”. Duggal says, “I stumbled upon a beautiful Tibetan chik (a traditional woven partition or blind) at a thrift market. It immediately resonated with me, and I knew I had to give it a new lease of life. Around the same time, I had acquired four antique columns from a European embassy. We carefully cut the columns in half; two were transformed into graceful side tables, while the other two became the pedestal base for the centre table. The table itself has two overlapping planks and is crafted from a combination of solid wood (from the chik) and stone/wood detailing from the columns. Its uniqueness lies in how it merges distinct cultural narratives; with Tibetan craftsmanship meeting European architectural history and resulting in a functional yet aesthetic piece.” She provides that the desk is a dialog starter and embodies the essence of storytelling by type and materials.
“What excites me most is that this table is not perfect by conventional standards; instead, it carries the marks of time, the randomness of discovery, and the intentionality of design. That makes it truly one-of-a-kind,” quips Duggal.
A canine’s mattress | by e & co.
Ella’s mattress.
| Photo Credit:
Tanvi Arora Seth
Eshita Marwah’s workplace, which has a definite Victorian tea room vibe replete with cottage core allure, has a number of unique items which were designed in-house. Two standout items embody her pet canine Ella’s mattress and the chandelier, each of which Marwah phrases as deeply private gestures. “Ella’s bed is completely handmade and hand-painted as a cosy, protective nook that blends seamlessly into the studio’s design language. The structure sits on rounded ball-like solid wood legs and is detailed with a picket-style railing, striped mattress in red and white, which goes with the rest of the space, and soft sheer curtains. The detachable pitched roof adds versatility, allowing for easy cleaning and adaptability over time. Its compact scale ensures it does not overwhelm the room while still offering Ella a space of her own. My main consideration was comfort; for Ella to feel secure and cocooned, while making the bed visually charming enough to hold its place in the office,” says Marwah. The chandelier, named ‘The Solo Waltz’, is handmade in metallic and painted by hand in a cherry pink tone. Its natural, leaf-like extensions unfold outward in a sculptural type that feels as if it’s caught mid-motion, like in a waltz, therefore the identify. It not solely illuminates but in addition kinds a poetic connection to the greenery seen exterior the window. “My goal was to create a functional centre piece which brought rhythm, movement, and a sense of nature indoors. Together, these pieces capture my design ethos — where utility is inseparable from emotion. They are designed not only to serve a purpose but to evoke warmth and joy every day,” provides Marwah.
Concrete eating desk | Multitude of Sins
A eating desk.
| Photo Credit:
ISHITA SITWALA
Inspired by her want to get pleasure from a carefree eating expertise, Smita Thomas determined to create a novel eating desk utilizing massive concrete end tiles. “It is a generous 10-ft.-long table that comfortably accommodates eight to nine guests. While stone, marble or wood might typically headline as tabletop material, I chose large concrete-finish tiles, which means we can spill, splatter, and enjoy meals without worrying about the aftermath. A two-shade marble inlay edges the table, curving atop the table top to frame the tiles. Between the tiles, a blue-stained wood inlay adds a touch of colour and complexity. The legs mimic tall concrete blocks in a profound stained grey, with bases featuring the same striped marble inlay as a design detail and to ward off wet mops. A cylindrical metal pipe, complete with carved wooden flowers at the ends, runs across the length of the table, connecting the legs,” says Thomas.
It is essential to notice that the eating desk is sort of an extension of the crockery unit, and the marble high of the crockery unit doubles as a buffet counter for entertaining.
Bronze-concrete stability | Studio Urban Form and Objects (UF+O)
A view of the studio.
| Photo Credit:
NIVEDITAA GUPTA
Prachi Parekh Vora and Vineet Vora, co-founders of Studio UF+O, have designed an unique bench and lamp for their house, which they’ve christened ‘Inside Out’ and ‘Petal’, respectively. Both items push the boundaries of materiality and discover innovation in craft. Made from bronze, Inside Out is a creatively designed bench that’s an interaction between materials experimentation and type exploration. Bronze casting as a course of was studied to achieve a skinny natural type with contrasting textures which provide various tactile surfaces on the within and out of doors whereas retaining the performance of a seat. “Petal is a sculptural exploration, and this concrete-cast lamp rises with its fluid, petal-like form gracefully unfurling to reveal a warm, golden glow,” says Prachi. Blending minimalism with class, it transforms the house right into a serene, ethereal atmosphere. “The main motivation was to explore the phase-changing properties of bronze and concrete, and we were drawn to the potential of these materials for sculpting. The experimentation was about striking a balance between controlling the material’s behaviour and embracing its inherent characteristics. We were able to play with the scale between functionality and aesthetics,” provides Vineet.
The Bengaluru-based freelance author is keen about all issues design, journey, meals, artwork and tradition.
