Homes India Magazine recently recognised The Studio by Nandita Manwani as among the top 10 Interior designers in Bangalore. Details of my interview to the magazine on the occasion are below
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The Studio by Nandita Manwani: Crafting Homes That Embrace Life
Modern Indian homes are evolving from shelters of necessity to sanctuaries of identity and intent. Homeowners today seek more than just attractive finishes or standard design. They desire dwellings which align with their identities, facilitate their routine and promote a positive quality of life. On the service provider side, the market is divided between modular furniture makers on one side and architect-led interiors on the other.
Over the last 15 years The Studio by Nandita Manwani has created a distinct identity for itself. It is one of the few “Designer Led” Interior Firms in the country and puts Good Design at the centre of each assignment. A Design Led approach to Interiors not only leads to better aesthetics but also spaces that help improve the quality of life of its inhabitants.
We spoke with Nandita on her 15 year journey in the field of Interior design and the distinction of being recognised as among Bangalore’s top Interior designers, here is an excerpt.
Q: The Interior design industry has seen changing trends in recent years. Can you highlight what you are observing and how is The Studio by Nandita Manwani adapting to these trends?
A: When I started out 15 years ago the Interior Design was more of glorified carpentry. In addition, the industry was unorganised, and it was difficult to find someone who could be trusted. Industry offerings were limited to things around the core carpentry, with customers having to run around for basic things like customised wall finishes, flooring etc. It was around 10 years back when the startup modular furniture players emerged on the horizon, they offered a smoother ride for customers looking for basic finishes and woodwork. Their offerings till this day have remained limited to factory made woodwork with most of the scope beyond the modular woodwork being outsourced by these modular vendors to third parties.
Today the Interiors industry is split between the modular furniture focused unicorns on one hand and Custom Carpentry Focused Architects on the other. The concept of hardcore Interior Designers, like you see in the west, still does not exist. The Studio has always operated in the core interior design space with Good Design taking Center Stage and an offering that contains not just the furniture but lighting design, soft furnishings, custom carpentry and whatever it takes to build a home that not only reflects the taste of the owning family but also designed in a way that adds to the family’s way of life and their aspirations.
Q: How Did it all Begin?
A: I never really planned for this. I did my own home in Bangalore way back in 2009, looking at the output a couple of my friends approached me for help. I got the same team together – the folks who had done my home and got these two first projects executed. While doing those, I just happened to pen down my experience and learnings in a blog post on Blogger – I am unsure if anyone even remembers the Blogger platform now. In 2010 there was no concept of an Influencer, but Blogging was the in-thing and after reading the blog several home makers started sharing their own experiences and asking questions. A few came back asking whether I can help design their home. That was how the first formal and paid project came about. Later the blog was noticed by folks at Deccan Herald and they formally invited me to write for them, they even used to send a cheque with some token amount for each article that was published – these unbanked cheques are still lying with me as a souvenir. To get to see my name in the newspaper was a high-in-itself, moreover I was writing for me, not really for anyone else, so the money did not matter. In fact, that is how it has always been, even our customers have trusted us so much, I remember this one time when a customer made a deposit based on some back of the hand calculations we did for his interiors, and we ended up returning what was left from the deposit at the end of the project.
With the first paid project also came the need for self-learning and the long nights to understand and master new design tools, I remember Google had just introduced SketchUp and it was free and going to bed at 1.30 AM happy and satisfied after completing a dimension perfect sketch of a cupboard or a kitchen. That grounds up learning of not just the tools but also the business, the pitfalls, understanding clients, the core of design and more than everything – doing it primarily for the passion has given a strong foundation to all that we do today at The Studio
Q: Sketch out the core values, vision, and mission of The Studio by Nandita Manwani
A: The Studio by Nandita Manwani stands on Two Core Foundations – Trust and the Power of Good Design to Change Lives. Every project we undertake is not just someone’s home but also our living creation. One does not compromise with one’s own creation, hence the philosophy that whatever we do and the decisions we make should be in the best interest of the project, this not only builds trust in client relationships but also relationships that last a lifetime. Homes that we did 12 years back, their owners still come back to us if the home needs a refurb or repair.
Secondly – the power of good design – this is something that is still not well articulated or understood in our country. When you make a home, the home also makes you, good design decides the way you feel and behave in each space. We spend a considerable time in understanding who we are designing the home for, their background, habits and aspirations. This helps us create unique spaces that not only reflects the persona of the family but also curate a culture within the home that helps the family live better. We look for an alignment of this vision with that of the customers own expectation from the project and the relationship, hence we insist of face-to-face meetings and knowing each other better before accepting each design and turnkey implementation assignment.
Q: Sustainability and eco-friendly designs are becoming increasingly important in the interior design industry. How do you integrate sustainability into its designs?
A: Every space has an ethos and a personality. A home’s true ethos is felt through our five senses – the textures we touch, the air we breathe, the light we see, and the calm or the energy we experience. While Eco Friendliness and Sustainability are buzzwords in the Interior Design Industry today, they need to be driven through their vital role in shaping this sensory harmony of a home.
During our design planning phase there is this natural and overarching inclination to integrate eco-friendly materials, natural textures, and toxin-free finishes, however, for us sustainability is not just about being green — it’s about designing spaces that nurture well-being and connect deeply with the people who live in them.”
Q: What sets The Studio by Nandita Manwani apart from other interior design companies in Bangalore?
A: The Studio amongst the very few design-led Interior design companies in India. As I mentioned before, the Interior design industry in the country comprises either Startup Unicorns focused on Modular Furniture or Architects, there are nearly no designer led firms. A design led approach to Interior Design is fundamentally different from a furniture led or an architecture led approach as it starts with a clean canvas and no constraints, building up based on the lifestyle and life-stage of the family and encompassing all aspects of design including lighting, furnishing, furniture, colours, accessories and décor.
At The Studio I encourage each designer on my team to bring about something fresh and new into every project we undertake. There is a strict mandate not to repeat designs across projects or blindly copy from Pinterest. Just as each family is different, their home too needs to be unique, tasteful and personal
Q: What are your remarkable milestones and achievements so far as an interior designer?
A: We are thankful to have had many – Deccan Herald calling in to write for them, my blog getting featured in The Times of India, being recognized as one of the top Women Interior Designers in India and the Top Designers to follow by Houzz Magazine, Radio City honoring The Studio as a Business Icon and among the top Design Firms in Bangalore – all these have helped in their own way to drive our passion for good design and doing good work. Perhaps the biggest milestone was a call from an elderly lady, she was on a wheelchair but wanted to actively pursue her life and activities around her home, she said, “will you design my home? I don’t think I can trust anyone else who can.”
Q: What is next for The Studio? Are there any new offerings and announcements in the pipeline?
A: The Studio is preparing to launch DesignKare—a platform focused exclusively on providing pure design services for both homes and commercial spaces. The mission is simple yet powerful: to make good design accessible to all. Design isn’t just about aesthetics; it impacts how people live, feel, and thrive. From salons to restaurants to office spaces, DesignKare aims to bring thoughtful, world-class design to clients globally. The launch is just weeks away, marking a new chapter in The Studio’s journey to democratise good design.
The edited reprint of the article is available here The Studio by Nandita Manwani Top Interior Designers in Bangalore Reprint
Cheers
Nandita
