Classic designs to subtle colours: Here are the latest furniture design trends

Apeejay alumna Sakshi Kotra from Lucknow works as a senior designer at Spacewood Furnishers. With expertise in modular furniture, she hopes to gain more knowledge in full home interior design and dreams of starting her own venture one day. In an interview, she tells us about consumers’ preferences when it comes to furniture. Read on:

What got you interested in interior design?

As a child, I was fond of decorating my house so much that it became my passion. By the time I was in classes 11-12, I thought of taking up design for higher studies. I went ahead and pursued a diploma course in Lucknow. I had no prior guidance since nobody in my family belonged in this field—they were either in government jobs or other kinds of business. When I graduated, I realised I should study design further. I came across School of Design and Visual Arts, Apeejay Stya University (ASU) on the web and was impressed with its curriculum. One of my professors from the diploma course also recommended Apeejay. I came to Delhi, cleared the interview, and began my journey at Apeejay.

Given your “unconventional” choice, was it difficult to convince your family?

It was a little difficult at first. My parents eventually encouraged me to take up a course of my choice. Simultaneously, they wanted me to prepare for government exams as well just as a backup (laughs). However, I went ahead with designing.

What kind of exposure did Apeejay provide in the field of interior design?

I spent the first year of my course at Apeejay Institute of Design (AID), followed by ASU. The faculty, not just in design, was very helpful and supportive. When I was in AID, the faculty took us for site visits and introduced us to the products that were in trend in the market. They even brought some of these products to class and explained their features in detail. The same happened at ASU also.

What did you pursue after ASU?

I bagged a job in Gurugram, where I worked for two or three months. Eventually, I moved back to Lucknow with another job opportunity and that was at Spacewood. I am working at a Spacewood franchise now. This is where I have learned the most about interior designing.

Can you tell us briefly about your work as a senior designer at Spacewood?

I design modular furniture and have gained a level of expertise in the same. I do 2D and 3D modelling, something I began learning at Apeejay itself, although the software used in my current company is different. Now, I am trying to learn about full home interior design as well.