Aesthetic Office Space

Essajees Atelier is an offshoot of Essajees found in 2014 by Sarah Sham. Being part of a family that has been in the interior decoration business for over a century, did Sarah always dream of being an interior designer?

“Not in the least”, smiles Sarah. Sarah always wanted to fly with her own wings. She had a shot at Psychology, she studied finance at Stern University in New York and went on to work as a News Anchor for Bloomberg. She got wised up to the career path of interior designing during her 5-year stint at Essajees, where she not only stockpiled experience in furniture manufacturing and production but also developed a keen interest and love for designing.

Simple yet Stylish Lounge Area

Here is our heart-to-heart conversation with the Charismatic and humble Designer

Who has been your greatest inspiration in the Design Industry?

My inspiration has not been any Designer in particular but I admire a lot of Businesswomen. One of them is the founder of Saffronart – where I interned in 2005 at the initial stage of my career. I extol Minal Vazirani for her aesthetic vision and revolutionizing the way Indians view art. And about her designs, she take her design inspiration from almost everywhere and from everything that catches her attention.

Sarah’s favorite work is her parents Abode

Of the numerous projects that Essajees Atelier has worked on which one do you treasure?

I must admit it is my parents’ home that I went on to design premarriage. Being a family project, executing this one had its own set of challenges, becasue I wanted to decorate the house with the modern interior desing. But the end result was totally worth it. It is not just the design or the love that went into conceptualizing the design, but the fact that I can take joy in my own creation time and again which doesn’t usually happen, as once a client’s work is complete we never get to visit it again. I frequent my parent’s place and truly relish the experience of home decor.

Naturally Lit Living Space

What are the key things you consider at the outset of your design process?

The primary aspect for me is the context of the space being designed. Location of the area, the direction of sunlight, and the entire design sphere in consideration. By and by it is the brief of the client. It is their space, so their style and choice ought to reflect in their space. Amidst the context and client brief, is where our design ideas spring.

What is your individual style when it comes to interiors?

My style is contemporary. I like the blend of traditional and modern design. I love colors and design! Well-nigh everyone feels that colors start to get monotonous with time but that is not true at my end. Colors boost the energy of a room and bring in great vibes. In fact, I have the impression that too much white in a room makes it dull and boring. And most certainly I would prefer a vibrant room to a blank dull space.

I’m a crazy Biophilic fan. I love surrounding myself with greenery and you will find my little abode filled with plenty of plants in every nook and corner.

Inviting Appeal with Pastel Hues

What projects is your team working on currently and what is your future vision for Essajees Atelier?

The team is working on multiple projects at present. We have 3 projects in Goa, 4 High end residences in Kolkata, a 3-storey residence at Hyderabad and other commercial and residential spaces are also in the pipeline.

When it comes to the future vision for my firm, I am not too big a dreamer. My aim is not to expand extensively but to focus on super-specialized projects. Great design element and projects that are beyond imagination is my vision de facto.

5 years ago, my goal was to build a team of 10. It is the 6th year and I have achieved my goal. If you ask me 5 years down the line then I aspire to increase my strength twofold. I would like to limit my expansion to that and focus on my design in its entirety.

Beautifully Distressed Interiors

How do you maintain a work-life balance?

While I have help at home to manage my kid, I give no credence to micromanagement. Neither at home nor at the office. I place confidence in my team and strongly believe that each member knows his responsibilities. The accomplishment of assigned tasks is all that matters at Essajees Atelier. Apart from that, I end my workday at 7 (which includes not attending work calls) and I also make sure my weekends are work free.

An Elegant Dining Area

What advice would you like to give to AHL readers?

The best advice I would say is No Advice. It is your space and it should reflect your own style! Glam up your space with things and colors you truly love. Like they say, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. What is unattractive for you might be appealing to me and vice versa. So simply decorate by your choices.

Had it not been for interior designing, you would find Sarah Sham cooking some delicious meals as she loves the role of a chef. I find the art of baking and icing the cakes extremely satiating she expresses. An ardent fan of MasterChef, this foodie is on the hunt for the best restaurants in every place of her travel.

http://www.essajeesatelier.com/
@EssajeesAtelier

Beautiful Printed Wallpaper

An art, fashion, and Design Enthusiast. Sonal Bhatia’s prime focus is to create tailor-made spaces that resonate with the client’s personality which she integrates with her ideas and lookbook. Sonal adds that her frame of mind plays an integral role in the design process. She is currently intrigued by Emerald Green and has done one of her projects in Emerald Green and Grey. White is her all-time favorite and she confesses using a characteristic white marble in just about every project she designs.

Balancing Prints and Patterns

In cities like Mumbai utilizing minimum space to attain maximum functionality is paramount. Sonam vouches on massing and giving a unanimous look to the space in consideration. Giving a single color finish to the entire room will help enlarge the space and lend height too. But, things are a bit different when you are styling homes in Delhi where you have a lot of spaciousness. Your styling can be a bit more bold and dramatic.

Simple & Stylish

Evergreen spaces are winsome, and this is achieved through flexibility in design. She suggests the use of sturdy furniture and subtle walls that you can easily experiment with. White is the most beautiful canvas, and it is always versatile to style. It gives you numerous options to design during festivities. To add opulence and bling she suggests using quirky cushions and accessories. Look for longevity in design and create eternal interiors.

Swanky Glass House Design with Naturally Lit interiors

Sonal derives her inspiration from the look of a home, it’s planning and layout. Her primary focus has always been natural light. Allowing natural light and biophilia to enter rooms is necessitous as it is the key to peace and harmony. Blocking or masking of windows is a strict NO!

A beautiful bath area with a classy entrance

Lockdown had its own restrictions and collecting new accessories was way out. Sonal created this cute Dining wall with everyday things that she possessed in her kitchen. Check this one out for a quick dose of styling.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAKZghVppeN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Sonal Bhatia and her team strike the balance between design, space, and color having designed various projects – From office spaces to private residences and niche studios to holiday homes. Harmonizing aesthetics with functionality is indispensable and it truly reflects in their projects. According to the Founder Sonal Bhatia, “Design impacts all our lives, in ways subtle and overt. From our phones to our coffee pots. every object is a function of design, which is more than just good aesthetics. It is also about how we use a product or design”.

Appeasing Spa Interiors

The SBID team is 10 members strong. The firm has associate partnerships in
Bangalore, Chennai, and Delhi which allows them to execute assignments outside Mumbai as well.

Elegance Personified

Entrance Lobby
Pic Courtesy: Vasu Dev Chawla

The seeds of Ma:Ya were sown by Mayank in the midst of 2017. Studio Ma:Ya believes in creating Architecture that’s multi-layered, versatile, and sensitive to contextual conditions. The firm is developing each day with their spectrum ranging from postmodern interiors to didactic and complex global needs. They serve single clients and integrated development sectors too. Studio Ma:Ya attempts to develop environmentally and morphologically responsible designs, keeping up with their client goals. As an active part of the growing architectural culture, Studio Ma:Ya continues to evolve technically, aesthetically, theoretically, and technologically.

Together with Architect Planner Deeksha Goswami whose professionalism and strong communication skills facilitate exchanges with clients, Studio Ma:Ya has successfully delivered residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. Deeksha manages work at the studio and keeps oscillating between institutions, to spread knowledge amongst the new generation. Studio Ma:Ya also comprises of an immediate team of Architects, Interior Designers, Planners, and Visualizers. The networked studio environment demonstrates proficiency in novel designing, modeling, and research techniques.

Dining Area
Pic Courtesy: Vasu Dev Chawla

We converse with Mayank Yadav and Deeksha Goswami on the vision, style, and functioning of Ma:Ya.

“Design should do the same thing in everyday life that art does when encountered: amaze us, scare us or delight us, but certainly open us to new worlds within our daily existence.”– Aaron Betsky

What/Who is Ma:Ya’s source of Inspiration?

We get our inspiration from existing buildings, paintings, sculptures, and other art forms that we encounter on a day to day basis. The crux of being greatly inspired lies in the details of the creativity around us. Every new design idea is an inspiration for us, be it a product, an art, or a building. As an architecture, planning & interior design firm, we also adore the works of famous Architects, SANAA, Geoffrey Bawa, Laurie Baker, and many more.

An aesthetically designed Co-working Space

Define your signature style.

Our style evolves with each project we encounter. We believe more in versatility, and experimenting if the project allows.

Meeting Room at Office

Tell us about your current projects and how you deal with work challenges?

Currently, we are working on Private Residences in Delhi, Farmhouses & Pool House in Gurugram, hospitality & banquet in Punjab, and a few other commercial projects. When we talk about challenges – sometimes the drawings made are minimalistic, and decisions are made straight on-site, and coordination with vendors while working on live sites becomes overwhelming. We usually work with the flow as client involvement is a part of our design process. But, synchronizing the choices and taste of clients with the overall environment of the house without materializing it on paper or screen is another challenge in itself.

Drawing Room at Aashirwad Residence
Pic Courtesy: Vasu Dev Chawla

The working style has taken a new shape during COVID times, with the concept of work from home coming into the picture. Yes! like most other professions we miss physical interactions and physical surroundings. But optimistically this is leading us as designers to yet another frame of mind which will reflect in our buildings in some way.

Mention projects that have been special to you?

While every project holds its own speciality, a few of our recent completions hold a special place:

1. Aashirwad, a Residence in Delhi
2. Space X – Co-working Space in Delhi
3. Frame House in Gurugram

Aashirwad Residence

Space-X, Co-working Space

What do you View as the Prospect of Architecture?

• Open to nature– Planning will be more organic and eco-friendly. With use of more green and porous materials.
• Back to basics – Active & Passive Architecture. These are basic assessments that are often ignored. It will be more emphasized with time.
• Due to the current Covid situation, we are going forward with a virtually social but physically unsocial community space.
• Technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Solar, Robotic Arms etc, will take a new fold.
• Transportation might take a major shift connecting major towns in India and of course metro.

A Bathroom Space
Pic Courtesy: Vasu Dev Chawla

You can connect with Studio Ma:Ya at:
www.studiomaya.in/
instagram: @studiomaya.in

Aashirwad Residence Photography: Vasu Dev Chawla (@vasu.dev)