Gauri Khan strikes the perfect balance between her sense of design and personality. and factors in the clients' brief while transforming a space into something that the user can truly call their own. She uses her quiet, elegant style and charming-yet-sophisticated aesthetic to create a space that her client can enjoy. A common thread that runs right through the process is the meticulous attention to detail, which juxtaposes the practical with the luxurious. Since its launch, design originality, intricate detailing and one- of-a-kind workmanship have been the foundations of Gauri Khan Designs.
In her coffee-table book, My Life in Design, she charts out her journey as a designer, with exclusive pictures of her and her family-Shah Rukh, Aryan, Suhana and AbRam. Never-before-seen images of her Mumbai residence, Mannat, and the design thought-processes that went into it as well as other key projects, are part of the book. She also imparts tips to those aspiring to get into her field of work and the laypeople who want to learn more about the fascinating and inspiring world of design.
GAURI KHAN is known for her work in design and eclectic taste in transforming spaces. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Gauri Khan Designs (GKD) and has established herself as a designer who can work across a wide range of projects with equal élan. Gauri is also the go-to interior designer for some of the most notable names in the Indian film industry and for business personalities.
Many years ago, I read a quote: 'Marriage is like a workshop.' I guess it meant to say that one has to keep working on a marriage invest time in it and basically just getting married is not enough, but constant upkeep of the same is important. Of course, the other interpretation is that one partner works and the other just shops! Since Gauri started her design store and work on interiors, the latter interpretation of the quote is applicable to us.
I love good furniture and interiors. I am an interiors and even good-looking exterior junkie! I find spaces, designs, interiors and basically all cool stuff that enhances a living space just irresistibly attractive.
So, since Gauri started her design store and workshop, our equation has been one of her working round the clock in her store and on her iPad, and me shopping all the stuff she designs. Also, I don't even pay for it, so basically she is working very hard to pay for the stuff she makes and selling it to a buyer who doesn't pay! That's one way of keeping equality in the relationship. no? It all started when we bought our first home in Mumbai. Needless to say, it was beyond our means, but we needed a living space, because we were expecting Aryan. So, the choice was made, that we would try and buy stuff for the house as and when we had the money. We could not afford a designer, so the job was taken over by Gauri. She always had a penchant for drawing and was very creative with her own room and even clothes, so we both felt she could put together something that would be aesthetic and affordable. We once went to buy a sofa, but since it was too expensive, we just bought the leather for the sofa on one of my travels and waited for some carpenter to build what Gauri had designed in a notebook. This went on for some years, and as things started looking up for us, we went on to buy a bigger home, Mannat. The story was the same, that we had spent all our money on the property and had none left for the interiors.
Many people know me for the personal aspects of my life. And while I am fulfilled in and proud of that side of my world, there's a lot more to me than is spoken about. Being a rather private person, I decided to pen down this book, solely because my journey as a designer can help those who want to embark on a similar path as I did many years ago. My identity as a designer is something only a select few are privy to and that's by design (pun unintended). I wanted to reach a place in my work where I felt confident about sharing my journey. And now, I think I have reached the point where I can speak about my journey in design and how it has shaped me, not just as a professional, but as a person as well.
Over the years, I've seen that the design industry in our country has a certain vacuum that was waiting to be filled. World-class furniture, accessories, etc., are all things that were alien to us. There are several reasons for this, but the most prominent one is affordability. My flagship store in Mumbai was a step towards filling this vacuum and furthering the cause of design as a professional endeavor in our country. So, while one part of the store houses renowned luxury brands, the other part solely focuses on 'Made in India' products-furniture, accessories, lamps, rugs, etc.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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