A CLASS APART
Straddling the mundane with the eclectic, the hue-heavy with the serene and the dramatic with the casual, Mumbai-based designer Shabnam Gupta’s repertoire includes everything from beautiful homes to recycled tables and quirky accessories
Interior designer Shabnam Gupta uses unconventional designs to bring spaces and products to life
Forget throwing convention out of the many red, yellow and blue windows that she has done for friends, family and celebrities; it’s hard not to fall in love with her colour-infused, textured, layered and intricately detailed aesthetics. Breaking the rules is her way of design and not toeing the line is her forte. Much like her designs, interior and product designer Shabnam Gupta, the granddaughter of legendary Bollywood director Ramanand Sagar, is full of quirks. Though she has a degree in commerce and a diploma in interior design, but it was only when she interned for six months with an interior designer (an even ended up working on her parents’ home) did Gupta realise that design is what she was passionate about. So right after the internship got over she started The Orange Lane in 2003. “Starting something on my own was a risk that I took but I haven’t looked back since,” says the 43-year-old designer. Over the last 14 years she has worked on many projects including homes for celebrities such as Rani Mukerji, Raveena Tandon, Vidu Vinod Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Aditya Chopra, Irrfan Khan
and Parineeti Chopra, to name a few. Interestingly, Gupta feels that she does not have a signature style. “The day I do have a signature style, it would mean I’m not evolving and creating new stories,” she says. Perhaps this is why she is one of the most sought-after designers in the industry today.
THE BUSINESS OF CREATIVITY
Mumbai-based Gupta finds her inspiration in almost anything around her. “However, professionally, Geoffery Bawa’s work and architect Bijoy Jain’s projects serve as a source of inspiration,” she says. Further, Gupta’s believes that all the projects she works on are a learning experience. “The most interesting one so far is Irrfan Khan’s Residence in Mumbai. I hold this project close to my heart,” says Gupta. Why? The moment one enters the house, one walks into a deep indigo space that is a visual treat. “It’s like a vacation home, with stone flooring that gives you the feel of walking on sand, there are greens everywhere one looks,” she adds. But this isn’t her favourite project. “The Bar Stock Exchange that we did in Kamala Mills, Mumbai is my favourite. The freedom of expression in this project was immense and it shows vividly in the space. This is by far our most extracting project in terms of art and experimentation in design. I’m also currently very excited about Kangana’s Manali home,” she says.
VENTURING IN A NEW DIRECTION
Gupta is also the leading force behind Peacock Life, a retail venture offering designer furniture, lifestyle and interior products. It has two physical stores and an online presence. “Today every reputable architect and designer needs a certain size or scale for their projects. Peacock life was started as a means to cater to a segment that has the taste but not necessarily big in size or budgets. At Peacock Life, we take up such projects and work on customisation of furniture and offer styling services other than retail,” she explains. So you have sofas that take cues from rickshaws, upcycled jeep consoles, and other unique products.
Clearly, if you are looking for something different (be it a product or a design) that is functional while weaving a visual story, head straight to Gupta.