The heavy investments in the corporate workplace design & infrastructure have become a new norm; not to mention that the meticulously designed co-working spaces now comprise a niche industry. Subsequently, the home interiors and renovation market in India is also hosting a paradigm shift. Once the sole preserve of the rich, the industry is now making rapid inroads into the middle-class population of urban India, constituting a $20+ billion market with significant growth potential. Hardly a handful of leaders like Praneeta Varma (Founder & CEO, D’Studio) are at the helm of this transformation. Guided by her two-decade strong wisdom and driven by an innovative mindset, Praneeta is constantly setting and resetting the industry benchmarks through D’Studio - fullservice interior design company based out of Chennai. Started as a one-woman army, she today has grown D’Studio into a 12 people strong team that combines with over 30 consultants & collaborators who over the years have accomplished some of the distinguished projects in both private and public spaces. Women Entrepreneur India is delighted to engage in an exclusive interview with Praneeta.

You started your career as a consultant. What was your inspiration to shift gears and become an entrepreneur? After 12 years, what is the motto that drives you today?

There is a juncture that we all come across wherein you hit a pause button to see if this is what you really want to do in life. For me, that transition happened when I realized that I want to explore – set up a studio as a meeting ground for creativity – and work at my own pace and space. And there the idea of D’Studio was born and there was no looking back!!

Designing spaces is like having a larger canvas, where I enjoy creating sensorial experiences – touch and feel – that can evoke emotions the same way an aesthetic piece of art does. It indeed gives me a huge sense of satisfaction that I am contributing to the economics of my country by creating opportunities for a wide variety of workmanship. Skilled & unskilled, engineers & artists, traders & innovators – all comprise the ecosystem that works in harmony & symphony to deliver interior spaces that appease.

“There is a juncture that we all come across wherein you hit a pause button to see if this is what you really want to do in life”

A ph.d in sociology and a diploma in interior designing. How do you combine and leverage this technical knowledge for the benefit of your organization?

My educational experience and the professional space that I belong to may seem diverse to a common person, but it is so intrinsic that I would recommend an integration of sociology as a paper in the courses for Interior Design. The technical knowledge that the study of ID gave me and the progressive work experience have equipped me well to design and build interior spaces, but in truth, what has stood me in good stead is my roots in sociology. Because Interior Designing is first and foremost about people! Be it a home or a shop, the functions & form of spaces have to be designed keeping the users in mind – ergonomically & emotionally!

And, there can be little debate that any space has a relevance and reference to its social context, which certainly is in the domain of sociology.

What is the proposition that bestows your company with such an elite status? What do you do differently?

While providing turn-key solutions designed to suit the space as well as the clients’ needs and aspirations, we over the years have also created a unique process to ensure synergy & partnerships, which is almost a ‘house style’. It mandates client briefing sessions, covering multiple scenarios and options. Our team goes through regular training to be equipped for this 360 degree approach where presentation, listening, observation and mindfulness play key roles. This approach is our pride, and almost a patent. Our sustaining delight and satisfaction stem from our projects being trendy and aesthetic on the face of it, and when our client expresses the joy of usage, functionality, and having met the committed design advantages.

What are your future plans?

Sustainable Design is the need of the hour and is the future of design. We are no exception to this farreaching vision. However, we are completely cognizant of the fact that nothing is accomplished in a day or by a lone ranger in a silo state. At D’Studio, we set goals with realistic milestones and collaborate with the best to achieve our vision mantra, and we live and walk our talk. Our favorite quote attributed to Ratan Tata says it all, ‘If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together.’

Praneeta Varma, Founder & CEO, D Studio

A Ph.D in sociology and a diploma in Interior Designing, Praneeta combines her multidimensional technical knowledge with two decades of experience in the interior design industry to mold marvelous designs that set benchmarks in both aesthetics and functionality.