Your home is your dream. Thus, be faithful to your taste because whatever you like is never out of style. The best spaces have something to say about the people who live and spend time within because they are designed around their vision; they personify their actual version.
Similarly, serious is a word that should be entirely avoided regarding decorations. This is the time when you must feel your heart’s innate joyful rhythm within as well as all around you. An interior designer who captures your aura and crafts your space, which inculcates and resonates with you, is your ultimate hope, and fortunately, you are in success.
In an interview with Insights Success for its edition of ‘The Women Owning the Business Arena,’ Ashita Ladha, Founder & CEO of Ashita Interior Design Studio, is drafting your picturesque vision with her eyes. Welcome to get mesmerized.
Please describe Ashita IDS in detail.
The firm has been well-known by ‘Ashita Interior Design Studio’ since Aug-2020. The First Word, ‘Ashita’ itself, depicts hope and success. So, with a lot of hopes and experience of three years in the field of residential and commercial projects, I have managed to start the firm at an incredibly early age.
We are in full-service interior designing, specializing in residential and commercial projects. We continuously try our best to deliver quick refreshing outputs to meet our client needs. We always strive to convert dreams into reality by designing and designing well enough to exceed expectations.
Tell us about your journey in the field of interior designing.
My journey starts with my interest, which was developed soon after completing my Senior Secondary. To further my interest, I completed my BSc in interior design at Dezyne E’cole college, Ajmer, and later joined as an intern and became an employee at a renowned architect firm of Mr. Sanjay Kothari in Jaipur. I played many roles in this field.
First, I got the role of drafting technician, by which I learned the detail part of drawings. Second, I got the role of supervisor, by which I learned practical knowledge in this field, and then I got a position of designing, enabling myself to think in assorted styles.
By the time I was in my job, I had started preparing myself for more opportunities and enhancing my skills.
I have completed my MBA in HR from Symbiosis Distance Learning, Pune. In the latter half of 2019, the Infra-sector was already not performing well, and when the pandemic hit the sector most, I was doing work from home
And between during all this time, I was carrying a dream in mind to have my firm, so I started my own space in Beawar (Rajasthan).
And at present, I am managing many projects in Beawar and Jaipur.
In my journey, I carry away my experiences and a belief in myself that “Why I cannot, when everyone can.”
I love to travel and explore things and have my primary interest in learning more innovative things, and, in my field, I always do projects with dedication by maintaining healthy relationships with clients.
What was your inspiration behind venturing into the interior design niche?
My most significant inspirational source is this lively world around us and my curiosity to do something new. I always believe in myself. I love to share my experiences and challenging work in a reality that suits my clients’ personalities. In the pandemic, we all were doing work from home. I decided to start my firm and lead as an interior designer.
Designs that inspire me are the details’ part, classical style, contemporary style, gothic style, bohemia style, which inspires me. And I also used these styles in my designs with abstracts and subtracted. I always mix two styles in my designs, it looks more attractive and elegant, and clients love the same.
Being a creative person, I always want to learn more things, visit unfamiliar places, and explore more. My mission is to bring happiness to my client by assisting residential and commercial clients in creating timeless spaces.
What were the initial challenges you faced while venturing into the interior design niche?
In this world, I think women can do everything just like anyone else. And I believe that every woman should be independent in their perspective. I also do the same things. I explore myself and my skills. And how should I do something better in my life every day? So, I searched a lot.
I noticed things in myself and kept asking who I am and how I want to be. I always think that a person should know herself innately, rather than looking only at all the exterior aspects with outer perspectives.
When I started my company, I promised myself that I would never forget to allow youngsters and not let them suffer from difficulties I have faced personally in my field.
If we have every experience in the field and manage the projects, we can do anything easily with proper skill sets.
I felt personally that this is a practical field, I should have all the knowledge regarding this field, like overseeing the drawings, the craftsmen, and labors on the site.
When I got my first project from Beawar, I had just initially started my firm. I ultimately invested myself in the design.
I worked extremely hard so that the client’s trust in me should not break. And I keep proving myself. So that people will realize that giving opportunities to youngsters like me is good. Because in modern India, youngsters can think out of the box and more creatively.
That is what I found out when I was working on my first project and now when I am leading in the key role as an interior designer. The field experience taught me a lot. And I learned much more on the job practically than I would have learned otherwise.
Again, I strongly think that people should give more opportunities to youngsters to get more knowledge, creativity, enthusiasm, energy to do the work and new skills to design. Because this field is very vast, creativity in designing will help you.
What are the USPs that highlight Ashita’s uniqueness in interior designing?
As I’m an innovative, customer-driven interior designer, I make everything possible to reflect the same in my work.
I always design my style in a minimalist way, as less is more in a contemporary style and a classic style, with unique color-combination, textures, fabrics, quotes, and lights.
I believe that the design must reflect our personality, and I always focus on that aspect.
The materials I mainly use in my designs are glass, wood, and PU paint finish which ultimately looks very refreshing.
I always put one as a highlight wall in my designs, and it is a thumb rule. My main USP is the detailing part, which is so delicate and accurate that a worker can easily understand and helps to direct them effortlessly.
I coordinate architectural details designs, specify custom construction elements, and create and implement the complete interior concepts.
What professional values and qualities do you think your client’s value in you and your studio the most?
Great designs begin with a comprehensive understanding of clients’ needs and expectations, whether personal spaces or commercial properties. Developing client relationships based on respect, trust, and confidence has been the key to my success as a designer.
Skilled at creating beautiful designs under various budgets, styles, timeframes, and requirements, I guide my clients through every phase of the design process. I remain committed to cultivating valued relationships and helping clients reach the best version of their overall vision.
These are the values and the qualities of my firm, which makes us more trustworthy for the clients, and I respect their time, as I always try to make the drawing and complete the projects on time.
How is the adoption of modern technology enhancing the designing procedures in your field?
Today in this era, technology is very much advanced. We have much software to describe our designs easily and with these clients get a better understanding. Such as 3D renders, in which we can create a look and design, and even customizations are possible at once as per the client’s need.
This enables accessible communication with clients and craftsmen too. With the help of 3D renders, we can imagine an actual design without bearing much cost of developing it in real.
To support the above statement with an example of my own, in my initial days of working on a project, my clients were astonished looking at the 3D Renders of the whole project.
They were delighted by looking at those renders for the first time, which made them see what their dream would look like in reality, without wasting any penny at the start of the project.
So, I can say that with the help of modern technology, we can balance the time and the cost-effectively.
As an experienced professional, what would you like to advise the budding aspirants willing to enter the interior design niche?
Interior designing is an area where creativity works with thinking out of the box. Despite saying this, I would say that it is also a decorative field. And if you are designing the spaces so that effective multipurpose utilization of spaces can be done, that will surely help you.
Thinking beyond the design and keeping a client’s desires in mind, one can lead towards satisfaction.
I believe it is a fascinating and enjoyable field. We interact with many people daily, which helps us understand their vision.
Being a professional interior designer, I always follow the elements and principles of design. But I also think that in this field we can design freely. If allowed the freedom to create, we can get innovative ideas to believe and follow, ultimately improving the result.
What is your opinion on ‘Benefits of AR and VR in Interior Designing’?
This is a game-changing thing. Using AR and VR in interior designing takes us to another experience level. The whole project gets live virtually. This can eliminate the considerable cost of purchasing the site and building things on it. This can help in experiencing the entire working project right in front of our eyes, without even purchasing the raw material to build.
As the professional world changes rapidly, people are adopting various techs to make work more accessible and more manageable. This helps open the door for thinking about what we have never considered.
So, infinite possibilities arise out of this. Soon many advanced gadgets will be easily accessible to all.
Another thing I would like to focus on:
Being a woman, I faced many difficulties, which taught me things. Starting a firm at an incredibly early age is a challenge. I do not know where I will lead with this, but I keep believing in myself and want to establish my name in interior designing, and for me, my priority is the goodwill and the trust of my clients.
And I also want to repeat to the clients and to the people that do not be afraid to give the opportunity to youngsters. We have as much knowledge as an experienced one. We work with enthusiasm and full of energy and have more creative ideas.
At last, do not fear to think or to dream big. You will not achieve the things you want in your life until you dream.
