Designer Interview

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Interview with Arundhati Subodh Sathe at Monday 14th of April 2014

FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
ASS: I believe it’s genetic my Father use to design teakwood furniture and had a workshop and from childhood I had a habit of arranging and rearranging things like toys, furniture etc every other day in my house. Whenever I use to go to others place I use to always wonder and see how they can arrange their furniture or other things in their house in a better way. Seeing my interest my parents encouraged me to peruse my passion and take a professional degree, so I took my degree in Interior designing from LAD College Nagpur. It’s truly said if your interest becomes your profession you can give your best and I am lucky that my passion had become my profession

FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
ASS: Callista Interiors has successfully completed 5 years, and I have done many National and International projects like Residential, Corporate houses, Set designing etc and today I am really excited to win such a prestigious award A’ Design Award , which has added a new feather in my cap. I believe sky is the limit and I am sure there are many milestones to be created.

FS: What is "design" for you?
ASS: Design is a planning with an aesthetic sense and designer is a planner. Functional planning, conceptual thought and a war between the material and its durability which i experienced every day.

FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ASS: Design a space and playing it in 3dimensional functional space is a definitely a challenge. to support and complete it with furniture is much more challenging. I like to do a complete design to implementation work.

FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
ASS: Pratone chair, it’s a chair but doesn’t look like a chair! It looks as if a piece of huge lawn is kept.

FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
ASS: Not specific because as a designer you cannot restrict yourself to one material , but yes I like natural wood since it has a long life, is a traditional material and one can create anything from it.

FS: When do you feel the most creative?
ASS: Best times are the few minutes i get lying on the bed before going to sleep… my brain starts working there, then I dream of it and next morning I start working on it in detail.


FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
ASS: As a designer I always start thinking on the functional and then the aesthetic aspect.

FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ASS: Every design has some or the other emotions attached to it, but I go crazy when a design stuck in my mind, but it became difficult when i need to compromise on it.

FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ASS: Mixed emotions, At first, very happy and excited but next moment onwards my eyes started looking for the space as a critic.

FS: What makes a design successful?
ASS: A successful design for me is when the need and the goal meet and my client and me are equally satisfied.

FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ASS: Is it Functional? Will this be technically correct? Is the design balanced in all perspective? These are the basic aspects I always look in any design.

FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ASS: Everyone has a duty and responsibility for a better environment and society. A designer’s responsibility is to not only make things beautiful but to make things sustain longer and better.

FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
ASS: Awareness of design in the mass is creating challenge for designer. Every day it is evolving with new trend and technology. There is a constant friction between design and technology, which takes the world at a new height.

FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ASS: Inspiration comes from anywhere; I get inspiration from day to day life. I believe inspiration doesn’t come to you but you have to find inspiration to do better and upgrade yourself.

FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
ASS: I would describe myself as a modern designer with traditional approach.

FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
ASS: India is a country full of different culture, tradition and religion, and I feel blessed to be an Indian as I can not only see but experience the diversity. Their are always two sides of the coin and I always try to see the positive and like to grow with it.

FS: How do you work with companies?
ASS: My approach is very simple; I have worked with all types of companies- big corporate houses to retail shops. I try to understand the client and their needs and the most important thing their budget and then try to balance the need and the goal to have a win-win situation.

FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
ASS: Believe your designer as a Doctor. Judge a designer by his / her quality.

FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
ASS: I try to create options for a particular design and working in tandem with the client and their requirement I try to work on mutual consent.

FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
ASS: Apple’s I mac, bookshelf, my bracelet , and a puzzle ( which I play every time)

FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
ASS: Being a designer I don’t have a set routine, sometime I work late in the night and sometimes while sleeping any design clicks in my mind I wake and start working on it. apart from work, site visit, meetings etc , I spend time with my family, daily chores of my kids etc but my favourite time is dinner time when my family and I sit on the table together and discuss the our day and enjoy our dinner together.

FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ASS: Keep experimenting, take risk and dare to dream

FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
ASS: Positive being creative, trying new things and keeping the excitement alive, negative being creative, trying new things and annoying people with your creative push.

FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
ASS: Creativity cannot be confined with rules. According to me creativity dies if restricted with rules. So the golden rule to break all the rules and just explore

FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
ASS: Good observer is the first skill any designer should have and then analysis, and then a futuristic approach towards a design.

FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ASS: A piece of paper to make models and cad programs

FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ASS: I just forget the world around me, until I create a design, which satisfies me.

FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ASS: Depend on the design I am working for.

FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
ASS: In how many days the project will complete? And what is the budget?

FS: What was your most important job experience?
ASS: All the work I did, because it not only helped me to grow professionally but personally too.

FS: Who are some of your clients?
ASS: Mostly business man, and event companies

FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
ASS: Research based design I like the most because it makes you experience what I never lived.

FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
ASS: Many plans and many dreams. It’s just a start, I have to go miles.

FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
ASS: I have a team of designer under me, and the gravity of the work and design defines if I need to work individually or in a team.

FS: How can people contact you?
ASS: Best way to call me or email me at arundhati@callistainteriors.in or call me on +919860416576

FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.

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