KOCHI: As a child, Devi Nayar sometimes had to wait after her school to be picked up by her parents in a room in their office. And not just any room, but one that was designed by her parents, both of whom were architects in Muscat. It was like being in a world of many wonders. “I remember the classy décor so well; I literally used to skip around and smell the fabric laid out on chairs,” she laughed.
So, choosing what to study turned out to be the easiest thing for Devi. After winding up her undergraduate studies in architecture at BIT Bangalore, she took off to Finland for her Masters. “After working under a few talented hands, I finally decided to open up my own firm in Kochi,” she said.
“I soon landed an offer from Volkswagen and became their architecture consultant, followed by Mahindra. I also started doing up homes once I set up my office in Ravipuram,” she said.
“As an architect, for me, doing the décor meant infusing technical aspects into it. Ambiance, space, functionality, economy, all come to play here. Sometimes, I had to travel to other parts of the country to procure what my client needed, or what I thought would be a better fit in their home,” she elaborated.
However, it only took a chair and some introspection for Devi to turn her focus to manufacturing the products that her mind envisaged. “It all happened in 2013, when I was entrusted with redesigning the Cochin Yacht Club. Renowned architect Ramesh Tharakan, who was also a committee member, was guiding my team through it. We wanted a particular kind of chair for the restaurant, which was either too expensive when asked around shops, or just didn’t fit the bill,” said Devi.
And that’s when the idea struck her. Why not try to get the piece manufactured locally? “I spoke to a carpenter who had helped with some furniture work in my home to work on the chair. We made around five prototypes, and each day, I’d carry a chair to the Yatch Club for Ramesh sir to approve. We got it right the fifth time, and he gave us a ‘fantastic’ on that one!” she said.
That was the beginning of ‘Indian by Label’, the brand of designs created by Devi Nayar, where she designs and manufactures furniture, customizing them. She says, every piece of furniture you own is an extension of your self, and it will invariably be connected to the history of the place you grew up in.
Starting with lovely foot stools, a stylish boat sofa much in demand, retro hat stands and tables to boudoir furniture, she likes to keep her designs an interesting mix of contemporary and vintage. “I am not very keen on very modern furniture, so I add a touch of the vintage to a contemporary piece,” she said. “I have quite an eclectic mix of clients; some just love sheer vintage pieces, whereas some others like a fusion.”
Talking about affordability, she says that although she would vouch for furniture made out of good wood, such as teak or mahogany, she sometimes replicates the designs in plywood as well. “When some of my customers can’t afford the price of teak, I replicate the design for them, forewarning them about its shortcomings. I always have a discussion with my clients when they come asking for something; the space where it is to be placed, the lighting and others.”
One of the very few architects in the state who also manufactures products, Devi said that she has a team of carpenters she works with, in her studio in Panampilly Nagar. Her new shop opens in Vytilla in April, and she plans to create an online platform soon enough. “At the end of the day, we are who we are, bound by our identities and unique personalities. So, it’s only natural that we want our home to reflect that,” she concluded.