We sit down with Tushant Bansal, a New Delhi-based designer of bespoke furniture, Home accessories and Lifestyle products, to find out more about his start, his work as well as his future.
Almost immediately after obtaining a masters degree in Interior & Furniture Design from the Florence Design Academy in Italy, Tushant Bansal has been making waves in the world of design with his keen eye, fresh take and ability to reimagine both spaces as well as furniture pieces themselves.
We sat down with Tushant Bansal, the young and dynamic New Delhi-based designer of bespoke furniture, Home accessories and Lifestyle products, to find out more about his start, his work as well as to find out what his future plans might look like.
Please tells us about how you started out. How and why did you choose this field?
By the time I’d finished my Masters in Interior and Furniture Design in Italy back in 2015, I had the confidence and work experience to back my own personal style and approach to design which is clean, contemporary and minimal.
I started off as a freelance interior designer mainly for residential spaces which then led me to set up a design studio in 2016 as more work started pouring in and one man wasn’t enough to run the show. But the idea was to also get into product design slowly and steadily, once the studio had built its foundation and audience. In 2018 I launched my debut product design collection called Brianna, and end of 2019 I launched my debut furniture collection called Kogeta.
Now the idea is to keep working on a new range of products/furniture every year. Most often we design things to please the clients, but coming up with a collection like this every year is sort of a vent for me to create something that is my own and not affected by parameters such as client needs or project specifics.
What makes your work different from other architects?
I put a lot of focus on art while designing. Art and design can’t be separated. While design for me is functional, but art brings out the life in design. It provokes thought and emotions and that’s what makes design meaningful.
Can you describe your evolution of work from the day you started until today?
I started designing in 2012, and there has been a major transformation and evolution in my work. However, the core essence has remained the same: contemporary and minimalism.
From only designing residential spaces in the beginning, I am now enjoying working on retail and commercial spaces as well. One thing constant about being a designer is evolution. I think design evolves every day, every moment of our lives.
Before pursuing a Masters In design from Firenze, I had work experience of about 3 years. But the international exposure and working with designers from all over the world during my time in Italy, really opened a whole new avenue for me.
What do you think is the most effective way of presenting a project?
Story. A project should tell a story- a story about the client’s needs, their lives, and of course something about the designer’s passion also. It should start as strong and should be able to connect with its audience.
Detailed visuals speak more than words, as most of us respond to visuals rather than a lot of text which most people would miss.
Who is your favourite architect and why?
I absolutely love Modern architecture and design by Le Corbusier. Villa Savoye demonstrates his theory on five points of architecture and has always been one of my favourite architectural structures throughout the world.
What’s most inspiring is that he was not only a self-taught architect but also a painter, a writer, an urban planner and developed timeless furniture icons.
What are your future plans? What can we expect next from Tushant Bansal?
At some point, I would like to open curated design stores internationally that promotes young upcoming designers. There is a lot of creativity that goes unnoticed because most ateliers or design studios would look for household names to promote.
For you, what makes this collection so special?
The Kogeta Furniture collection is very special to me because I hand-crafted it myself, which gives me a great sense of satisfaction. Most of the times I have the help of craftsmen from my workshop, but this time I wanted to do this myself. It’s special because its also my first furniture collection which is purely based on my design aesthetic and style and not influenced by my client needs or project specifics.
How would you describe your signature style?
Clean, Minimal and Contemporary. While I love mixing styles, the core design aesthetic remains constant in every project.
With so much competition in your field, how do you deal with it?
There is a lot of competition. With increasing awareness and options/alternatives available, it’s easy for clients to make choices. The world is becoming a smaller place every day because of the exposure to all the international design fairs and markets. But, I believe that the key to deal with it and still be successful is to stay true to your work. As long as that happens, you will always have a loyal audience.