Dority Design Studio, a young interior design studio based in Mumbai, provides design solutions based on transparency, creativity, finest art, and hard work. Connecting with their clients virtually and physically, this design studio is ready to up the design game.
CW Design Build speaks to Dority Matlani about her design style, process and much more.
How would you define your style of design? How do you ensure that your projects bear your signature?
I would like to define my style as an understated luxury, as all our projects are intricately designed and curated and they are not just mindless designs.
Take us through your design process from conception and design to final build. With clients, I like to have an in-person discussion and that helps me form an understanding with them, and the behavior that defines them. Post which I give them a proposal based on their requirements and I’m assured that they will like it. So, we conceptualize according to what the client likes with our take on it. Once the designs are finalized, we take a step ahead towards execution. As a team, we are also flexible working with clients’ contractors too.
How do you strike a balance between your client's requirements and your design sensibilities?
As a designer, I second that the end-user is my client, so their convenience and satisfaction are my top priority. I don’t overpower their choices but at the same time, I slowly condition and guide them with my design sensibilities too. This gives rise to comfort with the clients and they know that I’m providing some valuable information or suggestion over their choices. Only that’s when they reach a point leaving the decision on us and this is how I try to balance between clients' requirements and our design sensibilities.
What are some key décor elements that will elevate an empty corner of the room?
I think plants are very under-valued and they are something that can elevate a room. It’s like you walk into the room and see a green plant it automatically lifts your mood. My personal favorite is palm trees, I love the sheer volume they have. It looks really grand and very soothing to the eyes also.
Also, sculptors are given very little importance and with a theme of the house is just the cherry on the cake. It can make a dead corner of the room alive. Bookshelves and lamps can be good options too.
Do you prefer wallpapers or wall textures to elevate the look of a space?
I’m constantly torn between these two options because wall textures have my heart but the kind of wallpapers that are coming in are appreciable. In one of my projects that had a tropical theme, I designed the wallpaper and got it printed, so the options and the variations with wallpapers are par limits.
What were the key challenges you faced while bringing up your own brand Dority Designs?
I started DDS when I was 22 and the major challenge was to get clients to trust me enough to invest their lakhs of hard-earned money. And another challenge was to have a command over contractors as I was so young and new. It was difficult when you are brand new in the industry there are chances, they may intimidate you, overpower you and not listen to you sometimes.
Which among your projects have been the most appreciated. Please share the details with us.
We recently completed a project named The Crown which has been appreciated and received well by many people. It’s also featured in some of the magazines like Living Etc., Home Publications, Design Décor, and various other online platforms. That has been the closest project to my heart as the budget was massive but on the other hand, the timeline was super crunched. Also, we did face a mini lockdown in between.
The flat that we were working on already had interiors done before and it was challenging to break everything first, make the area an open canvas and then start everything from square one. We planned a structural layout and nothing from the old flat was re-used in the new one. The biggest challenge we overcome was to complete this project from start to end in 4.5 months.
What are the key learnings you have gathered in your years of experience as an interior designer?
One thing that I have learned is that evolves with time because you can’t keep old-school ideas in your mind. New techniques, trends, and the generation that is coming up are taking things up to the next level. Evolving with time imbibing new techniques and still maintaining your core design values is something that can make anyone go for a term. Also, the ultimatum would be client satisfaction and happiness.
How do you incorporate sustainability in your work?
Ply is one of the materials that is used majorly in abundance in any of the interior projects. So, we made sure that we opt for good quality, eco-friendly plies which prevent formaldehyde emission, a type of gas called an indoor gas pollutant that can affect humans. It can cause irritation, suffocation and also affects animals.
Secondly, to maintain sustainability, we build things that are sturdy and durable that can minimize wastage. Because if something is not sturdy you tend to discard it using some different material and those materials do not get degrade or re-cycle easily. Hence, we use sturdy, long-lasting materials, and help in the reduction of wastage.
Where do you find inspiration to create your design?
My clients’ ideas are my inspiration to design because when you understand their likings it becomes easy for you to know they will love what you will create. Because at the end you are designing for someone who is going to be in that space all the time so considering their opinion should be your priority. Also, our portfolio is very diversified and none of the projects look similar to one another as all our just the reflection of our client’s personality. Versatility is one of the beauties of DDS and we offer it to all sorts of clients, with it we keep exploring different styles.
Share us with that one thing that keeps you going as an interior designer.
I started designing houses for one particular thing and that is the ability to bring someone’s dream home vision to life and that drives me as an interior designer. I love that everyday challenge when someone asks me to build a Taj Mahal of their life on a budget. People come with various mindsets and budgets but when it comes to their dream homes, the amount they have invested emotionally, financially into buying that house and making their dream home is what drives me and motivates me every day.
