Workplace Allure

In Kolkata, Sakshi Arora Poddar designs a delightful office for her firm Tatvam Concepts.

Curated by: Ambica Sharma
Photographs: Inclined Studio; courtesy Tatvam Concepts

Interior designer Sakshi Arora Poddar

The site

The 650-square-foot office of Tatvam Concepts is housed in a structure finished in 1945, and deep inside Kolkata.

The brief

This high-ceilinged workspace is to house creative minds, which need peace, comfort, and soothing in times of deadlines. Therefore, all elements in the space were created to enhance the process of creation of new designs.

The design response

The small square footage necessitated that the interiors be bright and filled with light. “We wanted to use colours and textures, along with incorporating music and natural light, to create a conducive environment for creative working,” says Sakshi Arora Poddar. In order to increase space for storage and insulate the office from the disorder outside, the windows on three sides were walled up.

The entrance passage to the Tatvam Concepts office is a precursor to the design theme of its interiors.

The material and colour palettes

An extensively customised space, the Tatvam Concepts office brings together old-world prints, patterns, colours and materials in a refreshing package. From printed floor tiles, customized wooden benches, cane screens, POP moulding, and fluted glass windows to laminated floors, and concrete texture wall paints, all of it is an eye-catching wholesome. “We customized everything! The ceiling lights and framework, our workspace tables, and every other tiny bit,” says Sakshi.

A view of Sakshi’s cabin, via the sliding doors of the wood partition.

The highlights

Without a doubt, as would be true with an outsider visiting the Tatvam Concepts office, even Sakshi, declares the mural-clad sliding doors, which separate her office from the rest of the workspace, as the focus piece of the cosy space. “It is our favourite!” she declares.

A hand-painted floral mural adds cheer to the fuss-free powder room.

The takeaway

“This has been our dream for a really long time. The completed picture was exactly that… if not better. What I realised during the process, is that it is more difficult to do a project for yourself, since you are your own worst critic! You want to better yourself in everything that you do!” reveals Sakshi.