The evolution of interior design occurs through blending tradition, innovation, and cultural craftsmanship for timeless aesthetics. Ar. Canna Patel, the founder and chairperson at HCP Interior Design Pvt, Ltd., shares her impeccable journey into interior design and how the learnings throughout have shaped her life. She is known for her unique style of blending interiors with architectural forms and spaces. She has worked on more than 300 interior projects, primarily focusing on private residences, corporate offices, hospitality projects, and institutional buildings. Canna’s unique perspective on interior design trends and timeless legacies defines her career and provides valuable insights.
A legacy is built over time through innovation, craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of cultural and environmental influences. In this context, it reflects a designer’s ability to create meaningful, timeless spaces that inspire generations. Great design legacies cross the boundaries of style and pay due respect to the history. The true legacy of design lies not in adornment but in the impact it has on inspiring creativity, enhancing the quality of life, and reinventing itself. According to Canna Patel, individuals build legacy over time through experiences, learnings, and contributions. She highlights contemporary trends as sources of inspiration.
Legacy is not just about what one leaves behind. It is a collection of experiences that define one’s journey. In design, every project, challenge, and innovation is fostered towards making a lasting impact. Through hands-on learning, creative exploration, and problem-solving, designers refine their vision and establish a unique identity. A legacy emerges when these experiences translate into meaningful contributions—whether through groundbreaking concepts, sustainable solutions, or cultural influences. Canna states that with time, an architect’s work evolves to become his statement, influenced by his experiences and approach. An ardent lover of Indian architectural traditions, she advocates their evolution to develop works that suit modern needs.
Design exceeds aesthetics; it is a strategic business tool that captures brands, spaces, and the experiences of users. Good design balances between vision, livability, market expectations, and feasibility in finance. The business of design stands for collaboration, leadership, and for flexibility. Whether you work in architecture, interior design, or product design, great design brings greater value, better user experience, and long-term success. Among Canna’s key takeaways is the understanding that creativity is one aspect of the profession, while without business and management skills, it becomes hard to survive as a designer. Thus, she recommends that young designers create standardized working systems and professional practices that give them credibility.
Further to education, Canna Patel has championed the forward-set building of standard systems in the industry. She has cited instances of prejudices against interior designers, like delays in timelines and overshoots in budgets. To make a difference, she worked closely with vendors and contractors to instigate better cataloging systems, order forms, and standardized material codes. She also successfully created detailed drawing sets specific to interior design sets, making sure they were different from the existing traditional architectural drawings.
A balanced approach to design harmonizes aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability to create spaces that are both aspirational and functional. A design approach that welcomes innovation while respecting the context, user needs, and the environment leads to meaningful and enduring designs. Canna Patel drives the point that designers should be careful of becoming too attached to their work. Falling in love with your work, she cautions, is the enemy of growth and the open-mindedness required of a designer to adapt. She urges architects and designers to remain open to the continual evolution of interior design, architecture, critique, and new perspectives.
Canna Patel’s life’s experience in interior design brings home the optimistic balance between tradition and innovation, creativity and business, vision and realistic understanding. Her work stresses the importance of continuous learning and development for a legacy worth building. Her philosophy invites designers to recognize the importance of the evolution of interior design, the inspirations that contemporary trends might provoke, and the need to embrace new perspectives to remain contemporary and timeless.
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