Design in his DNA

Ali Baldiwala picks projects that are satisfying for the soul

Young interior designer Ali Baldiwala truly believes in the saying that if you really want something and align your thoughts in that manner, there is no chance it cannot work.

A multi-talented personality, he not only designs clients’ homes, offices and commercial spaces, but has also fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming an actor by starring in the acclaimed film Neerja.

“Design has always been a part of me, I’ve always seen it. It’s always been around drawings and pencils and sketches and rulers and scales,” he says. Baldiwala studied interior design at Rachana Sansad, Mumbai, and worked for two years with a renowned firm. Thereafter, he joined his father’s firm Baldiwala Associates and soon gave it an edge, quite literally. Today, Baldiwala Edge is a much sought after designing firm. Within a short time, he created a niche clientele for himself within the firm. As he states, “There’s nothing that I’ve taken from my dad.”

They follow a strategic process of design, conceptualisation and bidding for the project in terms of the BOQs and then coming down to the execution. Styling the entire project and keeping a budget aside for it from the beginning is very important.

Baldiwala believes in prioritising projects that are satisfying for the soul, being able to connect to the project more creatively. “I think in recent years there’s a rat race happening in the design fraternity, which is very challenging for a designer. But how you deal with and balance it is something that comes from introspection.”

During the pandemic, they started a new virtual interior design vertical called ‘Inside the Box’ to help people spruce up their homes and make them more efficient. They collaborated with a number of brands and found virtual solutions for real problems.

Among Baldiwala’s favourite projects is Mysiga Home, a Japanese and Scandinavian concept home, which is called Japandi.

He envisages an inclusive environment where local materials and crafts are used in tandem with global techniques and infrastructure materials to create a truly global design aesthetic.

By Kamayni, Studio Gulmohar