Design Journey with - Ritu Nanda

With a breezy aesthetic and a disposition to match, Ritu takes us around her island-chic world that is elegant yet eclectic at the same time

- PRAGNYA RAO

An aesthetic that is a perfect balance of curated and cozy, Ritu Nanda’s work is breezy, tropical and thoughtful. It was a hot, humid morning in Goa, when I first walked into a home she had just finished prepping and propping. It was understated yet luxurious with a distinct European feel but it sure doffed a hat to its Indian roots. With stucco white walls, weathered wooden doors, stone flooring, French windows; there was a lovely breeze blowing thanks to the cross-ventilation, and lush vegetation cocooning the villa, it was designed for tropical weather. “I think styles and palettes need to have context, cultural and geographic. You will find it in Geoffrey Bawa’s work. He was so respectful of both the place and the people he creating was for. I think having met him in my formative years helped me evolve into the designer I eventually became,” says Ritu.