UNCONVENTIONALLY MINIMAL

Shivani Ajmera and Disha Bhavsar, the dynamic co-founding duo of Quirk Studio, have forayed their way into the world of interior design with their quirky and unconventional ideas... inspiring many young designers to follow in their footsteps

- NEERJA KAPADIA

Meet Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera from Quirk Studio, a boutique design studio based out of Mumbai, which over the last decade, has designed many people centric spaces across major cities in India as well as the UK. The dynamic powerhouses that lead the show, started their entrepreneurial journey off Disha's dining table. Reminiscing those days and their journey, the duo recalls the triumphs, the milestones, the struggles and the abundant learnings....

"We were young women with a dream of owning a design studio that had a distinctive style and aesthetic that resonates with who we are. We were sure of our long-term goal...to create spaces that inspire. As first-generation design entrepreneurs, we were on our own, with no mentors, no legacy, but a consolidated experience of seven years each, and the sheer determination to do it all ourselves. So, when we started Quirk Studio in 2013, we went guns blazing to spread the word. We left no stone unturned, reaching out to family and friends, networking amongst peers and making rounds to get the exclusive fraternity door to open slightly for us.

As first-generation designers, we took everything that came our way, working round the clock to build a solid portfolio of work that would lay the foundation of what Quirk Studio is today. Initially, we had different verticals including interior styling...a transitional phase that eventually transformed into full-fledged interior design practice. A decade later, our design ethos is still the same.

Our way was not short of prejudices, judgements and struggle. Getting past the notion that we are just two girls with a passion project was frustrating, but it gave us the drive to prove ourselves even more. Apart from these external tribulations, we juggled between designing sites, logistics of running a business, client contracts, paying rent, maintaining accounts, and more...