When I was in boarding school, I went to visit a classmate over the weekend. His father was an architect and had paper models of homes at his office. I was fascinated! This incident prompted me to think of space, plan it, and then add bits of furniture and paint. It was fun! That was one of my earliest memories of design as a profession.

The incredible capability of the hand to transform materials and the elegance of handling things simply, but in a very sophisticated way is what has drawn me to our traditional crafts. My education from NID, Ahmedabad gave a wide exposure to the crafts of our country and instilled a great respect for the hand made. With teachers like Ashoke Chatterjee and M.P Ranjan, who have worked extensively with crafts and craftspeople, my working with the crafts was a natural extension of my education.

Taking the lessons forward, AKFD is built on integrity. Every design at AKFD is real and honest. We don’t treat the underside of a chair any different from the top that everyone sees. Our credo is “Never more than necessary, never less than beautiful”. Whatever we make has to be something that people can imagine living with. Design is as much in what an object does, as it is in what an object looks like!

In addition to our belief in the handmade, we also believe that modern technology in the hands of our skilled artisans can yield incredible results. It is at this Juncture that AKFD stands today, as a champion of mindfull manufacturing, where technology aids the expression and skill of a craftsperson, instead of competing with and replacing them.

I believe great design happens when a great client allows a great designer to breathe life into their ideas. We believe that for a project to be truly successful, the designer needs to understand the client, and align the project with their own beliefs. We look at projects as opportunities to learn and discover possibilities, while at the same time, exceed expectations by delivering more than just what meets the eye!

At the end of the day, I want to give an Indian perspective on the way we live. Traditionally, we are not a furniture nation. I want to be able to define furniture for India that is modern, beautiful, indispensable, and suited to the Indian way of life. I want AKFD to be the brand that people look for when they want Indian design. And by design, I don’t just mean what you see on the outside; it’s not superficial. For me, the design is the very soul of the creation. It’s everything. 

-Ayush Kasliwal, Founder AKFD