The Hindu : Arts / Crafts : Experiments with design

What do you get when you bring together two architects who love design and art? Design accents. Sonali Chitale and Ujjwala Naik Goenka, two architects who shared a passion for interior design, were introduced through a mutual friend. As the friendship grew, Ujjwala joined Sonali, and they began SoUk, in Singapore, which offers niche services for residential and hospitality projects. Taking their designs a step further, the duo has opened its first showroom Kaizen, in the city.

Warm ambience

It has warm interiors and warmer lights. There are distinct shades of red and brown on the coconut-made umbrella stands while the metallic black, melted bronze and white brighten the hurricanes, lamps, candle stands and the cheerful dancing women. There is horse-shaped driftwood and tables made of naturally-shaped teakwood. All this to accentuate your home!

Kaizen stands for ‘Zen of better living' and continuous improvements, which signifies the brand's simplistic designs and ongoing evolution. Tables, chairs, hurricanes, lamps and lights are just some of the accents they offer. “We're always experimenting and trying out new ideas, and that is why we decided on that name. Also, we're not a full-fledged furniture store, but deal with accents. What we realised was that not many people accessorise spaces, and we thought it would be good to come up with a niche service of accessorising homes and hotels,” says Ujjwala.

A ‘light' choice

The duo is passionate about lights, and has made them a big part of Kaizen. “We found a void here when it comes to decorative lights, and we've got this range of table, floor and ceiling lights that will accentuate interiors,” explains Sonali.

The designs come in natural materials, almost completely handmade and can even be customised to the client's design. “We've consciously tried to stay away from brands, and try to cater to every kind of customer. Our price range is as wide as our selection, but our products come in small numbers because we try to avoid bulk,” explains Sonali, while Ujjwala adds: “We want to give the best of what we can offer. Our production time is usually six to eight weeks, and we use all kinds of materials such as natural wood, coconut, driftwood to bring in different textures.”

And, they strive to keep up with the trends. “Because we're from Singapore, we've been influenced by the structure and standard there. A lot of architects and designers elsewhere make Singapore their base, and this helps us keep a close eye on the market,” Ujjwala says.

Kaizen is located at Chamiers, 106, Chamiers Road, R.A. P