India’s 20 Most Influential Women Interior Designers

From restoring heritage palaces to designing sleek, ultra-modern homes, these 20 women are the creative forces behind India’s most beautiful and innovative spaces. They are entrepreneurs, artists, and visionaries who have founded some of the most celebrated design studios in the country.

1. Sunita Kohli

A Padma Shri awardee, Sunita Kohli is a legend in Indian design. She is a research-based designer and architectural restorer, celebrated for her meticulous work on landmark buildings. Her most famous projects include the restoration of Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President’s House), the Prime Minister’s Office, and Hyderabad House. Her firm, K2India, which she co-founded with her daughter, focuses on high-end, bespoke design solutions that are deeply rooted in history and context.

2. Gauri Khan

Gauri Khan has established herself as one of India’s most sought-after interior designers. Her firm, Gauri Khan Designs, is known for its opulent, glamorous, and contemporary style. She expertly blends modern aesthetics with timeless luxury, creating spaces that are both functional and visually stunning. Her high-profile portfolio includes designing residences for many Bollywood celebrities, as well as commercial spaces, restaurants, and hospitality projects.

3. Shabnam Gupta

Shabnam Gupta is a master of creating spaces that tell a story. As the principal designer of The Orange Lane, her signature style is a vibrant, earthy, and eclectic mix. She is known for her fearless use of colour, texture, and reclaimed materials to build warm and inviting interiors. Gupta has designed homes for several celebrities, including Kangana Ranaut and Parineeti Chopra, and also runs Peacock Life, a popular home decor and furniture store.

4. Sussanne Khan

Sussanne Khan is the founder of The Charcoal Project, one of India’s most unique design concept stores. Her design philosophy is a creative blend of two distinct styles: the “industrial masculine” and the “feminine shabby chic.” This results in spaces that feel layered, personal, and effortlessly cool. Her firm curates and designs bespoke furniture and interiors for a wide range of residential and commercial projects, always with a touch of imaginative flair.

5. Anjum Jung

As the Executive Director of Prestige Group, Anjum Jung heads Morph, the company’s in-house interior design arm. Educated at Cornell, she brings a world-class, professional approach to large-scale projects. Morph is responsible for the design of the Prestige Group’s extensive portfolio of luxury residential properties, commercial spaces, and hospitality venues. Her style is sophisticated, modern, and built on a foundation of quality and impeccable execution.

6. Vinita Chaitanya

Based in Bengaluru, Vinita Chaitanya is celebrated for creating ‘livable art. Her firm, Prism, has been crafting luxurious and highly personalized spaces since 1988. Her style is a “contemporary classic” blend, skillfully layering Indian heritage with Western design sensibilities. She is known for her attention to detail and her ability to source unique art and artefacts, famously designing homes for celebrities like Deepika Padukone.

7. Sarah Sham

Carrying forward a 100-year-old family legacy in art and decor, Sarah Sham founded Essajees Atelier. Her Mumbai-based studio has quickly become a powerhouse, featured in the Architectural Digest (AD) 100 list. The firm specializes in luxury residential and commercial interiors, known for a timeless, sophisticated, and detail-oriented approach. Sham’s background in art history is evident in her work, which balances heritage with contemporary elegance.

8. Sonali Rastogi

Sonali Rastogi is a founding partner of Morphogenesis, one of India’s most awarded architecture and design firms. While she is an architect, her influence on interior spaces is immense. The firm’s philosophy is built on sustainability, optimisation, and creating contextually relevant designs. Morphogenesis is behind iconic projects like the Surat Diamond Bourse (the world’s largest office building), demonstrating a seamless integration of green design with modern interiors.

9. Abha Narain Lambah

Abha Narain Lambah is one of India’s foremost conservation architects, but her work intrinsically involves historical interior restoration. Her firm is dedicated to preserving India’s architectural heritage. She has won 11 UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for her work on projects like the 15th-century temples in Ladakh and Hampi, and the restoration of Mumbai’s Victorian and Art Deco ensembles. Her work revives historical interiors with authenticity and respect.

10. Apoorva Shroff

With over 20 years of experience in the USA and Asia, Apoorva Shroff founded Lyth Design. Her firm, described by Forbes as “One of a Kind,” creates spaces based on the philosophy that every design must start with a story. With a Master’s from UCLA, her portfolio includes high-end homes and prominent office spaces for clients like Softbank and The Jindals, all marked by a clean, thoughtful, and story-driven aesthetic.

11. Lipika Sud

A veteran in the industry, Lipika Sud has been practising design since 1989. Her firm offers a wide range of services, including corporate and hospitality design, as well as residential design. She is known for her versatile and functional approach, creating spaces for major corporations like Havells, Ericsson, and Tata Motors. Sud is also a prominent voice in the design community and a recipient of the FICCI FLO Outstanding Women Achievers Award.

12. Annkur Khosla

Annkur Khosla’s design philosophy is focused on creating “soulful and meaningful spaces.” Her boutique studio, based in Mumbai, is known for its elegant, minimalist, and deeply considered designs. She gained widespread acclaim for designing the avant-garde penthouse for actors Shahid and Mira Kapoor. Her work, which spans residential, wellness, and hospitality projects, always prioritises harmony, functionality, and purpose.

13. Hameeda Sharma

Based in Hyderabad, Hameeda Sharma, along with her husband Aamir, runs a “power couple” design firm with a pan-India footprint. Their work is defined by a “modern with an eclectic twist” sensibility. They are known for their minimalistic, urban-chic designs and their clever use of salvaged and recyclable materials, reinterpreted with a quirky, contemporary edge for residences, restaurants, and retail stores.

14. Tanya Gyani

An alumna of NIFT, Delhi, and a design school in Florence, Italy, Tanya Gyani has a versatile and global design perspective. She has worked as a lead designer for global brands like Pottery Barn. Her independent studio handles a wide variety of projects, including residences, offices, and bars. Her style is adaptable and sophisticated, and she also channels her creative energy into floral design and product styling.

15. Iram Sultan

With over two decades of experience, Iram Sultan creates “invisible designs” that are meant to be felt and experienced rather than just seen. Her studio specialises in luxury residential, high-end commercial, and boutique hospitality projects. Her design sensibility incorporates art, craft, and design history to create elegant and timeless spaces. She focuses on a client-centric approach to build bespoke interiors that are rich with emotion.

16. Elsie Nanji

Elsie Nanji is a creative powerhouse, known not only for her advertising background but also for her exquisite interior design. She is known for her work on the iconic ‘Good Earth’ stores, helping to craft their signature, immersive brand experience. Her personal design style is artistic, curated, and deeply influenced by her travels, blending vintage finds with contemporary art to create spaces that feel both timeless and personal.

17. Richa Bahl

Richa Bahl’s boutique studio focuses on creating spaces that are distinctive and reflect the client’s personality. Her design aesthetic is classic, functional, and infused with an innovative, experimental approach. She has designed homes for many clients in the media and Bollywood, including actor Alia Bhatt. Her studio often uses its popular Instagram account as its primary portfolio, showcasing homes that are cosy, chic, and full of character.

18. Ridhi Khosla Jalan

Ridhi Khosla Jalan is both an interior designer and a design educator. Her firm, RKJ Design Studio, is built on the idea of making design accessible and understandable, referring to her website as a “Design Encyclopedia.” Her style is welcoming, thoughtful, and magical. She works on residential and commercial projects with a mission to create spaces that are not just beautiful but also functional and easy to live in.

19. Dhvani Shah

Based in Mumbai, Dhvani Shah is an architect and interior designer known for her clean, contemporary, and functional spaces. Her firm’s portfolio showcases a command of modern, minimalist aesthetics, often playing with neutral palettes and natural light to create tranquil urban sanctuaries. Her work, including projects like the “Tranquil Sanctum” and “Urban Loft,” demonstrates a keen ability to maximise space and create a calm, sophisticated atmosphere.

20. Darshini Shah

A graduate of Parsons and the California College of the Arts, Darshini Shah brings a unique global perspective to Indian design. After a decade in San Francisco, she founded her design company, which is featured on the prestigious AD100 list. Her firm reinterprets South Asian heritage with a contemporary aesthetic, blending it with clean Scandinavian design. She focuses on creating narratives that empower clients to reflect on their identities in their homes.