Janhavi Doshi: Merging Artistic Intuition with Practical Ingenuity on Every Site

client’s preferences, vision, and lifestyle before translating these insights into detailed mood boards and spatial plans”, informs Janhavi.

A strong believer in customization, Janhavi often designs furniture pieces herself, from side tables and cabinets to bespoke handles and lighting elements, ensuring every detail contributes to the overall narrative of the space. This hands-on involvement extends to even the soft furnishings, where she helps clients select bedsheets, curtains, and décor accessories to maintain design coherence. Her attention to detail and relentless pursuit of originality often lead her to go the extra mile, even if it means challenging contractors to push design boundaries. A key aspect of Janhavi’s site presence is the respectful, collaborative relationship she maintains with her labour teams.

​Whether it’s finding ways to achieve a particular lighting detail or crafting a custom furniture piece, their inputs are welcomed, and their efforts appreciated. This atmosphere of mutual respect transforms the site into a shared creative space, where everyone, from architect to artisan, contributes to elevating the final design. Beyond design sensibilities, Janhavi understands that what truly matters to clients is timely project completion, seamless execution, and a stress-free experience. She offers end-to-end handholding through personalized attention, efficient project management, and transparent communication, ensuring that building a home becomes a joyful journey rather than a daunting one.

Architecture Beyond Conventional Boundaries

Janhavi’s design sensibilities are rooted in minimalism, material expression, and a deep understanding of human-centered spaces. One of her most noteworthy residential projects is located in Lodha Park, Mumbai, where she executed a restrained yet impactful palette of whites and beiges. The project exemplifies her attention to detail, from custom-designed 3D shutters and concealed cabinetry to accent furniture that introduces subtle color highlights.

 In an ongoing project, Janhavi is exploring curved walls and the use of tinted glass, creating an immersive and fluid spatial experience. Her work on a multi generational duplex residence in Jamshedpur stands out for its complexity and charm. Executed across the challenging backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project involved coordinating across language barriers and logistical constraints, yet resulted in a beautifully cohesive home, complete with a spiral staircase and customized marble finishes. In addition to residential architecture, Janhavi has also made a mark in commercial interior design, having delivered bespoke f itness studios such as Yasmin Karachiwala’s Pilates studio in Cuffe Parade and multiple branches of Mold Fitness. She also co-led the design of Krishna Kunj, a five story residential building in Kolkata, deftly navigating familial dynamics and architectural requirements.

Staying Ahead with Technology 

In today’s ever-evolving design landscape, Janhavi shares how she seamlessly blends traditional design thinking with modern tools to elevate her services while staying current with the latest trends and innovations. AutoCAD remains the foundation of her design process. While she prefers to begin with hand drawn sketches to channel her creative flow, the ideas are later refined and executed using AutoCAD. Visualization tools such as Rhino, Grasshopper, SketchUp, Revit, and Photoshop are integral to her workflow, especially for creating realistic 3D renders. “SketchUp serves as a quick modeling tool, whereas Rhino and Grasshopper are used for detailed and high-quality renders, often enhanced in Photoshop to convey the design more effectively to clients. The use of these tools depends largely on the scope of the project and client requirements”, asserts Janhavi.

For instance, in one of her current projects, a luxurious bungalow in Pavana, Lonavala featuring an infinity pool and a cantilevered deck, detailed 3D renders played a crucial role in helping the client visualize the space. On the other hand, for smaller renovation projects, she may suggest sticking to 2D plans unless 3D renders are specifically requested, considering the time and cost involved. Despite the increasing use of technology, Janhavi still values traditional site practices. She often draws full-scale floor plans on-site for clients to walk through, helping them better understand space layouts and circulation. Elevations are also sketched directly on walls to give a more tangible sense of proportion and detailing. Janhavi believes that thoughtful project management and precise execution are as essential as design innovation in delivering a memorable client experience. She ensures they emotionally connect with the project long before it’s built by combining tactile materials with high-quality digital renderings, and encouraging clients to visit experience centres.

 Vision Rooted in Purpose

 Rather than focusing on numerical goals or widespread recognition, Janhavi’s primary objective is to remain creatively engaged and consistently deliver quality work. She conducts art workshops for inmates at Byculla Jail, teaching perspective drawing, an architectural skill, to inspire artistic expression and contribute meaningfully to society. “I also have a keen interest in furniture design and craft bespoke pieces tailored to my projects. Looking ahead, my vision is not confined to rigid goals but is anchored in continual learning, creative exploration, and meaningful contribution to society”, concludes Janhavi.