Talent And Hard Work Together Can Do Creative Wonders

Mindful of the strict budget and timelines, interior designer Manmeet Arora of LOC Design House creates an effervescent Mumbai office for legal start-up Jerome Merchant + Partners that commensurate with its young nature.

- Rupali Sebastian

The concerns for start-up workspaces are typical, mostly revolving around how much money is being spent on creating it, and how soon it can be used. The office for Jerome Merchant + Partners was no different. When five legal eagles decided to fly independently, as it were, they needed things to be actioned quickly — and economically. In interior designer Manmeet Arora of LOC Design House, they found a kindred spirit — in that, being a young designer herself, she was perfectly aware of how much anxiety such issues could cause. Turning the 1,600-squarefoot premises rented in downtown Mumbai, therefore, for her became a balancing act between budget and delivery.

“I had to pick my battles when it came to this project. If I used mild steel somewhere, for instance, I had to offset that cost and time by using a material that was quicker in application and easier on the pocket elsewhere,” recalls Manmeet, who swears by user-centricity and attention to detail for creating spaces that are individualistic, personalized and bespoke. “We aspire to deliver spaces that are hallmarked by an experiential flavour — which can be truly admired not merely by seeing, but by using,” she adds.