Teenage dream turns into reality

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

As a teenager, architect Yamini Agarwal once visited the Hotel Taj in Delhi and got so mesmerized by its interiors that she decided there and then that when she grew up she would design spaces.

Following her passion, did her B.Sc (Interior Design) from Spectrum Institute, Delhi  after completing her schooling from Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan.  She then joined Scuola di Politecnica at Milan, Italy for her Masters degree. While studying at Milan, she also joined Lombardini 22, as a draftsman to gain work experience in all aspects of the industry and understand different design ideologies.

“Even when I was studying in Delhi, I had joined an architectural studio to gain experience. I believe working while studying is a good way to understand and relate education with industry demands,” she says.

The experience she gained gave her enough clarity of thought, and also prompted her to start her own venture. So, today, at 26, Agarwal runs an interior design firm by the name H5 Design, and is known for her holistic, luxurious, ergonomic, sophisticated and invigorative designs.

Unlike many other interior designers who refer to Western magazine to design, Agarwal’s design philosophy emanates from the mind space of the customer. “We invest time and energy in understanding the personality, experiences, taste and preferences and blend them with the energy flow principles of Vaastu to deliver holistic spaces that accentuates the comfort and prosperity,” she says, almost in a single breath.

And she has her goals quite clear and well-defined. “In the next two years, we hope to make a niche for ourselves in the residential design segment and also want to venture into designing commercial and hospitality spaces,” says architect Yamini Agarwal.

“And by 2025, I want H5 to become a versatile internationally renowned name synonymous with interior design. H5 Design will branch out to different brand names and hence, different departments within the company, concentrating on only design and pushing the limits of design and design services offered to a new dimension,” she adds.

“I feel blessed that my family has been highly supportive of my career choices. They have always encouraged me to work and learn at the time of growth as well as brought the confidence and strength in me to run H5,” she says.

She is busy designing 24 hours a day, be it doing actual work or visualizing new possibilities, new design ideologies or researching on what others are creating.

Other than designing, Agarwal is fond of reading fiction and inspirational books and keen on exotic cooking. Having been involved in my mother’s business of designing and manufacturing luxury wedding invites since the age of nine, creativity and crafts is an inevitable part of her lifestyle