Interior design
is my true calling!
We caught up with Designer, Juhi Malhotra about what inspires her and why she loves RAK Ceramics
Juhi Malhotra, the founder and creative director of JR Design Deuce, is an extremely driven person, passionate about offering a highly customized, almost tailor-made interior design service.
Graduating in Interior Design in India, Juhi went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Design from Melbourne, Australia and has been working in the industry for the last 12 years. Inheriting her father’s entrepreneurial vision and creativity and her mother’s communication skills and practical approach, Juhi was keen to establish a business that thrives on those strengths.
Her international experience has given her the opportunity to achieve global exposure on projects across Melbourne, Mumbai and Dubai and she describes this as “instrumental in my creative and progressive growth as a designer.”
“My connection with interior design was a beautiful serendipity, definitely not planned. I guess it was always embedded in my sub conscious mind as we moved house a lot as a family when I was growing up. However, I can most affirmatively say now it’s my true calling. Spaces always emote through their look and feel, and I instantly end up analyzing the vibe and energy that they generate,”
For her latest project, at the Bacardi Office, Juhi was asked to design a multipurpose space for employees where they can work, play and lounge. Incorporating an open kitchen area, the space is designed to feel homely, allowing staff to work in a relaxed atmosphere. According to Juhi,
“The colour palate had to be corporate however still bringing in the happy hues of yellows and greens in order to provide freshness for the space. I chose RAK Ceramics Basic Concrete tiles in grey to create a modern and playful base, thus beautifully integrating with the other colours to be an extension of the corporate world.”
"I chose RAK Ceramics Basic Concrete tiles in grey to create a modern and playful base."
For the pantry area, Juhi used tiles from RAK Ceramics’ Loft Brick collection saying:
I selected the Loft Brick collection for this space as it offers a brilliant range of patterned and plain subway tiles. Tile play is the most innovative concept that this range offers. Tile play is a very innovative concept that this range offers .These tiles exhibit flexibility to create my own individual design with an almost lego like feel.
Our Loft Brick Tile as kitchen backsplash complemented the neutral floor and also added an playful twist with the combination of the décor tile.
A big fan of RAK Ceramics products, Juhi believes that durability, ease of maintenance and slip resistance are key attributes to look for when choosing which tiles to use. She says “RAK Ceramic products are very versatile in terms of the look and textures they provide which helps in customizing the space to suit the personality of the client without any compromise,” she goes on to say, “The range they offer is diverse, unique and fabulous. RAK Ceramics also provides detailed specifications and test certificates for all their product ranges. This allows us as designers to choose the right tile in terms of finish, size, fire and slip resistant ratings for our commercial, restaurant and residential projects.”
Juhi is inspired by the “sheer joy of transformations and the passion to create something authentic and user centred” describing it as “quite gratifying.” She believes interior design empowers her to transform spaces with a personal touch that reflects personality or is an extension of the client or their brand, saying, “The client or the space is always my muse, and that is where I start from. The motivation is to create forms and spaces that resonate at a deep and primal level. I like to create areas that offer comfort with attention to details, expressing personalities and providing experiences that become memories.”
Having used RAK Ceramics products in several of her projects over the last 10 years Juhi said:
I have been specifying these products for years. The versatility of the product range, often seamlessly blends into my varied projects such as commercial offices, automobile spaces, residential, restaurants and the hospitality industry.
She is currently working on two villa projects and is also using RAK Ceramics tiles for both of these. “For one of the villas, I have chosen the wooden tiles palate - Classic Wood in a herringbone pattern for the massive living, dining areas and hallways as it perfectly blends in with the modern Parisian eclectic themed home that I am designing,” she goes on to say, “On the other hand, my other villa project is more contemporary and urban and I intend to use the basic concrete collection. The idea is to play with the natural hues of concrete and incorporate its natural charming décor patterns on the floors while using the Strip Mosaic collection for the kitchen walls.”
When asked about the latest trends in interior design she says, “One of the most interesting trends I am working with is experiential design. Not all clients usually know what they want until they experience the design. With so many differing styles and tastes, what I work towards is developing a design that the client would yearn for and would happily come home to decompress from the outside world. A personal sanctuary of sorts.”