Design is seen by many as a way of creating amazing places. However, for renowned designer Minnie Bhatt, design has always been about much deeper things—understanding people, narrating stories, and creating realms of existence that keep inspiring long after the trends have passed.
Over the past two decades, Minnie Bhatt has established one of India’s leading interior design firms, creating design projects for more than 200 hotels and luxury residences across the country. Her impressive portfolio includes renowned restaurants such as Burma Burma, Ishaara, One8 Commune, and Izumi, as well as residences for prominent business leaders, including Ronnie Screwvala and B.K. Modi.

In an exclusive interview for Gujpreneur, Minnie Bhatt shares her entrepreneurial experience, the evolution of her design philosophy over the years, her experience working with Gujarati entrepreneurs, and why storytelling is the most significant part of any space she designs.

Growing Up Surrounded by Timeless Design

Prior to the onset of her career as one of the finest interior designers in India, Minnie Bhatt developed her love for architecture in an innocent manner simply by observing her surroundings.
Raised in an old building in South Mumbai, she was introduced to Art Deco architecture at an early age through her local experiences. These experiences were instrumental in helping her understand aspects such as proportions, craftsmanship, and aesthetic efficiency.

Although Minnie learned a lot about interior design not only from studies but also through observation of people’s behaviours in different places and spaces, she thinks that it has been her greatest learning. What she learned from her early experiences is that good design comprises features like character and meaning.

The Unexpected Opportunity That Changed Everything

Every entrepreneur remembers a moment when a single opportunity changed their career. For Minnie Bhatt, Silver Beach Café in Mumbai was one such opportunity. This project came to her through a friend who was associated with a business partner in need of a designer. While this seemed like a stroke of luck at that time, it eventually became a significant moment for her in establishing her credibility as a designer.
This experience also taught her two important lessons about entrepreneurship. The first: never ignore a good opportunity, even if it comes unexpectedly. The second: every project is a chance to gain experience and establish credibility, provided you approach it with integrity.

Building a Studio Around Creative Freedom

Establishing an independent design practice demands more than creativity. Its essential ingredients are self-assurance, and an ability to absorb losses. Having no interest in the conventional employment route, Minnie Bhatt wanted to enjoy the freedom of developing spaces according to each client’s distinctive vision, as opposed to standard design formulas. Supported by her understanding parents and clients who share her vision, she opened a studio with one powerful goal: each project tells its own story. This concept allowed her to work closely with clients while creating her own design vocabulary.

Designing More Than 200 Hospitality Spaces Across India

The studio has grown since its inception to become one of India’s most reputed names in hospitality and home interior design. Minnie Bhatt has completed over 200 restaurant designs across the country, creating remarkable venues for the famous hospitality brands like Burma Burma, Ishaara, One8 Commune, and Izumi. Her work is not limited to commercial or hospitality projects; she has also designed several high-end residential interiors for various successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. Despite the diversity and scope of her projects, she considers every project another chapter in her studio’s growth rather than an endpoint.

Entrepreneurship Is About Solving Problems Every Day

Although owning a creative venture might seem like an attractive career choice, to Minnie Bhatt, entrepreneurship is a never-ending cycle of problem-solving. Every project has its own distinctive challenges that vary from unforeseen site conditions and limitations during construction to juggling audacious creative concepts with project deadlines.

Over the years, she has developed an extraordinary ability to adapt to diverse situations. Running a successful design studio requires wearing multiple hats. Beyond creating designs, an entrepreneur must manage teams, coordinate with suppliers, nurture client relationships, drive business development, handle public relations, and ensure the successful execution of every project.

Every Space Begins with Understanding People

Minnie Bhatt’s work is characterised by the fact that no two projects ever feel alike. This can be attributed to her approach, which involves starting by learning about people rather than jumping straight into furniture, colours, or materials.

For residential projects, enriching her knowledge of the clients’ way of life, creative preferences, and daily routines is central to her process. While working with hospitality venues, understanding the essence of the brand is her priority. Instead of imposing her personal vision, Minnie believes in giving each space its unique identity: one that stays true to its owner while creating a memorable experience for guests.

A Meaningful Connection with Gujarat

Over the course of her work, Minnie Bhatt has worked on hospitality and residential projects with many Gujarati entrepreneurs and families. She has designed spaces for restaurants in Ahmedabad and is also currently creating private spaces for Gujarati business families. Minnie illustrates how crucial it is to develop meaningful projects based on common commitment, rather than just chasing trends. She also describes how Ahmedabad is rich in its culture because the people understand the art of architecture and design making it one of the interesting places to work with.

Minnie Bhatt embraces contemporary design methods but stays true to Indian architecture and its traditions. According to her, it is important that designers do not copy older styles, and use their technique, proportions, and materials instead. According to her, contemporary space becomes more meaningful and effective if it employs the principles of regional architecture while incorporating modern elements.

Why Creativity Never Stops

Despite having worked on numerous projects, Minnie Bhatt maintains the same intensity of passion for her trade. She states that every project has something new to offer her, be it the client, the country where the project is going to be executed, or the brand. Every client, location, and product brings along a number of new ideas and unique challenges. Traveling continues to be a good source of inspiration for Minnie as well as doing research on new materials, technologies, and design philosophy. Still the most important reason for her to keep on working is that satisfying feeling she receives upon creating a place which really becomes meaningful for people.

Minnie Bhatt feels that the future of Indian interior design lies not just in aesthetics but in creating experiences. Clients are now looking for spaces that convey meaning and feelings instead of just good decorative taste. She feels that designers will have to find a way to balance creativity with tradition and look for new materials and techniques without forgetting about the human experience. And that is precisely the goal of her studio: to create places that combine storytelling, utility, and emotional impact.

Advice for the Next Generation of Designers

Minnie Bhatt’s guidance for young designers aspiring to start their own brand is notably simple: be curious, keep learning, and take your time. Every profession imparts lessons in one way or another. It is vital to be honest, understand the customer and be a master in your skill. Passion sets off one’s journey, while consistency supports it. When one enjoys their profession, success comes effortlessly rather than requiring striving for it. Minnie Bhatt is a great example of how people can build a successful business by staying true to their principles and learning continuously.