Bharat Patel
Founder, Aaditya Interior
Bharat is the founder of Aaditya Interior and leads client relationships, space planning and site execution across 180+ active projects.
Blog
Design notes.
Thoughts on homes, materials, detailing and craft – written by the people who design your spaces.
Latest Articles
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Room Ideas
Study Room Design Ideas for Students
A good study space for a student needs a desk sized to the child's age (about 580–700 mm high for younger children, 730–750 mm for teenagers), a chair that keeps the feet flat, about 500 lux of task light from the side, sockets 150–200 mm above the desk and storage within reach. Eight layouts — from a window-side desk to a loft bed with a desk below — fit these into almost any Indian bedroom or nook.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 30 min read
Design Styles
Kerala Style Interiors: Wood, Brass and Red Oxide
A Kerala style interior is built from a short list of honest materials — dark timber ceilings and pillars, a polished red oxide floor with black borders, lime-white walls and a few pieces of brass such as a nilavilakku or an uruli — arranged for shade and moving air. It works anywhere in India if the timber is protected, the oxide is laid by a skilled team and brass is used sparingly.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 27 min read
History of Design
History of Plywood: How an Engineered Board Changed Furniture
Plywood turned wood from a material that splits, warps and comes in narrow planks into a stable, wide, standard sheet — first for packing cases and doors, then, once waterproof resins arrived in the 1930s, for aircraft, boats and the moulded chairs of Aalto and the Eames. In India it built the tea chest first and the carpenter-made wardrobe and modular kitchen later.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 31 min read
Future of Design
Future of Retail Store Design: Experience Over Shelves
As more buying moves online, the physical store is shifting from a room full of stock to a place for trying, learning, meeting and collecting. Future-ready stores give less floor to shelves and more to demo, service and pick-up zones, use movable fixtures and a flexible services grid, and are built so the layout can change every season without a refit.
Bharat Patel · 15 Oct 2026 · 27 min read
Heights & Depths
Electrical Switch and Socket Heights in India
Common Indian practice puts door switchboards at about 1100–1200 mm above the finished floor (900–1100 mm for accessible homes), bedside boards at 700–900 mm, general sockets at 300–450 mm, kitchen counter sockets at 1000–1100 mm, washing-machine sockets at 1000–1200 mm, geyser points at 1800–2000 mm and AC points at 2100–2300 mm. Every height should be drawn on the furniture plan and confirmed by a licensed electrician.
Bharat Patel · 15 Oct 2026 · 29 min read
Heights & Depths
Towel Rail, Hook and Accessory Heights
Fix the main towel rail at about 1100–1200 mm above the finished floor, a hand-towel ring 1250–1350 mm beside the basin, robe hooks at 1650–1750 mm, the toilet paper holder at 600–700 mm about 150–250 mm forward of the WC, and the shower niche with its base at about 1000–1100 mm. Mark every concealed pipe on a drawing before anyone drills, and anchor each accessory into solid masonry, not into tile alone.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 30 min read
Materials & Finishes
Mirror Types: Tinted, Antique and Bevelled
Use clear 5–6 mm silvered mirror where people need an accurate reflection, tinted grey or bronze mirror where the aim is depth and mood, antique mirror as a decorative surface rather than a grooming mirror, and a bevel of about 12–25 mm on 5–6 mm glass for framed or panelled work. Fix every mirror with neutral-cure mirror adhesive and mechanical support, and add safety backing film wherever it can be struck.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 28 min read
Architecture & Planning
FSI and FAR Explained Simply
FSI (Floor Space Index), also called FAR (Floor Area Ratio), is the total built-up area a plot may carry divided by the plot area: an FSI of 1.8 on a 300 m² plot allows about 540 m² of counted floor area, however it is stacked. The actual figure, what counts towards it and how much more can be bought or transferred all vary by city, zone and road width, so always confirm them in the local development control regulations.
Bharat Patel · 15 Oct 2026 · 22 min read
Cost Guides
Clinic and Hospital Interior Cost
Indicatively in October 2026, a clinic interior in India costs about ₹1,200–1,800 per sq ft basic, ₹1,800–2,800 mid-range and ₹2,800–4,500+ premium, and a dental clinic about ₹1,800–3,500, before medical equipment and GST. Hospital floors with full healthcare services (HVAC, medical gases, fire, nurse call) commonly run ₹4,000–8,000+ per sq ft, and a modular operation theatre about ₹35–90 lakh each.
Bharat Patel · 15 Oct 2026 · 23 min read
Commercial & Hospitality
Banquet Hall Interior Design
Plan a banquet hall at about 1.2–1.5 m² per guest for round-table dining (about 0.7–0.9 m² for theatre seating), with a clear height of 4.5–6 m, a stage 600–900 mm high and 4–6 m deep, and at least two remote, unobstructed exits sized by a fire consultant. Indicatively, interiors cost about ₹1,500–6,000+ per sq ft from basic to premium, before HVAC, kitchen equipment and GST.
Bharat Patel · 15 Oct 2026 · 25 min read
Room Ideas
Walk-in Wardrobe Design Ideas
A walk-in wardrobe works only when it is wide enough to stand in with a drawer open: at least 1500 mm for a single-sided passage, 2100 mm for a double-sided room (2400 mm is comfortable) and about 2400 × 2100 mm for a U-shape. Plan it around hanging length, drawers, light and air, and budget it like fitted wardrobes at about ₹1,200–2,200 per sq ft of elevation for mid-range work.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 24 min read
Design Styles
Royal Rajasthani Interior Style for Modern Homes
Royal Rajasthani style borrows from the palaces and havelis of Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer: cusped arches, jharokhas, jaalis, mirror work, lime finishes, block-printed textiles and deep jewel colours. In a modern home it works when one or two of these elements are used with discipline on a calm base — not when every surface is decorated.
Afrin Mirza · 15 Oct 2026 · 24 min read
The People
Meet the partners
Afrin Mirza
Co-founder, Aaditya Interior
Afrin is the co-founder of Aaditya Interior, leading the design studio – materials, colour, detailing and finishing – along with the office and design team at Katargam, Surat.