India, a vast country which still celebrates its design traditions from the ancient Delhi Sultanate and Mughal chapters, is rapidly becoming a global hub for modern design.
Testament to that is the international buzz generated around Nilaya Anthology, a luxury furniture and design hub, which was founded by Asian Paints, the nation’s leading paint and decor company in March 2025.
Since then, an international roster of design leaders have passed through its halls: Milan gallery Nilufar kicked off its calendar with a vintage-meets-contemporary selection of furniture lighting and decor from both Nilufar and Nilufar Edition, curated by Nina Yashar herself; internationally acclaimed New Delhi-based designer Vikram Goyal also presented Silken Passage, a metalwork collection, and in September, the space hosted “A Gathering of Light” showcasing candle stands by 23 established and emerging names.
On Sunday, Nilaya will open “The Turning Point,” a landmark retrospective celebrating five decades of work by Pinakin Patel, one of the most influential voices in shaping the India Modern aesthetic.
Conceived as a contemplative journey rather than a linear timeline, “The Turning Point,” which closes March 31, brings together an immersive presentation of Patel’s seminal design works, curated objects and artworks from his personal collection, and select works from the archive of Prof. Dashrath Patel, the first director of design education at India’s National Institute of Design.
Patel’s Pinakin Studio is headquartered in Alibaug, which is referred to as the “Hamptons of Mumbai.” It’s one of India’s oldest brands for residential luxury furniture and has been a contemporary design pioneer for over 45 years. On display will be seminal pieces like his Jhoola Bed, which combines the elements of a canopy and a swing; his asymmetric Brahmaputra dining table from 1999, as well as newer pieces like the curved Contour sofa and the majlis-like Takht Sofa.
Pinakin Patel’s Contour sofa.
Courtesy of Nilaya
For Nilaya Anthology’s creative director, Pavitra Rajaram, Patel’s story is at the heart of India’s design culture. Since the opening of the space, Nilaya Anthology has become a key cultural space for the entire nation.
“In just a year since we opened in 2025, Anthology has become a destination in Mumbai for contemporary Indian design: forward-looking, deeply rooted, and crafted with intent. What excites us most is creating visibility for Indian designers on a global stage, not as an emerging story, but as a confident, defining voice in international design today,” Rajaram said.
Over the past year, Nilaya Anthology has enhanced its design retail experience into a unique curation of home decor, furnishings, collectible craft, and design. Spanning 100,000 square feet, it’s situated in Mumbai’s mill district, which was once the core of the textile industry.
Pinakin Patel
In November, Piyush Suri, cofounder of Design Mumbai, told WWD that India’s design industry is being driven by real estate projects and an uptick in its growing community of ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
India’s interior design industry remains on track to reach $51.4 billion in revenues by 2028, according to Suri.
The last edition of Design Mumbai brought together globally recognized names and collaborations with Indian creatives. Spanish designer Lucas Muñoz Muñoz designed the on-site Park Hotels Café using repurposed materials from the group’s refurbishment projects. Australian designer Adam Markowitz teamed up with Indian furniture brand Phantom Hands and the American Hardwood Export Council for a special collection, a tennis-themed installation by Jaipur Rugs.
Indian studios are increasingly exporting both product and talent, he added, underscoring the work of studios like Kohelika Kohli Karkhana, Chacko, Hearty Muse Atelier, Sarvatva, Objectry, Beso and AndBlack.
“Our design ecosystem is still very diverse and independent. What’s growing instead is a sense of collaboration… This signals a new global curiosity about India’s creative energy. The dialogue is no longer one-way, but is fully reciprocal,” Suri said.
Nina Yashar’s curation at Nilaya Anthology included a ceiling lamp Asta by Denmark’s Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt, 1950s era armchairs by Melchiorre Bega and Side Table 3 by Lebanon’s Khaled El Mays.
Courtesy of Nilufar
