My Life in Design: Puru Das, Brian DeMuro & Kanu Agrawal
The trio behind DeMuro Das talk about their journey into design and why they decided to rebrand Urbanist
This series takes a look at the aesthetics, influences and practices of some of India’s biggest names in the field of architecture and design.
Designers at a Glance
Name: Puru Das, Brian DeMuro and Kanu Agrawal
Firm name: DeMuro Das
Design style: Modern with a strong connection to their cultural roots.
Photos courtesy: DeMuro Das
Designers at a Glance
Name: Puru Das, Brian DeMuro and Kanu Agrawal
Firm name: DeMuro Das
Design style: Modern with a strong connection to their cultural roots.
Photos courtesy: DeMuro Das
How do you divide your roles and how do you complement each other?
Puru: I oversee the showroom and the interior design studio in Gurgaon while Brian runs the factory in Greater Noida.
Kanu: Puru and I focus on our architecture and interior design projects. Our designs for furniture and cabinetry, especially, tend to be more responsive to spatial and client needs.
Brian: While our locations can make it seem as though we inhabit separate spheres, in reality we collaborate very closely on every aspect of the design process.
Puru: I oversee the showroom and the interior design studio in Gurgaon while Brian runs the factory in Greater Noida.
Kanu: Puru and I focus on our architecture and interior design projects. Our designs for furniture and cabinetry, especially, tend to be more responsive to spatial and client needs.
Brian: While our locations can make it seem as though we inhabit separate spheres, in reality we collaborate very closely on every aspect of the design process.
You are re-branding. Why?
Puru: The re-branding to DeMuro Das is a natural evolution in our story. As we expand our business to the international market, it is important to share our personal history since it strongly informs our design process. While Urbanist has worked well in India as a way for us to communicate the international aspects of our design, we feel it’s our personal narrative that resonates with a global audience.
What is your brand’s USP?
Kanu: Our company is unique, not just in India but also globally. We are involved in every single aspect of the design process starting from production to the final installation and interiors. This allows us to have complete control of our design vision and deliver truly custom homes.
Puru: The re-branding to DeMuro Das is a natural evolution in our story. As we expand our business to the international market, it is important to share our personal history since it strongly informs our design process. While Urbanist has worked well in India as a way for us to communicate the international aspects of our design, we feel it’s our personal narrative that resonates with a global audience.
What is your brand’s USP?
Kanu: Our company is unique, not just in India but also globally. We are involved in every single aspect of the design process starting from production to the final installation and interiors. This allows us to have complete control of our design vision and deliver truly custom homes.
What trends do you foresee in 2017?
Brian: Metal is continuing to be the material that excites us the most. We are seeing interiors and furniture that incorporate bronze, copper and brass because they’re warm and work in both modern and transitional spaces.
Puru: In terms of colours, we’re seeing that the ’80s-inspired pastels are making their way into interiors and furniture since they work well with grey, which has been the dominant neutral shade for the last few years.
Could you share a trade secret that consumers should know?
Kanu: Hire a professional. You’ll save money and endless headaches!
Brian: Metal is continuing to be the material that excites us the most. We are seeing interiors and furniture that incorporate bronze, copper and brass because they’re warm and work in both modern and transitional spaces.
Puru: In terms of colours, we’re seeing that the ’80s-inspired pastels are making their way into interiors and furniture since they work well with grey, which has been the dominant neutral shade for the last few years.
Could you share a trade secret that consumers should know?
Kanu: Hire a professional. You’ll save money and endless headaches!
What is the best thing about Indian homes and consumers?
Puru: I find that people are willing to experiment with colour and pattern in their homes. Both elements play a large role in our personal design sensibility, so it’s satisfying to be able to express that.
What is a well-designed home?
Puru: A well designed home should produce a sense of joy. A considered approach to all the elements – light, space, colour and form – makes a space pleasurable but you also need a sense of the unexpected.
Puru: I find that people are willing to experiment with colour and pattern in their homes. Both elements play a large role in our personal design sensibility, so it’s satisfying to be able to express that.
What is a well-designed home?
Puru: A well designed home should produce a sense of joy. A considered approach to all the elements – light, space, colour and form – makes a space pleasurable but you also need a sense of the unexpected.
Where is the Indian design industry headed? How is 2017-18 looking?
Brian: The quality of projects are improving as clients are becoming more discerning, and new and better-quality materials are becoming available.
Puru: As the industry enters a more mature phase, I think firms will start focusing on building depth to their practice. Using new materials and techniques requires research and I think the more successful firms will really invest in building that knowledge.
Read more:
My Life in Design: Shabnam Gupta
My Life in Design: Ashiesh Shah
Tell us:
Which kind of product design appeals to you the most? Write in Comments below.
Brian: The quality of projects are improving as clients are becoming more discerning, and new and better-quality materials are becoming available.
Puru: As the industry enters a more mature phase, I think firms will start focusing on building depth to their practice. Using new materials and techniques requires research and I think the more successful firms will really invest in building that knowledge.
Read more:
My Life in Design: Shabnam Gupta
My Life in Design: Ashiesh Shah
Tell us:
Which kind of product design appeals to you the most? Write in Comments below.
Sponsored
Brian: I’ve always been obsessed with interior and furniture design. While living in New York, Puru and I made several trips to India and were amazed that people would directly engage with craftsmen when they needed furniture. The creative and business possibilities seemed endless. We felt there was an opportunity to do something we were both passionate about and that set us on this journey.
Puru: It was a leap of faith since neither Brian nor I are formally trained but we were passionate about design and we knew we had a point of view. Interior design was a natural extension of our furniture design practice. We established Urbanist in 2001 and Kanu Agrawal (our third partner) joined us in 2013 to spearhead our architecture division, after practising in New York for many years.