In an intriguing interview with Garima Agarwal, she explained her passion for Kids Room Design. She narrated an emotional and inspirational journey of being a captivating amalgamation of a mother and an entrepreneur. Born in Kolkata, Garima Agarwal founded the Peekaboo Patterns in Chennai, back in 2005. The brand does outstanding work in forming spaces and furniture for kids-friendly interior design. She further went on to start Peekaboo Interiors for designing rooms and spaces for children and Bootiful for casual and smart kids’ clothing.
Her immense contribution has led her to win iconic awards like the Good Homes Award for Children’s Solutions and the Kids Stop Press Award For Best Kids Décor & Furniture. In 2021, she aced her game by branching into Peekaboo Interiors and starting India’s first exclusive show homes for kids. This includes 7 experiential-themed kids’ rooms.
Her talks are filled with her love for children, the design process, and the creative aspects of crafting conscious designs.
How do your personal experiences and background influence the Kids’ Design and concepts you create for Peekaboo Patterns and Peekaboo Interiors?
Firstly, being a parent has led me to closely understand the needs, challenges, and preferences of parents for kids’ room designs. Hence, this helped me to create products that aren’t just aesthetically pleasing but highly functional as well. Furthermore, other secondary interests like art, embroidery, interiors, spiritual healing, travel sketches and experiences, and endless love for nature have influenced it highly. It helped me in designing rooms and spaces for children in an engaging way. Although, it was in my childhood that this creativity sparked and I’m able to connect the dots so well.
What have been some of the significant challenges you have faced while establishing and growing your brands?
For Peekaboo Interiors, Peekaboo Patterns, and even Bootiful, challenges were innumerable. Securing distribution channels and partnerships with startups is tough. This is because some are home-grown and lack processes or structure. Furthermore, the world is getting digital but online sales are a constant and tough competition for visibility.
In terms of kids’ room design, engaging with customers, aligning with their design sensibilities, and adhering to the all-in-one product can be time-consuming and difficult. We have a huge store in Chennai yet the city has been backward in terms of children’s room furniture. Although it has improved, the beginning was surely arduous.
How do you collaborate with clients, artisans, and other professionals to bring your design visions to life?
Collaboration asks for effective communication, active listening, understanding perspectives, and most importantly, giving time. Hence a combination of all these helps in comprehending them on an emotional level too. Thus, the design outcome perfectly adhered to their needs and desires.
The design landscape is ever-changing. What current design trends do you find particularly exciting and relevant to the work you do?
Conscious designs and interactive elements are the most trendy and significant ones. Also utilizing natural elements in the kids’ room design is a fun thing as it brings the child closer to Mother Earth. The subtle choice of colors, textures, motifs, and theme-based designs enhance the children’s room furniture. Lastly, adding family photos and interactive learning information gives the child a nurturing environment.
What circumstances and inspirations led you to establish brands?
Becoming a parent gave me firsthand experience of the challenges and needs associated with children’s spaces and products. This led me to have a passion for design and child development. Furthermore, there is a huge market gap in kids’ room design. Hence the motivation to fill the gap with meaningful and impactful designs led me to start my entrepreneurial journey.
Kids’ room design is a job of unending hard work, feedback, changes, and playful design elements. And incorporating all these challenges into her strength, Garima Agarwal stands proud today. Her brands play a vital role in developing a child’s most noteworthy years of life.
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