Style is often the choices shaped by memory, culture and mood. In design, this often becomes the foundation of a design language, which materialises from the layering of materials, textures, colours, and forms, shaped by context and personal narratives. As designers break free from conformist styles to define their own, the latest collaboration between Design Pataki and Nicobar, monikered ‘Style Series,’ celebrates creators who build visual stories that feel both authentic and inspired. With this series, we turn the lens towards creators who approach styling as storytelling, layering intuitive, personal and deeply rooted elements in everyday life. Through intimate conversations and thoughtfully composed spaces, the series celebrates voices that craft visual narratives with ingenuity and intention.

From the subtle echoes of Hyderabad’s traditional motifs shaping a design studio to the exuberant bursts of colour and pattern in a style tastemaker’s home, DP goes behind the scenes into spaces meticulously curated for the camera. These spaces come alive with Nicobar’s thoughtfully curated collections, like textiles, ceramics, and décor that seamlessly blend into the inspirations, challenges, and aesthetic vision of the creators. Rooted in India yet inspired by journeys across the Indian Ocean, Nicobar brings a modern Indian way of living into every frame, where simplicity, versatility, and playful details transform the everyday into the extraordinary.

Infusing The Spaces With Traditional Motifs

For the pilot episode, we travelled to the affluent Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad to decipher architect Sona Reddy’s style. Currently, ‘untitled,’ it borrows deeply from the nostalgia and Southern India’s cultural motifs, drawing from the flower markets hidden in the bylanes, intricately sculpted woodwork, and green hues that infuse a sense of serenity. “How a space makes you feel is far more important than how it looks,” avers Sona Reddy, founder of Sona Reddy Studio. She adds, “Most of my formative years have been in the South, and all of it (her style) is completely influenced by how the South is.” The imprint of geography lingers in Reddy’s design sensibilities, which materialises through the objet d’art she chooses to live with.