We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Priyam Doshi ("PD").
Priyam, founder of Name Place Animal Thing, is a designer known for playful, joyful lights, furniture, décor, and installations. With 12+ years in furniture, lighting, and spatial design, he’s developed over 1,000 SKUs and 100+ unique pieces since launching his studio. An EDIDA Young Talent (2023) and Elle Décor winner (2018), Priyam combines his engineering background with artisanal skill to create both bespoke statement pieces and accessible designs that inspire delight.
Priyam Doshi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Priyam Doshi.
Priyam Doshi Design - Moose Multifunctional Cabinet
Priyam Doshi Design - Caterpillar Bar Unit
Priyam Doshi Design - Mushroom Floor Lamps
Designer Interview of Priyam Doshi:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
PD : By education, I have studied Engineering - Production Technology & Lifestyle Product Design. Since childhood, I had a habit/knack of making things out of waste and whatever was available around me. I have always loved creating objects. Yes I have always wanted to be a designer.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
PD : Name Place Animal Thing is a Mumbai-based design studio that specializes in furniture, lights, installations, and decor. We draw inspiration from people, places, animals, and all things that exist in the world around us. We cherish experimenting with materials, processes, and techniques, from new to natural to recycled, to create products with an element of intrigue or play. Our meticulously designed products are carefully crafted and manufactured in India. We like to call our products FUN-ctional, products that are both fun and functional at their core. Along with designing our own products, we collaborate with architects, interior designers & manufacturers on custom projects.
DI: What is "design" for you?
PD : Design is common Sense exectued well. Design should be honest. Design shuld bring a smile to the people seeing/using it. Design can be FUN-ctional.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
PD : I like designing lights, furniture and decor. I love to design products which are FUNctional - Super fun and highly functional.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
PD : One of my favourite designs are Ribbon chair & 88 Secrets Cabinet by Nika Zupnac Form my own designs its the Caterpillar Bar Unit
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
PD : The first thing I designed for a company was a spatial installation for a high-end jewelry exhibition.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
PD : I don’t have favorites; I like being versatile and exploring different materials, right from fabric to wood to metal to paper to terrazzo to clay/ceramics.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
PD : I get most random ideas when I am actually not thinking about design, especially when I go for a walk or when I am in the shower.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
PD : The practicality of bringing a product to life, ensuring the product is not only aesthetically appealing but also good with functionality
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
PD : Feeling of Joy Feeling oh focus Feeling of Passion Feeling of Energy
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
PD : I feel super happy, yet always critical about the final outcome, constantly trying to think of ways to better the designs.
DI: What makes a design successful?
PD : A product which solves all three - need + problem + desire. To me a successful design is something which is a design which is liked by the user and the non-user too.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
PD : Form + Functionality + Finishing
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
PD : Reduce wastage, reuse whenever feasible. Be conscious about not harming the environment
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
PD : Design itself is the future. It is evelving vastly. Ai will also change a lot of things. I feel liek how its imporatnt to know accounts/ fiannace for all, simiralry design will have to be a skill that every one will need to learn.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
PD : The last exhibition was at Ambeinte Fair in Jaunary in Germany organisd by Messse Frankfurt. Next exhibtion should be iin India in 2024
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
PD : My inspiration comes from nature and from daily life. There are no specific sources of inspiration - It can be any object, nature, geometry, observations of daily life and things around us.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
PD : My natural design style is Quirky. Designs that spark joy. Love making FUn-ctioanl product - Super fun yet super functiaonl products.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
PD : I live in Mumbai india. Ofcourse the country where you are born does affect the designs. Pros are getting the opportunity to design versatile products for user of such diverse demographic and having the skillsset, machinery , know how of innovating.
DI: How do you work with companies?
PD : I do design collaborations with different companies. I understand the brief and design as per the requirements, limitations, must haves, the intent and design products which sell well.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
PD : Have clarity of thoughts and good design brief which cover the requirements/ limitations and expectations well. The intent should be made clear from day one.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
PD : I don’t have any specific design process. It varies from project to project depending on the requirement But in short its inspiration - sketch - 3 d model – Drawing, but juggling between them.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
PD : A felt coaster for Hot vessels that I recently brought from a local store at DEnmark A Chest of Dawers made out of Acacia Wood A beautiful pendant lamp - Qucorr that I made in college out of corrguated boxes, which doesnt look like it made from waste. An adjustable side table which doubles up as a seating too.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
PD : Brush-Walk/exercise-plan-work-lunch-work-snacks-work-dinner-me time/ free time- sleep
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
PD : Be honest to the design and yourself. Understand the requirement and stay relevant. Design products which do good business.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
PD : That a diffiuclt one. Pros are having a uniqe perspective on things. COns would late working hours and never knowing when to stop. We tend to give in all our all.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
PD : There is no Golden rule as such. Golden rule is to never copy designs.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
PD : Communication & presentation Representation of Ideas - Software Understanding the brief / intent/ requirements
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
PD : Rough Papers + Uniball Air Pen Rhino+ Keyshot
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
PD : At times I can manage at times I cant so end putting in extra hours. Recently I have started palinging and creating a to do list, which is helping
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
PD : It can take aywhere between 2 weeks to two months
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
PD : What inspires you?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
PD : All my jobs have taught me a lot. Imporant job experiecne was being a brand manager handing 3 brands, it was a 360 degree leanring in terms a businees. Design being just one part of it.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
PD : Furniture OEM/ Tiling & Terrazzo Company, Ecommerce companies into furniture Architects & Interior designers.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
PD : I enjoy wokring on design projects which let me add fun/ quirk to the desings
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
PD : Next is to develop a range of furntiure and lights which are releveant yet timeless. I want exhbit my products at Milan. I also intend to have my own workshop so that I can design and devleop more products at faster rate.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
PD : I mostly prefer to deleop designs on my own.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
PD : Yes, I am wokring on a variety of clay lamps in collaboration with a freind of mine. It is goign to be a range of all Scones and Pendant lights.
DI: How can people contact you?
PD : People can reach out ot me on my phone no. +91 9960144136 or email me at priyam@nameplaceanimalthing.com