Poornima Mankame Architect & Interior Designer

I’m an architect and interior designer based right here in Thane West. My day is usually split between drawing up new plans and running around to different project sites to see how things are going. It’s a lot of coordinating with carpenters, electricians, and painters. Sometimes it feels like I’m more of a manager than a designer, but that’s just how the industry works. Thane is a crowded place, so I often find myself trying to figure out how to make a small apartment feel a bit bigger. I don't really like using all those fancy buzzwords you see in magazines. I’d rather just talk about where the cupboard should go or what kind of tiles will be easiest to clean. It’s practical work. There are always challenges, like when a material goes out of stock or the weather ruins the paint schedule. You just have to deal with it and keep moving. I’ve worked on quite a few homes in this part of town over the years. My workspace is a bit of a mess with fabric swatches and floor plans, but I know where everything is. I try to keep things simple and honest with the people I work for. It’s just me doing my best to get the designs right and making sure the workers follow the drawings. It's a busy life but I'm used to it.