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Sunita Kohli and Her
Iconic Work in Interior
Design
Sunita Kohli is a legendary interior designer from India, known for preserving
India's art and design heritage through her work.
About Sunita Kohli

Born into a family of royalty, Kohli's upbringing in palaces and museums

sparked her interest in art and design.

Her passion for India's art and architecture led her to establish K2India, a
design firm dedicated to preserving India's rich heritage.

Kohli's work extends beyond interior design. She is involved in several

charitable organizations and has served on numerous cultural committees.
Early Life and Education

Kohli's family background in art and architecture influenced her career and
design philosophy.

Kohli studied interior design at prestigious schools in Europe and returned to

India to launch her career.

Kohli's education and background sparked her interest in preserving India's

cultural heritage in her designs.
Career Highlights
1 2 3

Establishment of Restoration of Collaborations

K2India Heritage Sites
Kohli has collaborated with
Founded in 1971, K2India Kohli's expertise in several luxury brands and
has since been recognized restoration has led to her has received international
as a leading design firm in involvement in several acclaim for her work.
India. historic restoration projects
in India.
Signature Design Style
Indian Heritage Attention to Detail Harmony and
Symmetry
Kohli's designs combine Kohli believes in the
traditional Indian elements importance of Her designs aim to create a
with modern design. craftsmanship and pays sense of harmony and balance,
great attention to detail in often achieved through
her designs. symmetrical compositions.
Examples of Her Work

Palace Interiors

Kohli's work can be seen in several Indian palaces, where she

preserves and restores existing architecture and design
elements.
Contemporary Residences

Kohli's contemporary designs often incorporate traditional

Indian elements, adding a unique touch to modern spaces.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Golf Links, New Delhi
Year built: 1954
Renovation completed in: 2020
Size: 1000 square meter (10.764 square feet); 2 bedrooms, a
guest-cum-sitting room, 2 bathrooms and a powder room.
Interior designer: Kohelika Kohli, K2India
Furniture design: Kohelika Kohli
House styled by Sunita Kohli

 Traditional Chettinad doors open into the courtyard.

At the far end is a small replica of the tank temple
of the Great Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneshwar.
 The entrance to the living room from the
courtyard is lined with several old bronze, brass
and copper vessels used as planters, collected
during travels around India.

 Early morning sunlight streaks the east-facing

living room that leads into the adjoining pantry.
The wooden cornice is novel and was retained, as
this classical element has an insert of an antique
Kurdish tent carpeted ceiling runner.
All the furniture is contemporary, and designed and
manufactured by our daughter Kohelika, except for
the Edwardian-inspired revolving bookcase designed
by my husband, Rome Kohli, in the late ’70s.

At the entrance, a focal wall displays antique Tanjore paintings

of Vishnu, placed together with pharaonic brass mirrors from Egypt
that one had designed for an Oberoi luxury hotel boat on the Nile.
These are juxtaposed with antique bronze ‘Fatima ke Haath’ from
Lucknow.
ement of an antique nineteenth-century crystal Osler lamp, a large 200-million-year-old ammonite fossil from Morocco, an eighteenth-century bronze tribal statue of Shiva on a horse, and a contemporary arrangement of lotuses in a glass vase

 An exceptionally large and beautiful

old pichhwai (devotional Hindu painted textile) of Shrinathji
adorns the wall behind the sofa. The solid brass and glass
coffee table showcases a collection of turquoise volcanic
glass from lake Madatapa in Georgia, placed in an antique
Turkish vessel, inscribed with Quranic verses.

The leather-topped side table on mild-steel legs features an eclectic

arrangement of an antique nineteenth-century crystal Osler lamp, a large
200-million-year-old ammonite fossil from Morocco, an eighteenth-
century bronze tribal statue of Shiva on a horse, and a contemporary
arrangement of lotuses in a glass vase, which reflects the painted lotuses
in the lower predella of the pichhwai.
The Fireplace, opposite the Sofa Wall.

In the Living Room, above the Lutyenesque fireplace

are hung a series of sculptured stone heads in granite,
collectively titled 'Vishnu Throng,' by the well-known
British sculptor Stephan Cox.
Within the live fireplace is placed a 19th century cast-
iron 'Franklin Stove' from England.
In front is an iron and brass pitara, an old house-
warming gift from the Jodhpurs.
 This is flanked by a pair of Gio Ponti Armchairs.
Details of the Lutyens inspired fireplace, made with
open-grained teak wood and Baroda green marble.
A finely crafted vintage reproduction of a Beidermeier
Secretaire is paired with a Philippe Stark 'Ghost'
armchair in acrylic.
On the right of it is hung a superb bronze
abhishekham pot, from the Chola period.
 Below this is a Tamil bronze urli fillled with red
Manjadikuru seeds from Sri Lanka and placed on a
million year old petrified wood base from Borneo
The Dining Area, contiguous with the
Living Room
 At one end of the longitudinal view of the Living
Room are seen collections of "everyday" objects,
both secular and religious, which are placed between
the family's extensive library of books in the wall-to-wall
brass bookcases.
Tanjore paintings in the Vaishnavite theme are placed
above a Ruhlmann sideboard.
Details of the brass bookcases with collections of
Russian icons and old Indian traditional bronze and
brass sculptures.
Details of the brass bookshelves house a collection of
black and white photographs of Sunita's mother and
aunts. These are lit by a fine old Osler lamp from
Lucknow.
 finely crafted a slim buffet table in mild steel and
wood, with an inlaid pyrite top. Above this hangs a
superb Shaivite Tanjore painting.
The Gallery
This long Picture Gallery is the spine between the Living Room and the Bedrooms that lead off it. The Art
Deco styled 10ft. long sideboard by Kohelika Kohli is used to lay out buffet lunches and dinners.

The Small Sitting Room

This Sitting Room is a transition space between
one of the Master Bedrooms and the Living
Room.
The sofa wall has a collection of 19th century
ornithological water colours of birds and small
mirrors from the Middle East.
Restaurant Designs

Kohli's designs for restaurants aim to provide guests with a

unique and immersive dining experience that combines Indian
design elements with modern luxury.
Restaurant Designs

Kohli's designs for restaurants aim to provide guests with a

unique and immersive dining experience that combines Indian
design elements with modern luxury.
Awards and Recognition

1 Padma Shri Award 🥇

Kohli received the fourth highest

civilian award in India for her
British Empire Medal 🏅 2
contributions to the field of interior
Kohli was awarded the British Empire design.
Medal for her contributions to UK-
India cultural relations.
3 Hall of Fame Induction

Kohli was inducted into the Indian

Design Hall of Fame for her
contributions to the field of interior
design.
Conclusion
Kohli's Impact 💜 Design Inspiration 🎨
Through her work in design and preservation, Kohli's design philosophy serves as an inspiration
Kohli has cemented her legacy as a cultural icon to young designers, encouraging them to value
in India and beyond. their cultural heritage and contribute to its
preservation.