“There’s always a moment during the final stages when you see all the elements fall into place… that moment, when the space feels complete and alive, is incredibly satisfying.”
Founder of Phylosophy Design Studio, Nikita Sahney, creates interiors that speak to emotion, elegance, and authenticity.
For Nikita Sahney, creativity was never something she set out to chase, it was something that found her, slowly, through the rhythm of constant movement. Growing up as part of an Indian Air Force family meant changing homes every two years.
“My mother created the most beautiful spaces with nothing more than trunks, rugs, and souvenirs. She turned government housing into a home. That had a deep impact on me.”
Her professional path drifted, from software to fashion entrepreneurship, but nothing resonated quite like interiors. It wasn’t one singular moment that defined her path – it was a mosaic of memories, a layering of life experiences that formed her design lens.
It began with reimagining her own home. A few redesigns led to requests from friends, and that evolved organically into a studio. “There’s been no looking back.”
Less, But Deeper
Sahney’s design philosophy is rooted in stillness and storytelling.
“For me, design is not about adding, but about distilling,” she says. “Open, clutter-free spaces invite light, warmth, and presence.”
She works with neutral palettes as her canvas, allowing texture, light, and art to do the storytelling. Art, in her interiors, is never just ornamental; it’s often the emotional anchor. One of her most memorable projects was a villa designed as a surprise for the homeowner. “The brief was personal, and the result was equally so,” she shares. “It was a home filled with softness, warmth, and intention.”
Another renovation, stripped to its core and rebuilt from scratch, showcased her architectural fluency and ability to maintain calm amid tight timelines and shifting client expectations. Throughout her portfolio, the signature remains subtle: clean lines, softened by organic textures, spacious layouts balanced by intimate corners. “What made it meaningful was the mutual trust,” she says. “I shaped the living spaces to feel open and calm, with natural light and a connection to the outdoors – elements I always try to weave into my work.”
Quiet Luxury, Real Life
There are no grand gestures in her spaces. Though often described as embodying “quiet luxury,” her interiors transcend labels. They are designed to be lived in. They offer comfort without compromise, elegance without effort.
“Good design should disappear into daily life. It should support it, not stage it.”
When challenges arrive as they inevitably do, Sahney meets them with intuition and clarity. Shifting client visions, tight budgets, and logistical constraints, she responds not with rigidity, but with empathy and adaptability.
She doesn’t chase trends or statements. She refines. She listens.
Looking Ahead
With her eye on the future, Sahney is exploring how design can evolve with shifting lifestyles. Adaptive layouts, natural cooling strategies, and seamless technology integrations are all areas of interest. But at the heart of it all is the same guiding belief:
“The home is an emotional space. Great design honours that truth—quietly, confidently, and with soul.”
As she moves forward, her work continues to prioritise depth over display—spaces that aren’t just beautiful, but beautifully lived in. Because for Nikita Sahney, design is not the endpoint.
