Kathmandu’s interiors are having a moment. From sculptural retail spaces to homes that whisper quiet luxury, Nepal’s design landscape is being shaped by a generation of creators who blend instinct with innovation. Their work travels beyond trends, beyond Pinterest gloss into spaces that feel lived in, layered and unmistakably contemporary. These five designers are leading the shift. Their philosophies vary, their styles diverge, but they share a single belief: space is emotion. And they are rewriting how Nepal lives.
RISHI SARAF, Managing Director & Chief Designer, Innovations
Step into a Rishi Saraf designed space and you feel it before you see it. A calm glow, a quiet balance, a sense of proportion that never shouts yet never slips. His work spans homes, hotels, restaurants like Calm Tangalwood and Salt, and boutique offices. He is known for warmth, clarity, and a disciplined devotion to detail.
“I keep an 80/20 balance,” he shares. “Eighty percent timelessness, twenty percent experimentation powered by research.” Rishi is a designer who reads behaviour as deeply as he reads material. “Human centric clarity drives every decision. Beauty follows function.”
One of his biggest early battles was coaxing clients to invest in the invisible. “Lighting layers, acoustics, thermal comfort. These things transform mood and productivity but people rarely see them as design.” Over time, the results convinced them. “Comfort anchors the space. Aesthetics elevate it.”
Kathmandu’s shifting rhythms shape his practice. “I design for habits. How people move, pause, socialise. Quick prototypes and check ins reveal the truth of how space is used.”
His current obsessions are tactile and earthy. “Limewash walls, natural wood, linen, handcrafted ceramics.” To bring these home, he suggests restraint. “Try dimmable warm lighting or a single curved headboard. Small shifts change energy.”
Olive and sage rule his palette this season. “They are grounded, versatile, and luxurious.” He also loves breaking the idea that ceilings must be white. “A pale clay or muted sage ceiling can add warmth and depth.”
His social media caution is classic Rishi: practical. “People skip measurements. Rugs too small, sofas too big, art hung wrong. Proportion is everything.”
RANJANI VAJRACHARYA, Chief Interior Designer, Innerspace
Ranjani Vajracharya belongs to the generation that built Nepal’s interior industry before it had a name. With a diploma from Pulchowk and design training in Delhi, she started when opportunities were sparse and understanding even more so. “Even with my degree, I had to work as a draughts person for years. There was no market yet for interior designers.”
Today, she is one of Kathmandu’s most respected voices, known for her technical precision and empathetic approach. “No field survives without adapting to change,” she reflects. She once relied on magazines for inspiration; now she draws from the internet and global designers she admires.
Perfection, for her, is a discipline. “Despite detailed specifications, achieving flawless finishing is a challenge in Nepal. I never compromise on material choices or colour combinations.” Whether designing 100 or 10,000 square feet, she treats every project with equal intent. “We always stand behind our work. After sales support is non-negotiable.”
Her biggest ongoing challenge is the internet itself. “Clients bring references that are impractical or not viable here. Others skip professionals, thinking aesthetics is enough. Every profession needs technical knowledge.”
Her emotional intelligence is her strength. “Over the years, clients have become like family. I design around their lifestyle and personality. Some speak too little, others too much. Both shape the design.”
Eco conscious refurbishment is her favourite trend at the moment. “Reusing material reduces waste and creates new design challenges. Clients get beautiful interiors without overspending.”
Her palette leans towards earthy neutrals. “Grey, moss green, beige. They bring calm and sophistication.”
If she could break one rule, it would be Nepal’s obsession with abundance. “People think big means better. But efficient modular design can make the smallest space beautiful.”
Her advice for Instagram decorators is direct but wise. “Inspiration is not execution. You may have an aesthetic eye, but technical knowledge makes the design work.”
ASMI SHRESTHA, Founder, Asmi Shrestha Interiors
Luxury follows Asmi Shrestha. Over five years, this interior designer has carved out a vocabulary that is sleek, sensorial and wonderfully restrained. Her portfolio reads like a map of Kathmandu’s chicest stores: Kasa, Makkusé, Siwangi Pradhan, Nimsdai. Yet her approach remains firmly grounded in intuition.
“I design by instinct,” she says, “I let the space speak to me.” For Asmi, minimalism is not a trend but a principle. She keeps her palette clean, her forms fluid, her materials quietly rich. “Less is more. I like giving every element room to breathe.”
Execution, she insists, is her biggest challenge. “In Nepal, translating a 3D design into reality is never simple. Sourcing is limited and experimentation can be costly.” Over time, she has refined a practice that maximises what the market offers without compromising quality.
Her sensitivity to people drives her process. “Design is deeply psychological. It’s about understanding how a client thinks and building trust. Only when they feel seen can I work with confidence.”
This season she is drawn to curves and texture. “Arcs and moulds are timeless. They soften a space instantly.” She pairs them with warm materials: fluted glass, wood, fabrics that invite touch.
Her colour crush? A classic. “Pantone’s Cloud Dancer is already in most of my work. White is endlessly adaptable.” To warm it up, she sprinkles burnt orange and dark fuchsia in accents that feel bold but never loud.
Her rule break is simple and liberating. “Forget trends. They expire. I design for longevity, for feeling.” And her biggest warning to décor enthusiasts scrolling endlessly? “Good finishing matters. Something might photograph well but fall apart in person. Craftsmanship is everything.”
PALAK JALAN, Co-founder, Studio Evolve Design
Palak Jalan’s design language has shaped some of Kathmandu’s most contemporary spaces. With nearly a decade of practice, she blends transitional elements with a soft contemporary touch. Her Shark Tank Nepal win brought national attention to her furniture brand Artmaya, but her interiors remain her most intimate storytelling medium.
“I like delivering a sense of the unexpected,” she says. “But it must still feel true to the client.” From the Nissan Datsun showroom to Lvdjeans outlets and WeCare Healthcare Centre, her work reflects character rather than formula.
Her aesthetic evolves from close observation. “Kathmandu changes fast. Homes crave calm luxury, tech offices want warmth, boutique stores chase emotion.” She blends global influences with local intuition, letting each project guide its own personality. Her one non-negotiable is emotional resonance. “A space must feel right the moment you walk in. Balanced, calm, honest.”
Early in her career, she had to break free from expectations. “People wanted a signature look. I had to push for designs that reflected them, not me. It reshaped my practice completely.”
Her insights into behaviour are deeply personal. “A family choosing a reading nook over a big TV wall, a startup wanting more casual corners than desks. These moments change how you design.” She has witnessed Nepal’s lighting shift too. “From bright white tubes to warm lighting. It changed everything.”
Her obsession this season is quiet luxury with local soul. “Texture and lighting. A Bhaktapur woven rug in modern patterns, a single sculptural lamp, a traditional stone piece painted in deep red.” These touches elevate without overwhelming.
Terra sandstone colours her palette. “Warm, sun washed, grounding.” She loves it most through soft furnishings or a limewash accent wall.
Her favourite rule to break is alignment. “Spaces don’t need a perfect match. Contrast adds personality. A modern sofa with a vintage cushion is far more interesting.”
Her warning to décor lovers is simple. “People pick pieces they like but forget the whole picture. Cohesion is the real luxury.”
Sushmita Ranjit, Architect, Designer & Educator
In a design landscape that is evolving fast, architect, designer and educator, Sushmita Ranjit, stands out for her unwavering commitment to craft, culture and context. Practising since 2005, with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from IOE Pulchowk and a certification in Hotel Planning and Design from Cornell University, she has shaped a body of work that is both deeply rooted in tradition while being refreshingly contemporary. Through her studio Kalpasara, she has led award winning projects across Nepal, from interior spaces recognised by the SONA Excellence Award 2023 to international urban design competitions in Sunwal and Bishnu Pandey Park.
For Sushmita, interior design is not merely a profession but a philosophy cultivated over two decades. “Architecture is an art form, a powerful expression of our beliefs, identity and connection to the world,” she says. Raised in an environment where culture and built form were inseparable, she continues to draw inspiration from local materials, craftsmanship and the stories embedded in every landscape. Her practice thrives on collaboration, weaving sensory experiences through texture, colour, touch and narrative.
Her approach to design keeps balance at its core. “The balance between architecture and interiors is driven by the design idea. It sets everything into one direction,” she explains. As Nepal embraces bolder, more experimental interiors, she sees technology and global access to ideas as catalysts but insists on contextuality. “References are important, yet I always make them relevant to the site and users.”
Her signature layering comes from passionate curation. “It is a collage of tangibles and intangibles,” she shares, championing local materials and art in every form. Her non-negotiables are clear too. Materials must align with climate, client and cost. The trend she favours this season is earthy, toned down shades. And if there is one rule she refuses to entertain, it is copying picture perfect social media aesthetics. “Without technical guidance, they often look out of place,” she says. For Sushmita, authenticity will always outshine imitation.
