Hyderabad: Meet Neeta Kumar, the furniture czar who redefined elegance and class

Hyderabad: Entrepreneur, furniture and interior designer Neeta Kumar has spent nearly two decades building her brand `Inhabit' into one of India’s leading names in bespoke design.

Born into a family that has been in the furniture business for over half a century, she grew up surrounded by wood, craft, and conversation around design.

Today, with a strong national presence and projects that span furniture, interiors, and curated art, Neeta continues to shape her journey with the conviction that “design is a belief.”

In conversation with NewsMeter, she shares her beginnings, challenges, inspirations, and her vision for the future. Excerpts:

Early Influences & Background

NM: You were born into a family deeply rooted in the furniture business. Looking back, how did growing up in such an environment shape your early design sensibilities?

Neeta: I think it gave me an intuitive eye for spaces. Even as a child, I enjoyed setting up small corners at home, placing a table, an art piece, or some greens from the garden. At that point, I didn’t know it was design, but it was the beginning of my creative calling.

NM: At what point did you realise this instinct for design could become your profession?

Neeta: Much later. I pursued my MBA first, but the pull toward furniture and interiors grew stronger. That’s when I decided to study Product and Furniture Design in the UK.

NM: With your father and siblings also in design and furniture enterprises, did you feel a natural push into this line of work, or was it more of a personal calling?

Neeta: It was both. The family background certainly shaped me, but the decision to pursue design as a profession was my own.

Education & Foundation Years

NM: How did combining an MBA with design education shape your early years in the industry?

Neeta: The MBA gave me a strong business grounding, which was vital when I started. But my time at Central St. Martins and Chelsea College of Art and Design gave me the creative confidence. Since design courses weren’t easily available in India then, studying abroad exposed me to global ideas that still influence my work today.

Building Inhabit & The Journey

NM: When you started Inhabit, most furniture outlets in Hyderabad were trading rather than creating. What made you take the more difficult route of building from scratch?

Neeta: I wanted to create pieces from ideas, not just source and sell. That was rare at the time in Hyderabad. Of course, it wasn’t easy; skilled people were hard to find, and building a team took patience.

NM: You began with just four or five people and now lead a team of over 150. What were the biggest challenges in scaling up?

Neeta: The biggest challenge was consistency. Maintaining the same design integrity across a larger team meant constant supervision, training, and discipline in processes.

NM: You were pregnant when you launched your journey. How did you balance the personal and professional during that critical phase?

Neeta: It was tough, but in some ways, it pushed me to work harder. That period taught me resilience.

Design Philosophy & Creative Process

NM: You often say that `design is a belief’. Can you elaborate?

Neeta: Design begins in the mind. It’s a belief system rooted in aesthetics and innovation. If you don’t believe in it, you can’t bring it alive.

NM: You draw inspiration from the Charminar’s fusion aesthetics to Art Deco geometry. How do you blend such diverse references?

Neeta: I don’t restrict myself to one style. I look at architectural values, whether it’s Islamic ornamentation blending with Hindu motifs, Gothic details, Art Deco geometry, or even structures like the Colosseum. My role is to distill those inspirations into functional, timeless pieces.

NM: When an idea strikes, you sketch immediately. Could you walk us through that process?

Neeta: It’s spontaneous. I sketch instantly, though often only my team can read those sketches. From there, we refine details, always adhering strictly to the process.

NM: You’ve always steered clear of mass production. How do you ensure each creation stays unique yet functional?

Neeta: By respecting individuality in design. Each project demands its own character; function comes first, but never at the cost of uniqueness.

Expansion & National Footprint

NM: Opening a 7,000 sq ft store in Delhi was a milestone. How did that change things for you and your brand?

Neeta: It gave me a channel to experiment. Hyderabad, until recently, preferred safer choices. Delhi was more open to bold ideas, and that expanded my creative horizons.

NM: You’ve been a regular participant in the Indian Design Show. How important are such platforms?

Neeta: They’re crucial. These shows are curated for designers, not traders, which helped establish Inhabit as a design-led brand and not just a store.

Sustainability & Materials

NM: You’ve spoken about sourcing wood from 100–150-year-old buildings. How important is sustainability to your design philosophy?

Neeta: It’s central. I cannot simply call a timber depot for new wood. Old wood has character and history. Cleaning it is laborious, but it gives the final piece depth and conscience.

NM: What’s your take on balancing tradition and modern innovation when it comes to material usage?

Neeta: Tradition gives durability, while innovation ensures relevance. I believe both must coexist.

Beyond Furniture – Art & Curation

NM: From designing furniture, you’ve also moved into curating art and sculpture. How did that transition happen?

Neeta: It was organic. Clients began to trust my eye for art, and I started commissioning works from 30–40 artists across the country.

NM: You’ve said each element in a house brings balance. How do you approach blending furniture, art, and interiors?

Neeta: I see them as one language. Furniture is not complete without art, and interiors are not complete without both. The challenge is creating harmony without excess.

Looking Ahead

NM: How do you see the future of furniture and interior design evolving in India?

Neeta: We’re moving toward a more design-conscious culture. People want spaces that reflect identity, not just utility. That excites me.

NM: What excites you most about the next chapter of Inhabit?

Neeta: We’re now working as a full-fledged turnkey interiors firm. Currently, we’re doing a large project in Coorg, and that’s just the beginning of our expansion into comprehensive interior solutions.

Neeta Kumar’s journey is one of belief, belief in aesthetics, in individuality, and in the power of design to shape lives. From a small workshop in Hyderabad to a national footprint, she continues to prove that passion, discipline, and vision can transform not just spaces, but entire ways of living.