Designing A New Legacy With Godrej

There’s something quietly radical about the way Nyrika Holkar speaks about legacy, not as a burden, but as a grounding force. As the fourth-generation leader of the Godrej family and Executive Director of the Godrej Enterprises Group, she has grown up within an empire synonymous with Indian industry. Yet, her gaze is firmly fixed on what’s next. Her latest endeavour, the reimagining of Interio by Godrej, is proof that tradition and transformation can not only coexist, but thrive together.

Under Holkar’s direction, Interio has evolved from a furniture brand into a lifestyle philosophy. The shift is visible — from its vibrant new coral logo and Bauhaus-inspired stores (crafted in collaboration with Mazumdar Bravo) to a design language that is modular, sustainable, and deeply personal. “I don’t see legacy as a weight; it’s a foundation,” she says. “Innovation is the most respectful way to honour it  by ensuring it continues to be relevant for the next hundred years.”

The New Language of Home

Interio’s transformation feels less like a rebrand and more like a cultural reset. The brand has traded uniformity for individuality, reimagining what “home” means to modern India — a generation that values both expression and emotion. “We wanted to move beyond just designing furniture,” Holkar explains. “India today is confident, expressive, and deeply connected to its roots and we wanted Interio to mirror that spirit.”

The new store experience encapsulates that duality beautifully. Minimal yet warm, functional yet emotional, it channels the Bauhaus philosophy not merely as a design aesthetic, but as a way of thinking. “Bauhaus was never only about minimalism,” she notes. “It was about how art and industry could speak to each other. That beauty and utility could coexist. With this flagship, we wanted to create a space that feels both intentional and emotional — a bridge between craft and industry, between hand and machine.”

From the architectural transformation by Mazumdar Bravo to lighting by Oorja and even a mangrove-inspired café, every element of the new Interio flagship is crafted to evoke calm and curiosity. It’s a space designed to make you feel — a living expression of how design can respond to life.

Craft, Consciousness, and the Modern Indian

For a brand that built its reputation on steel and craftsmanship, this evolution feels both daring and organic. “We’ve taken the essence of trust and craftsmanship and infused them with the spirit of today that is agility, modularity, and expressiveness,” Holkar says. “Craftsmanship for us has always been about material honesty and the human hand.”

Interio’s new collections pay homage to that lineage. Tubular steel — a hallmark of Godrej’s early furniture reappears in contemporary outdoor ranges, now reinterpreted with hand-braided rope. It’s a poetic continuity of the past meeting the present which is a proof that design can carry memory forward while embracing modernity.

At the heart of this reimagining lies a simple truth: homes today are not about ownership, but about identity. “People want spaces that reflect who they are,” she says. “We’re designing for the moments that matter — the laughter, the conversations, the quiet pauses. From a table or sofa to the life that happens around it.”

A recent Interio study, aptly titled Moments That Matter, found that 54% of Indians ranked “sleeping best in their own bed” as their most meaningful home moment. Kitchens, meanwhile, emerged as dual-purpose spaces of therapy and togetherness. “These insights reaffirm that design is deeply emotional,” Holkar adds. “Our job is to honour that emotion with empathy and intention.”

Design as an Act of Care

Holkar’s vision for Interio and design itself extends far beyond aesthetics. “For me, design is a verb,” she says. “It’s about how something works, how it makes you feel, and how it shapes the world around you.” That philosophy is evident in the brand’s sustainability-first approach — from responsible materials and modularity that reduces waste, to systems designed for longevity and repair.

Through initiatives like the Godrej Design Lab and Conscious Collective, Holkar is cultivating a culture of creative responsibility. “Both were born from the belief that design has the power to shape a better world,” she explains. “They’re spaces for dialogue and experimentation. Design must solve problems for people, for craft, and for the planet.”

Her leadership — often described as collaborative and deeply empathetic, has given the century-old brand a distinctly modern heartbeat. “Leadership, for me, is about listening deeply,” she says. “At Interio, we co-create with designers, artisans, architects, and most importantly, our customers. When someone walks into an Interio space, I want them to feel like it understands their life and their individuality.”

Simplicity, Clarity, and Connection

Away from the boardroom, Holkar’s life mirrors her design sensibility of grounded, intentional, and quietly elegant. She finds balance in nature, often trekking, swimming, or practicing yoga, and her minimalist style which is muted tones, clean lines, reflects the same ethos she brings to Interio. “Simplicity is not the absence of detail, but the presence of clarity,” she says. “Consciousness brings purpose. Together, they keep both life and leadership anchored in meaning.”

When asked what home means to her, her answer is deeply personal: “Home, to me, is where life gathers in its quietest and most joyful moments. It’s less about architecture and more about belonging.” It’s this sentiment, the humanity behind design that defines her vision for Interio.

Designing Tomorrow

As Interio steps into its next century, Holkar sees the future of design as a balancing act between progress and preservation. “The next decade will be defined by balance,” she reflects. “Sustainability will move from being a choice to becoming the very grammar of design. What’s beautiful will also be what’s kind.”

Her ultimate goal is simple, yet profound: to create spaces that evolve with life — expressive, conscious, and full of possibility. “The next chapter of Interio,” she smiles, “is about designing for life as it’s truly lived. If we can help people live more beautifully and more consciously, then that will be the story worth telling.”

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