We caught up with the original founders of India Jane - a luxury interior and design brand -  that pre-empted the idea of beautiful, custom design objects from around the world and made interior design accessible. Founded in 1991, the Kings Road store has been part of the Chelsea Fabric since 1994.

1) What three words best describe interior design/decor for you? 

Style, Originality, Quality

 2) Can you tell me how the idea to open India Jane in 1991 came about? Can you describe the landscape back then for buying home furnishing in a time when interiors was mostly considered for professional interior designers?

We have always believed that great style and design should be accessible to everyone, to inspire and create individual and imaginative spaces, in which to unwind and relax in a home that is comfortable, interesting, pleasing and above all personal. We decided to follow our dream and created INDIA JANE out of an enduring fascination and deep interest in beautifully crafted, unusual items from around the world and were delighted to find that our customers shared this passion too! 

 3) How would you best describe the aesthetic of the India Jane design style and how has it evolved (if so) since you launched in 1991? 

A celebration of East meets West, bringing together the best of both worlds in carefully curated collections that constantly evolve but stay true to INDIA JANE’s vision and signature style. Our longstanding belief is that for interiors to be successful both aesthetically and comfortably, they need the combination of familiarity and originality and a mixing of styles to create an individual home.

 4) Why did you decide to open your store on the Kings Road in 1994 (the last of your original 3 stores?) What do you still love about the area and community and the buyer it draws?

 Encouraged by the warm response from our Sloane Street customers and because we had started to outgrow the size of the shop, when the opportunity arose, we decided to expand onto Kings Road, the proximity of which allowed us to continue working in Chelsea, an area we love with people we enjoy, who still continue to shop locally, offer support and appreciate independent boutiques.

5) To what degree are you influenced by past eras of design and where do you find that sweet spot with a contemporary space/look?

 It is important to have a heritage and traditions to uphold through pieces that transcend eras and we achieve this by mixing contemporary pieces seamlessly with vintage classics. At some point in time these pieces were cutting edge design that now offer timeless elegance and style. We feel that everything added to a room must be appreciated, enjoyed and contribute to a much-loved home irrespective of changing fashions and trends.

6)You offer a wide variety of home pieces from furniture to lighting where do you think your design aesthetic comes together across all the categories? 

Our design aesthetic continues to be based around simple lines and perfectly proportioned design, quality and functionality, irrespective of the product category. 

7)Can you tell me about your design process - idea to execution?  

Ideas and inspiration through travel, nature, art and design as well as reference to our own archives is where the process usually starts, though this varies from one piece to another. We are particularly drawn to the elegant and understated with each piece offering longevity and something to enjoy while being practical enough to incorporate into life today.

8)How often do you drop new pieces in the store? 

We constantly add and change pieces in the different collections to enable our customers to discover something new throughout the year.

9)How do consumers shop differently for e.g furniture as opposed to rugs - is it the same demographic/buyer for all?

In recent years we have added on a ‘Made to Order’ service of luxury; upholstered furniture, designed and handmade in England by master craftsmen, which allows for a wide choice of fabrics, colours and sizes, allowing customers to create individual pieces to suit their home. Rugs provide an accent and finishing touch to the room, adding comfort, colour and texture along with the benefit of being easily alternated, depending on season or change of decor.

10)The landscape has obviously changed inconceivably over the years through ecommerce platforms, direct to consumer and social media - can you tell me the shifts you have made to the business to adapt to current times? 

We joined social media around 2011 at a time it was starting to gain momentum for interior brands. Since then, we have grown with the digital world and now have our own community of interior loving followers who often turn into new customers. Interestingly, we find the conversations on social media to be surprisingly similar to face-to-face interaction with customers in our shops - we endeavour to offer the same friendly assistance and advice. The digital world often crosses over when someone will spot something they like on our Instagram feed and are then able to pop in store to see it in situ.

11)What changes have you made (if any) in Covid times? How do you find consumers shop differently on online platforms? 

Since we have had to temporarily close our shops during the lockdowns we have had to focus solely on our digital store but have now added popular ex-display pieces to our online offering, something that was previously only available in store. Our online store continues to thrive but we do receive regular feedback from customers who say they cannot wait to actually visit our shops again!

12)Are there any changes you will continue to implement even when stores reopen? 

Only with regard to following government guidelines to ensure a safe working environment when retail re-opens.

13)What are the most memorable pieces you've made and sold over the years? 

Our collections have given us great excitement over the years and our product ranges actually haven’t changed dramatically - many original pieces are still included in our current offering!

14)What does the future hold for India Jane?

We love what we do and continue to work on new ideas for collections of furniture, lighting, rugs and decorative accessories, looking forward to the seasons ahead and the time we can welcome customers and friends back in our stores before too long.

Indiajane.co.uk

121 Kings Road, SW3