Nitin Kohli has designed some of the most spectacular celebrity homes in the country and abroad since 1992. In fact, he orchestrates his sense of style into various design elements in all his projects, creating an environment that reflects his sophisticated yet vibrant style. His designs are all about magnificence, extravaganza and grandeur be it the home of a connoisseur or an office space, Nitin infuses all with his immaculate sense of style and glamour. But it’s not only design that he is passionate about, when it comes to food, Nitin has always been inspired by the perfect blend of spices and textures. And when he chanced upon the perfect space, MAKA Café was born. MAKA Café is an embodiment of his love for design and taste for fusion & style. A cosy place where you can indulge in the most primal comfort- food!

First of all, I think your designs are absolutely amazing. It is aesthetic plus there is an element of luxury and comfort. Could you tell us about your journey? What made you take to design?

I started off my journey in economics however, I always wanted to do more in the creative field and I began to work on interior projects. It was challenging yet fun as this is what I always wanted to do and today when I look back, It feels good that we have come so far. With each and every project there was something new to learn. and this field is so diverse that still, I learn new things every day which makes it exciting for me.

What are the three achievements you are exceptionally proud of?

-With no technical qualifications and with hard work and perseverance, I feel I have achieved a lot in this field throughout my journey till now.
-I have always been passionate about my life and my work and which has helped me to achieve another milestone of opening up Cafe Maka ( amid the hard times of covid-19)
– The proudest moment for me is always my children Mallika and Kabir who are now growing up to be strong individuals with the pinch of their own personality.

Were there any challenges or setbacks that you faced in the pursuit of the milestones you garnered in your journey?

Every setback was a challenge but there were new learnings which helped me to grow in the field and enhance my skills. 2009- 2013 were professionally challenged years but I made a fresh beginning in 2013 and am grateful for all these ups and downs.

If you had to pick, which of your designs is a personal favourite?

One of my recently completed projects in New Friends Colony, New Delhi which is my personal favourite, where the design ethos was simplicity.
Most of the newly built homes go for Italian marble. However, in this project, there was not a single sqft of marble which was used. Also, based on the brief given by the clients according to their requirements the project was out of my comfort zone of design yet I managed to get favourable ideas and the project was much appreciated by the clients because the results were beyond their expectations.

Tell us about Cafe MAKA? What made you decide to venture into the food business?

Cafe MAKA has always been one of my dream projects. The decision to venture into the food business in my life has come from a variety of reasons, such as my passion for cooking, a desire to create a community gathering place or a belief in the power of food to bring people together.

Lastly, what are your future plans? In the next five years where do you see Nitin Kohli Home & Cafe MAKA?

Creating a design that has a positive impact on people’s lives! NITIN KOHLI HOME has the opportunity to create spaces that improve people’s quality of life, whether it’s by enhancing functionality, promoting well-being, or creating a sense of community.

I hope me and my team together, we can provide and achieve better home designs. Our goal is to provide better and more luxurious homes and take care of the comfort level simultaneously. We hope to make en route into new markets within India and abroad.

In the next five years, I aim for CAFE MAKA to thrive by offering a unique ambience, high-quality and much more comfort food options. Perhaps, a focus on sustainability and community engagement could also contribute to this vision. CAFE MAKA being a passion project and being close to my heart, it would only be expanded to areas where I can personally take care of my guests.