Interior design market grows by over 5,000 crore in 20 years
Times of India | 9 January 2026
Kolkata: The interior design market in Kolkata has grown from Rs 583 crore in 2005 to Rs 1,299 crore by 2015. In 2025, the sector's revenues in Kolkata are estimated at nearly Rs 6,500 crore, reflecting not only higher volumes but a more design-aware, specification-driven market across residential and commercial segments.
If the current compounded growth momentum continues, it is projected to reach roughly Rs 12,000 crore by 2030. Buyer preferences in Kolkata are also split into two distinct behaviours, shaped largely by ticket size and lifestyle expectations. In the sub-Rs 1 crore apartment segment, buyers typically prefer ready-to-move-in interiors with completed flooring, standardised kitchen fittings, wall tiles, and bathroom fixtures, driven by convenience, faster handover, and predictable costs.
In the premium segment—especially homes above Rs 2.5 crore—buyers increasingly prefer "bare shell" handovers, actively avoiding pre-installed finishes. "This shift is strengthening the role of interior architects in Kolkata, with higher-end clients treating interiors as a personalised design process," said Association of Building Interior Designers (ABID) president, Raja Sinha. Interior architecture trends in Kolkata are moving towards cleaner planning, higher performance materials, and more integrated detailing. Space optimisation is becoming central, with stronger emphasis on storage engineering, flexible rooms, and multi-functional furniture.
Premium homes are leaning into larger, calmer volumes with concealed services, minimal visual clutter, and refined material transitions. Kitchens are evolving into more engineered, modular systems with better hardware, taller units, and improved workflow planning. Lighting design is combining ambient, task, and accent lighting with concealed profiles and controlled glare, while acoustic comfort is gaining attention in bedrooms, home offices, and media rooms.
"There is a visible move towards durable, low-maintenance finishes, better moisture management , and more precise execution standards," explained principal architect Samiran Banik, who is the ABID exhibition coordinator. VR walkthroughs and immersive 3D visualisation are being increasingly used to help clients experience layouts, lighting moods, and material combinations before execution. AR-based tools are helping buyers preview furniture, colours, and finishes in their actual rooms. Smart home integration—voice-controlled lighting, automated blinds, smart switches, and IoT-enabled appliances—is becoming a standard expectation in premium projects and is steadily moving into mid-market homes. Modular and prefab elements, including factory-finished wardrobes, kitchens, and pre-engineered components, are being adopted.
AI-assisted design tools will increasingly generate layout and style options based on budget, lifestyle, and spatial constraints. Sustainable material selection will become more measurable through digital reporting of embodied carbon and lifecycle impact. 3D printing is likely to make customised fixtures, décor elements, and hardware more accessible. "IoT-driven space optimisation will push interiors towards responsive, comfort-led environments, positioning Kolkata's market as more technologically enabled and design-mature," Banik added.