01 Roots
I was born and raised in Kolkata, in a big joint family. I grew up not just with my brother but with a house full of cousins, and it was a wonderful childhood. My father was an engineer who later became a property developer. My mother is the most disciplined and dutiful person I have ever known.
Above them stood two remarkable grandfathers. My paternal grandfather, Kanail Lal Mukherjee, was an entrepreneur in microfinance and property. He was never wealthy in the way people usually mean, but he had an enormous heart, and even today, when I go back to Kolkata, people still know me as his granddaughter. My maternal grandfather, Manick Lal Chatterjee, was a renowned physician who also treated patients who couldn’t afford to pay, without charging them, and went to them at any hour they needed him. He was a deeply spiritual man, and he taught me, without ever saying it, that real care means showing up fully for people.
Real care means showing up fully for people.
02 A Different Path
I studied economics at Calcutta University, and after marrying I moved to London and completed a master’s in Development Economics at SOAS. Finance seemed the natural path, and I began my career in Investor Relations. I was young and doing well, but something was missing.
I had always been drawn to art, nature, cooking and music. I could walk into a shop and pick out the most valuable painting without seeing the price tag. Colour and texture simply made sense to me. I longed for creative freedom.
03 The Leap
After my second child was born, I took the leap. With my husband’s support, I resigned and started again from scratch, with two small children and a big dream. I earned my diploma in interior design, completed an internship with ICA on a Hilton hotel project in Rotherhithe, and then, as most designers do, began with the homes of friends. In 2013, Chic Cocoon was born.
04 Today
Looking back, I feel truly fortunate. I was able to enjoy my children growing up, and at the same time create homes that families love living in.
I carry my family into every project. From my grandfathers and my father, I learned to build things that last and to put people first. From my mother, I learned discipline and doing what you promised. That’s why my clients don’t just get a beautiful home; they get someone who genuinely cares how it turns out.