When the lockdown began last year, one of the things Gayatri and Karthik Srinivasan’s four-year-old daughter, Akira, missed most was the sand pit at her Montessori school. With a new baby on the way and the family spending all their time at home, Karthik (who, along with Gayatri, runs Oddity, a design practice in Bengaluru) began building custom furniture products for Akira. Now, they’re sharing these pieces with others through their new brand, Gosh.
This includes The Cocoon, a circular table with slots and alcoves where a child can sit on the floor and have enough room to spread out books and stationery. Then there is the Big Little Artist Table or BLAT!, that comes with a seemingly never-ending roll of paper and slots to hold paintbrushes and containers of water. And, of course, the Beach-in-a-Box, a portable sand pit.
“The seeds for Gosh were sown before the pandemic, as we were constantly on the lookout for furniture for Akira,” says Gayatri. “The overwhelming response to these products when I shared them on Instagram made us realise that there was a huge gap in the market for imaginative children’s furniture. The [regular] tables and other furniture don’t look at the way a child plays. It’s almost like you give them a standard table and expect them to adapt and play a certain way.”
Initially, Karthik built the products at home using waste wood from previous projects. With more demand, they have moved operations to their factory, aided by a team. They eschew tones like teak, opting instead for light-coloured wood such as rubber and pine. “Everyone is sick of dark furniture with everything looking like it is from the library,” laughs Karthik, as Gayatri adds that you do not want dark and heavy furniture for a child’s room.
Minor customisations are accommodated for each piece, as every child has different needs. “One of the insights we have had is that people are hesitant about buying children’s furniture because they outgrow it. We wanted to see if we could make small modifications so that they can be used for longer. In the interests of sustainability, we’re also planning to buy back furniture, which can then be upcycled or reused,” she says, concluding that their future plans include making inclusive furniture for children with developmental difficulties as well as pet furniture.
From ₹3,000 to ₹30,000 on gosh.world. Each order takes three weeks to complete; currently shipping only in Bengaluru.
