Why Three Architects Insist ‘The Detail Is the Design’

Three prominent architects recently made a compelling case that the measure of a building lies not in grand gestures but in the quiet, often invisible decisions made at the smallest scale. Monica Chawla of Essentia Home, Monika Choudhary of Habitat Architects, and Sonali Bhagwati of Designplus Architecture all argued that detail is not an afterthought—it is the point where intent, function and craft converge.

Chawla rooted the idea in emotional memory, recalling the organized shelves of her grandfather’s homeopathy clinic and the ease of use they afforded. She argued that people may forget a building's form, but they retain the feeling its details create. Choudhary emphasized discipline over personality: "detail reveals what the designer refused to overlook," showing that true resolution comes when the initial vision is carried consistently down to the last junction. Bhagwati stressed that a project must have a clear narrative; without it, even the most expensive materials become disconnected gestures.

All three were critical of what Chawla called “portfolio syndrome”—designing spaces to look good in photographs rather than to be lived in. The antidote, they suggested, is restraint. Chawla described a subtractive process: put everything in, then remove anything that can be taken away without diminishing the space. Often, one strong element is enough. The best details, they agreed, are the ones nobody consciously notices.

The conversation was part of M-Connect Season 2, presented by Forbes India and powered by Marmo Solutions. While the talk was largely philosophical, it offered tangible insights into how professionals think about the gap between an architect’s drawing and a person’s genuine experience of a room.

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The Principles That Connect Restraint, Emotion and Craft

The ‘Portfolio Syndrome’ Trap

Chawla’s term for designing for the camera resonates because it names a widespread industry tendency: prioritizing visual impact over real-world function. When every project must be Instagram-ready, architecture can become a backdrop to a persona rather than a place to inhabit. The result is often spaces that look striking but feel sterile or impractical—a theme the other architects echoed, with Bhagwati pointing to insensitive modern interventions in heritage areas and Choudhary criticizing the use of trendy elements that ignore climate and context.

Subtraction as a Design Ethic

Perhaps the most concrete method discussed was Chawla’s subtractive approach. Instead of adding decorative layers, she starts with all possible elements and then systematically removes anything unnecessary. The idea is that a room benefits more from one well-chosen focal point than from several competing for attention. This is not minimalism for its own sake; it’s about letting a space breathe so that the details that remain can actually perform their job—whether that’s guiding movement, storing items, or simply shaping a mood.

The Emotional Life of Details

The thread connecting all three architects is the recognition that architecture is ultimately felt, not just seen. Chawla’s memory of orderly medicine bottles illustrates how a small detail can embed itself in a person’s emotional landscape. Bhagwati’s insistence on narrative and Choudhary’s on discipline both point to the same conclusion: when a design is fully resolved from the macro to the micro, it produces a sense of inevitability. That feeling—of rightness, ease, coherence—is what people remember long after they have left the building.

What Homeowners and Design Enthusiasts Can Take Away

  • Audit your spaces for “photographic” excess. If a room’s appeal relies on one dramatic angle but feels chaotic or underwhelming in daily use, consider what can be subtracted. Channel Monica Chawla’s method: ask whether each object or finish genuinely contributes to the room’s feel. If it can go without loss, remove it.
  • Let one strong element carry a room. A single striking piece—a textured wall, a sculptural light, a well-designed storage unit—often works harder than a cluttered mix. This principle reduces visual noise and makes it easier to appreciate the details that do remain.
  • Pay attention to junctions and small moments. The way a floor transitions to a wall, the alignment of shelving, the placement of switches: these are the details that Monika Choudhary says reveal a designer’s discipline. In your own home, tightening these connections—even with simple fixes like uniform hardware or coordinated baseboards—can lift the overall coherence of a space.
  • Value emotional resonance over ephemeral trends. Before following a trending design style, test it against your climate, your daily routines, and your sense of comfort. The architects’ critique of decontextualized design reminds us that a home should support how you live, not just how it photographs.