When a Door Becomes a Statement

When a Door Becomes a Statement

What began with a one-off copper door is now a design house quietly challenging ideas of craft, collaboration, and scale

What began with a one-off copper door is now a design house quietly challenging ideas of craft, collaboration, and scale

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Mansvini Kaushik

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Jul 17, 2025

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It started with a door, and a question of “what if?” When an architect approached Sanjay Oberoi, who dealt in metal furniture back then, for a custom copper entrance over a decade ago, it seemed like just another project for his atelier. But the door, bold in form and meticulous in finish, opened more than just a grand entryway. “We had never made a door before,” Sanjay recalls. “But we said yes. We saw it as a challenge — and perhaps, a beginning.”

It revealed a gap in India’s luxury design space: sculptural, hand-forged metal doors that could command attention while blending seamlessly with architecture.

In 2018 then, Sanjay, with his son and daughter, Rajat and Chavvi, built Aluminr, which stands at the intersection of architecture, art, and craftsmanship. The brand has evolved from its artisanal roots into a design-first house for architectural metalwork. “There was no brand in India pushing the boundaries of metal doors as sculptural, expressive pieces, something that could be both a functional entrance and an artistic statement,” says Sanjay, Founder, Director of Operations & Finance.

With prices starting at ₹22,000 per square foot, Aluminr closed last year with ₹15 crore in revenue.

“It’s always a dialogue between architect and artisan, concept and context,” explains Rajat, Founder, Director of Strategy & Innovation, whose architectural lens shapes Aluminr’s bold forms. Chavvi, Co-Founder & Creative Director, brings in her background in fashion and visual storytelling, lending the brand a contemporary edge that feels both rooted and global. Together, the three want to shift the conversation from mere utility to sculptural expression.

“We’re contemporary in design but rooted in traditional handcraft,” says Chavvi. “Techniques like hand-texturing or patinas are centuries old. We reinterpret them for modern spaces,” she adds. The brand has clocked a steady 25% year-on-year growth.

“The challenge,” Sanjay says, “is marrying form with function without letting one overpower the other.”

Though their heart lies in private luxury residences, including villas, high-end apartments, and boutique hotels, Aluminr’s work now spans hospitality projects, spiritual spaces, and soon, international collaborations. “We’re seeing strong traction in India, especially in Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, but also a growing interest from the U.S. and Middle East,” Rajat shares.

With collaborations with designers like Lebanon’s Richard Yasmine in the pipeline, they are setting their sights on the U.S. and the Middle East, all while keeping craftsmanship at the heart of their story.

Later this year, Aluminr will open its flagship studio in New Delhi. “We want it to be a space where architects, designers, and clients can experience our work, not just see it in catalogues,” says Chavvi.

But even as Aluminr’s global footprint grows, its philosophy remains unchanged. “We’re not chasing mass production,” says Rajat. “We want to stay studio-led, hands-on, fiercely bespoke.” The brand produces around 180 to 200 doors a year.

In Aluminr’s world, a door is never just a threshold. It is a crafted narrative, shaped by dialogue, design, and discipline. Their trajectory points to a future where luxury design is less about labels and more about stories told through material, texture, and form.

“Ten years from now, when someone thinks of a door that’s more than a door — a statement, a story — we want them to think of us,” Sanjay says.

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Mansvini Kaushik

Mansvini Kaushik is the Editor-in-Chief of Indulge Newsroom, the editorial division of Indulge Global. A seasoned business and investigative journalist, she brings years of experience from Forbes India, where she honed her craft in high-impact storytelling. With a deep-rooted passion for luxury and culture, Mansvini founded Candle Magazine before taking the helm at Indulge Newsroom. She now leads the publication with a vision to redefine luxury journalism in India.

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© 2025 Pricetime Technologies Private Limited, residing at 1-65/123 Amar Co-op, Society, Madhapur, Hydrabad, Telangana, 500081, Reserves all rights.

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© 2025 Pricetime Technologies Private Limited, residing at 1-65/123 Amar Co-op, Society, Madhapur, Hydrabad, Telangana, 500081, Reserves all rights.

INDULGE

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© 2025 Pricetime Technologies Private Limited, residing at 1-65/123 Amar Co-op, Society, Madhapur, Hydrabad, Telangana, 500081, Reserves all rights.