Homes and Such is a boutique design-build firm, founded and led by Jyoti Ghugale. H&S creates function first, globally inspired homes that are thoughtfully crafted for a unique lifestyle. Based in Minneapolis and California, H&S undertakes projects across the US and India. Drawn to Jyoti’s designs that evoke a sense of nostalgia and a deep sense of meaning to her clients, we chatted with her to know more about her journey and her take on creating a truly personalized home.
Tell us your story!
My path to building my own design and construction company was anything but conventional. I studied architecture in India and then would move to the US to study and work in construction management. From there, I detoured into corporate finance for over a decade living in US, Mexico, England, and India, but all along, I was designing in the background… waiting for my moment. In December 2019, the moment finally came. I started ‘Homes and Such’, the culmination of all my past education and experience. We bring a global mindset to everything we do at H&S. Beginning from our process to design inspiration to our execution - our globally dispersed diverse team make the magic happen at our projects across the US and India.
Before
Tell us what makes H&S different?
We are as much a design studio as a construction company. Our approach is holistic… bringing construction knowledge and estimating capabilities early into the design process for a cohesive, measured, and balanced outcome. We partner with our clients throughout their home journey, from lot selection, planning, design, construction, and interiors – with an intent to make the process stress-free for our clients. It is our ability to seamlessly blend the old and the new (the east and the west) that makes our work look like it’s evolved over time, just like people... their tastes and style. We are passionate about understanding our client’s story and bringing it forward through our design for a truly personalized home crafted specifically for our clients’ lifestyle.
With so many design styles out there… farmhouse, modern, transitional, coastal etc.… how does one figure out exactly what design style they are?
We get asked this question several times and here’s the good news… we believe you don’t have to pick one style! Design is anything but linear. There is no right answer, tried and true aesthetic, or one-size-fits all solution. It’s all about fearlessly mixing what you love for a truly personal and customized home. This is my favorite part of design – combining function and form with the things a client loves most to make their house a home. The formal living space in our Creekside Brickhouse Project is a master of mix. The modern couch, chairs, and art, coexist beautifully alongside vintage elements like an original factory cart coffee table, a generationally passed down wooden chest and a jute charpoy, a quintessential bench from India. Could you share with our readers tips on how to make your home tell YOUR story? Start with incorporating things you love the most. They could be family heirlooms, jewelry, travel mementos and such or even everyday things that are meaningful to your family, like kids’ art, sketches, games, tickets, photos etc. Display these in your space as wall décor, gallery wall or simply place in your space. No matter the age or style of your home, vintage or family heirloom elements add depth and authenticity to a space while also reflecting the family’s story that is deeply meaningful.
In our Linden Hills Basement Remodel, a carrom board, an Indian board game, is displayed on the wall in place of art. A fond memory for the family, this board game is also a functional feature that can easily be taken down to play. It simultaneously adds function and form to the space, while also being personal to the family.
In our Midtown Pied-e-terre project in Pune, India, we paired Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh chair with traditional brass cooking vessels and a vintage stool to create a warm nook with a nod to our client’s family heritage.
Our first step to creating a curated gallery wall is to select otherwise mundane things that are meaningful to our clients. At our Creekside Brickhouse Project, we created one around a vintage piano that the kids play. Mixing Indian jewelry and art, sketches, travel mementos, brushstrokes by the homeowner's daughters when they were little, and family artwork, this collection is an instant conversation starter, while also being incredibly meaningful.
Looking back, what would you have told your younger self then that you know now?
Take the leap and don’t try to fit in… instead figure out what makes you unique and bring that forward. What makes you stand out, will in fact become your superpower, so embrace it! I learnt this the hard way. Over the past 17 years, I have worked and lived in eight different cities across US, England, India, and Mexico. While this may sound fun, it came with its own set of challenges. Every time we moved, I found myself trying very hard to fit in, to connect, to find that common ground… because I didn’t want to feel like that new kid in school afraid, she might have to eat her lunch alone. But when I saw that the unique perspective I brought to the table, was in fact what caught people’s interest… I realized I could be myself and still thrive, and then everything felt easier and a lot more fun!!
Thank you, Jyoti, it was fun chatting with you!
Follow Jyoti's journey on Instagram @homes_and_such_designbuild.
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