About us
The best work is built through meaningful, long-term partnerships. Now & Then collaborates with designers, manufacturers, craftsmen, and makers across the country to create work that is thoughtful, enduring, and rooted in the richness of Indian craft and contemporary design.
Who We Are
Now & Then is an Indian design studio creating furniture, lighting, and objects that bring together contemporary design, craftsmanship, and materiality.
Working across the country and between collectible design and industrial production, we collaborate with ambitious designers and skilled manufacturers to develop thoughtful, enduring pieces.
Our work is driven by a belief in creating pieces that belong to the present, while allowing time to become part of their story balancing design integrity with lasting cultural, aesthetic, and commercial value.
Evolution
Now & Then began in 2022, from a personal desire to create something of my own within the world of design. As an architect, I had always been drawn to the relationship between spaces, objects, materials, and the people who experience them. Over time, I found myself increasingly interested in what happens beyond the space itself–the objects that inhabit it, the way they are made, and the stories they carry. The idea for Now & Then grew from this curiosity. I wanted to create furniture and objects that were not simply designed to fill a space, but had a presence of their own. Pieces where the material, the making, and the details could be appreciated, and where the process of creating was as important as the final object.
The name Now & Then came from this way of thinking. “Now” represents the excitement of an idea taking shape–the sketches, conversations, experiments, and making. “Then” is what happens after: when the piece leaves the studio, enters someone's space, and begins a life of its own. What started as an idea has gradually evolved into a studio working with designers, craftsmen, and manufacturers across the country. With every project, the understanding of what Now & Then can be continues to grow. The journey is still evolving. And perhaps that is what Now & Then is ultimately about–creating in the present, while knowing that time will give each piece a story of its own.
Our Team
Behind Now & Then is a growing team of designers, makers, and craftsmen who bring different skills, perspectives, and experiences to every project. We believe good design is a collective process. From the first idea and drawings to material selection, making, and finishing, each person contributes to shaping the final piece. Working closely with designers, artisans, and manufacturing partners across the country, our team brings together creative thinking and skilled making to turn ideas into objects that are made to last.
Founder
Now & Then, founded by Architect Nihal Musthafa, is rooted in a reflection on time and the act of creation–the relationship between what is created now and what it becomes then. “Now” is the moment where an idea takes form; where materials are shaped, decisions are made, and something begins to exist. “Then” is what follows–the object, the experience, and the story that unfolds with time. At Now & Then, this passage of time is an essential part of the design process. Each piece begins as an idea in the present, brought to life through considered design, material, and craftsmanship, while being imagined for a future where it can acquire its own character and meaning. We create pieces that belong to the present, while allowing time to become part of their story. The philosophy extends beyond furniture. It is an exploration of how an idea becomes an object, how an object becomes part of a space, and how, with time, it becomes part of someone's story. Now & Then creates contemporary pieces with an appreciation for craft, materiality, and permanence–objects designed not only to exist today, but to become something more with time.