From Being Scared to Say Her Name to a Livspace Placement: The Complete Story of How Anvi Chanodia of Parul University, Turned Six Semesters of Self-Doubt, Criticism, and a Swing Built With Scissors Into a Full-Time Interior Design Career at One of India’s Largest Platforms

Anvi Chanodia: B.Design, Parul Institute of Design (PID), Faculty of Architecture and Interior Design, Parul University, Class of 2027 was proudly placed at Livspace (one of India's largest home interior…

The Girl Who Drew Houses in Her Father's Office

April 18, 2026 | Dhruv Hirani |

Hailing from Bhopal, Anvi Chanodia’s Father is a chartered accountant. Could not raise her hand in the first semester. Classmates called her work weak. Built a therapy clinic model with a full swing that is still displayed at PID. Her mentor Prof Ms Rutu Bhatt said: I know you can do better and you have the potential.

Not every design story begins with a prodigy. Anvi’s begins with a girl sketching floor plans in the margins of her father’s accounting office in Bhopal. What drew her in was the world of spaces. Growing up, she would look at buildings and offices they passed and feel a pull: not just admiration but a desire to understand how those spaces were designed and to eventually design her own. If you’re fond of designing spaces then PID’s BDesign in Building and Infrastructure is the apt choice for you and your designing dreams. She quoted –

“I used to draw houses in his office. I would say I want this here, I want this there. I would look at buildings and think, it was not exactly like that, but I could feel something. And later, through newspapers and everything, I got to know about these exams and I was like, I want to do this only. I want to create that house.”

First Semester: When the Classroom Felt Like a Different World

PID seemed like a different world, filled with people who knew exactly what they were doing. Students around her seemed confident in their lines, their ideas, and their voices. She was not yet one of them.

“I used to get scared even saying my name. I was like, no I will not say this because they might get upset, they might think it is something very bad. I used to overthink and hesitate to express myself. I used to lack a lot of confidence.”

The doubts showed up in her work. Classmates told her the work was weak. She sometimes thought she had chosen wrong. But the other half of her refused to let that thought settle. You too shouldn’t settle for less, delay not and explore Architecture & Interior Design Courses after 12th, Parul University.

“At the same time, I was like, I can do it. I came all the way from Bhopal to do it. I can make it better. My classmates used to say about my work that it is weak, but all it did was motivate me to do better. From criticism, you fix in your mind that you have to do better than that.”

The Turning Point: When Fear Met Professional Necessity

Interior design demands communication. Designers must present ideas, meet clients, negotiate material choices, and defend design decisions. During one of the early university events at PID, every student was required to speak. No opting out. The framing shifted: not wanting to be confident but needing to be confident to survive in the field.

“I had to speak somehow. I had to overcome this fear because in our field, talking is very important. I have to meet the clients, I have to talk to them. If I have to survive in this field, I have to talk to them.”

The Swing That Is Still Hanging at PID

A therapy clinic space project with full creative freedom. Anvi built a full furniture model: a proper swing complete with kitchen and street cover components, constructed with scissors and cutters. It did not just survive the exhibition. It stayed in the department.

“I was like, I have to make this stand out separately. And now it was in the exhibition also, and the feedback was very nice. There is this display at PID, that is still there.”

A Key Message From Prof Ms. Rutu Bhatt

During Semesters 4 and 5, while working on a therapy centre project, her professor paused in the middle of a review and said:

“I know you can do better and you have the potential.”

No performance breakdown. No rubric. A statement of belief from someone watching carefully enough to see what Anvi had not yet fully seen.

“Those words and that language are still stuck in my mind. That made me feel that I can do it. I can prove it to everyone.”

What Parul's Design Environment Built

Working drawings: the toughest and most essential subject, taught with enough rigour that she arrived at Livspace already fluent. Workshops by visiting faculty on styling and design detailing. Computer labs with faculty guidance. Site visits to Ahmedabad twice and a therapy centre for a real individual project. The Training and Placement Cell taught portfolio presentation, formal tone, and how to showcase work to an industrial audience.

“The placement trainers helped us a lot. They used to guide us: we have to prepare like this, we have to speak in a formal tone. Everything is in the tone and many things like how to showcase your portfolio.”

March 11th: The Interview

Two rounds.

First: domain knowledge (modular kitchens, materials, deck spaces, technical vocabulary).

Second: personality, problem-solving, and a live design challenge: design a space for a three-year-old who cannot communicate preferences. The answer could not come from textbook memorisation. It had to come from six semesters of building, evaluating, rebuilding, and presenting.

“By the end of the day it really felt satisfying, not because of the outcome but because I could see that I finally did whatever I was working for.”

Her Message To First-Semester Students

“It is completely very normal to feel that way in the beginning. But confidence does not come automatically. You have to build it. You have to go through that experience and then you will learn. Do not wait until you feel ready. Just speak whatever you feel. Just show the work and in time everything will be fine.”

Head here to read a detailed analysis of Is B.Design in Interior Worth It?

B.Design at Parul Institute of Design

Anvi is enrolled in B.Design at Parul Institute of Design (PID), within the Faculty of Architecture and Interior Design. PU’s Creative Design and Architecture domain offers B.Design, B.Arch, and M.Design with specialisations across interior design, product design, and visual communication.

Students searching for Parul University B.Design review, Parul Institute of Design review, Parul University interior design placement, or Parul University design college review should note: a B.Design student was placed at Livspace at 3.5 LPA while still in third year, and her working drawings training is directly applicable to her current role. The university holds NAAC A++ (CGPA 3.55) with a curriculum shaped by experts with design and architectural expertise. Head here to watch the heart-warming video of Placement Day 2026, organized at the Parul University’s campus!

Head here to read how you can Get Placed Before Graduation – That’s The Reality of Parul Institute of Design!

Frequently Asked Questions

+ Who is Anvi Chanodia?

B.Design student at Parul Institute of Design, Class of 2027, placed at Livspace at 3.5 LPA while still in third year.

+ What is Livspace?

One of India's largest home interior design platforms, operating across multiple cities with an end-to-end interior design service.

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