Thirty Under 30: Shaily Godhani

By Donna Heiderstadt

Talk about globetrotting. At just 26 years old, Shaily Godhani has already lived on three continents — so it’s not surprising that the word she says best describes her is “adaptable.” At age 17, the native of India flew halfway around the world to pursue her Bachelor’s in Design at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. After graduating, she returned to India for a year to work as a furniture designer in the manufacturing sector, specializing in modular kitchens, sliding door profiles, kitchen baskets, and stainless-steel bathroom accessories. In 2022, Shaily made another major move to Canada after landing the opportunity to work as Design and Development Director at Toronto-based Estheteak, a start-up offering bespoke, European-inspired cabinet and storage solutions mostly sourced from Germany.

Her affinity for the kitchen-and-bath space was intrinsic, says 26-year-old Shaily. “I grew up in a family that’s been manufacturing various products for decades — including hardware, sliding doors, and modular kitchens,” she notes. “Having seen that growing up, and now working at Estheteak, it all just came together. From manufacturing to front-end sales, everything just happened organically.”

Shaily’s most memorable moment to date occurred during a custom home project where Estheteak handled most of the interiors. “It was a year-long process, and by the time the final installation was done and the house was being set up for a showing, we had also been developing a leatherette collection for Estheteak,” she says. “We surprised the clients with fully custom leather accessories placed throughout the house. The NBA player who owns the home now really loved it — small details go a long way.”

Her own design preferences pretty much align with her day-to-day role at Estheteak, where the focus in on modern aesthetics. “I’m into designs that are minimal but expressive — clean lines, strong proportions, nothing overdone,” she says. “I like spaces that feel intentional, not cluttered, not empty, just balanced. My personal taste ranges from Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses to Patrick Bateman’s apartment interiors [in the 2000 film “American Psycho”]. Both hit that clarity I’m after. Not warm, not cold, just sharp and deliberate.”

Shaily’s affinity for art and design emerged early, courtesy of parents who are creatively gifted. “I consider myself more skilled than creative, so all of my work is quite literal,” she explains. “I draw what I see. Sketching movie scenes, illustrating posters, sketching food I eat, and capturing favorite memories on my iPad are things I’ve been doing since school.” She also enjoys watching movies and sports, cooking with friends, and listening to true crime podcasts. “I’ve also been listening to a lot of ’80s music lately — it’s still so fresh,” she says.

As for her life’s must-do list, Shaily is, as one might expect, adaptable. “To be professionally successful and personally content — doesn’t matter what I do,” she explains. “That has always been the goal.”