Project: Interiors for a new 3BHK apartment(approx. 1000 sq ft)
Project Sign-off Date: 31 December 2024
Current Status as on 13 August 2025: Project is still not completed/handed over
Key Contacts:
Designer: Pradeep Suthar
Senior Designer/Manager: Aayushi Garg
Customer Support: Babitha G
Project Manager(Site): Lingaraj
I rarely write public reviews, but my experience with the Whitefield branch compels me to warn others. This is not just about extreme unprofessionalism but also a total failure of basic decency and humanityeven more so given your teams full awareness of my familys critical situation.
Where It Went Wrong:
The sales team was initially enthusiastic, proactive, and convincinguntil I signed the contract and paid. After that, responsiveness evaporated and delays began immediately.
It took 15 days just to complete basic measurements. The assigned designer, Pradeep Suthar, limited meetings to Tuesday through Friday, at his convenience, and only once every 10 days.
Instead of providing professional design inputs, Pradeep repeatedly asked us to select images from Google or Pinterest, which he then tried to replicate using software. There was no original creativity or tailored guidance.
Numerous agreed changes were overlooked repeatedly, causing frustrating cycles and wasted weeks.
Repeated and Unacceptable Delays:
Initially, project completion was promised for March 2025. This was later extended to the end of May, and then further pushed to 20 June.
Despite multiple revised deadlines, the project remains incomplete to date, causing severe disruption and distress, particularly given the urgency of our familys situation.
Grossly Unethical Practices:
Midway through, Pradeep proposed outsourcing significant in-scope work(TV unit, Mandir, cabinets, false ceiling, lighting, etc.) to an external vendoran ex-Design Cafe manager known to himpromising cost savings. He convinced me to go with the vendor for these work/services de-scoping about 5-6L INR work from Design Cafe and giving it to his known vendor. However, in reality, costs were nearly the same and I was left hanging between Design Cafe and the vendor chasing both. From the Design Cafe perspective, Pradeep’s communication and accountability dropped precipitously after this decision.
Utter Lack of Humanity:
Despite repeated reminders to Pradeep, Aayushi, and yourself about my wifes pregnancy and her expected delivery in early July, the team showed no empathy or urgency.
Our urgent requests for prioritization went unheeded, and commitments on delivery dates slipped repeatedly without explanation or apology.
Payment Pressure with No Deliverables:
I was pressured for milestone payments and offered discounts to pay early(₹;5 lakh by 31 March). After payment, communication again stalled, and progress halted.
Only after repeated escalations did I receive vague, missed completion assurances.
I was again pressurised for the final payment on 31 May just to meet your monthly goals; whereas production wasn’t completed and material was not ready for dispatch.
Installation Nightmare:
Upon production and installation, we discovered numerous defects: incorrect unit sizes, missing fillers, gaps between walls and furniture, wrong hardware, missing cabinets, and others.
Project Manager Lingaraj and designer Pradeep blamed each other, arriving late and wasting my time during on-site meetings.
Fixes promised an additional 15+ day delay, extending well beyond my babys birth. My baby is over a month old now and the apartment remains unfinished.
Due to delays, my parents had to stay in a hotel and we continue paying rent for a cramped flat.
Bottom Line:
Design Cafe Whitefields teamfrom designer to management to support and site supervisionhas consistently failed not only in professionalism but in basic human decency. Their approach is purely transactional and callous, collecting payments while stringing customers along with empty promises, outsourcing work for private gain, and abandoning clients in crucial moments.
I strongly urge potential customers to avoid Design Cafe Whitefield if they value their time, money, peace of mind, and family well-being.
PS: I have all screenshots from the official WhatsApp group communications and photographs demonstrating the faulty installations and ongoing issues to back this feedback and inform others of what to expect.