INTERIOR DESIGNER PROFILE — Elicyon
Not far from London, nestling in a highly desirable
part of the English countryside, sits the imposing shell of
a newly built 23,000sq.ft. house. As you read this article,
one woman and her team of interior architects and
designers will be overseeing the final stages of the
meticulous transformation of this bare architectural
structure into a magnificent home ready for the owners
and their family to move in by the end of this year. No
detail will have been overlooked, the quality of
workmanship will be unparalleled, exquisite finishing
touches will be individual and incomparable, for this is the
haute couture of architecture and interior design.
Everything has been commissioned and custom made to
reflect the personality of the owners.
So, who is the remarkable interior architect
responsible for this immense project and the fulfilment of
her client’s powerful vision? Step forward thirty six year
old, Charu Gandhi, who perhaps surprisingly only
established her prospering business, Elicyon in June
2014. Although Elicyon may be in the embryonic stages
of business, Charu herself has worked in the world of
architecture and interiors since graduating from London’s
highly respected Architects Association in 2004. Her
client list already reads like an international version of the
Sunday Times Rich List. This is a world where nondisclosure documents are a totally normal part of the
process and discretion is paramount. No client names are
ever mentioned, precise locations are never discussed and
budgets are a forbidden topic.
Charu openly admits that when discussing this
latest commission it can only be referred to as Project
Pinehurst. Even the nationality of the client is off limits.
“I can’t give away too much, discretion at this level is
taken for granted. The level of trust between my team, the
client and me is our major priority. A developer built the
shell of the house, but we are doing everything else
inside. The client has incredible taste and has been very
generous in how much of our design influence they have
let us bring to the scheme.
Charu Gandhi,
Founder and CEO,
Elicyon
“On a project like this, the sky is the limit and
what I like about our clients is that they are incredibly
mature about what they want. These are not people who
stumbled into having this lifestyle. They have stayed in
the best hotels, on the most exquisite of yachts and they
know what works for them. I find most of my clients so
inspiring, as they are so successful, just watching how
they operate is extraordinary.”
Unlike many people, Charu knew from the age of
11 that she wanted to be an architect. “I always loved
design and being creative; the clichés of building Lego and
creating origami all hold true, but for me the turning point
was when my parents bought a plot of land to build a new
house in India. They hired a young female architect, Sujata
Kohli, who had just returned from Florence. She was only
27 at the time and I was 10, and she was utterly
inspirational. I found her and the process of design so
inspirational that I wanted to be her, to do what she did.
She became my mentor and actually persuaded me to
come and study at the Architectural Association in London,
rather than returning to India for my university studies.
After graduating from the Architectural
Association, Charu accepted an offer to teach part time
but soon realised that, “academia wasn’t for me and I
was raring to get my teeth into practising.” So, she
returned to Charles Barclay Architects in South London
where she had worked during her degree. A move to Allies
& Morrison in Southwark working primarily on master-plan
residential work followed. After six years she recognised a
need for change. “I wanted to work in a design company
where the projects were faster paced, more dynamic and
enterprising. A friend worked at Candy & Candy, the
introduction was made and after a round of interviews I
was offered the job of Design Manager. Unquestionably,
the years I spent at Candy & Candy helped me re-engage
with my love for design. I was soon promoted to Project
Manager and offered a more dynamic role on the private
clients team pitching for new business and running a
team myself.
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Right: Bedside table
featuring marble, polished
high gloss front drawers in
mother-of-pearl finish.
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“Then in 2013 Candy & Candy fundamentally
changed their business model and so, on very good terms
and in a very positive sense, I started to look at other
opportunities. Morpheus, a development company with a
construction side, was considering creating an in-house
design team. I came on board with the task of setting up
that division. It was a bit like being an entrepreneur,
within the framework of an existing company. I was there
for a year and grew the design team from two to fifteen,
so it was hugely successful. But the experience ignited my
entrepreneurial spirit and I took the decision to leave
Morpheus and I founded Elicyon in June 2014.
“We are a small company with a very
comprehensive, well-rounded, balanced team of twelve, we
don’t have a B team, there is only the A team, so we can
offer a very comprehensive service. Geographically we are
currently working in London, New York, and Dubai.
We have just finished a project in Kuwait, we are in talks
to commence work in India and Saudi Arabia and our
client list includes private clients to repeat work with
developers. Budget is never the sole driver; to be creatively
engaged is the key decision to taking on a project.
“At a recent exhibition at the V&A about luxury
what really struck me was the text on the walls that said,
“luxury is defined by time and space. I really sense that
from our clients. They want spacious homes that create a
feeling of luxury and what that means to each of them is
completely different. It is this opportunity to have rooms
in your home that cater to you. For me it would be a
library and a garden. Each client has his or her own
unique requirements. They are incredibly dynamic people
with complex and difficult lives and we help them create
that moment of stillness, creating a refuge, a place to
stop. For some of them the only time when they stop and
spend time with their families is when they come home
for three days from business trips.”
“Most heartening has been the support we have
received from the industry over the last two years; from
people like Bernd Radaschitz at INTERIOR-iD, from major
building contractors and project managers. It’s a huge
compliment when a professional company comes to you to
say we would like to work with you again or to put you
forward for a commission. There’s no doubt though that
the biggest compliment comes from repeat clients.
“Initially I met Bernd when I was at Candy &
Candy, and then worked with him again on a project at
Morpheus. The first project he worked on for Elicyon
was one called Project Picasso in One Hyde Park.
INTERIOR-iD created the joinery for the entire property to
a very high specification using incredible materials,
featuring beautiful details and they did a fantastic job. So
far we have collaborated on three projects with them, but
we are hoping to do a lot more.
“Bernd was one of the first people I spoke to when
I was setting up Elicyon. He introduced me to lawyers, a
branding agency, and his insurance broker. He has been
incredibly kind and generous to me. The Elicyon team
knows his team well. Everyone at INTERIOR-iD is
approachable, professional and their studio is close to
ours. There’s a long list of reasons why there is such
an incredible synergy between our companies but it’s
compounded by a shared interest in white wine! He
introduced me to Austrian Riesling, so I will forever be
grateful for that,” she says with a smile.
“Joinery is very much an artisan skill, perfected by
centuries of craftsmanship. In a way you could say it’s
almost archaic. But what is amazing about INTERIOR-iD is
that they have retained the links with their heritage and
Previous: Floor boxes
featuring embedded Lalique
crystal tiles.
Bevelled mirror with dome
recess (mirrored niches).
Left: Wall mirror with
bevelled edges and floating
marble shelves.
Top: Mirror-framed
headboard covered in
taupe cotton satin.
Bedside tables with
polished Port Laurent
marble top, patinated
brass metal trims and
highgloss finish.
Right: Marble detail.
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built a multi-generational company on those foundations.
But to appreciate their approach to modernism you only
have to take one look at the Austrian factory with its superb
high specification machinery. They offer this amazing
technology with scientific precision, almost like a medical
laboratory, but in no way does that jeopardise the legacy of
the artisan and the use of exclusive inlays and materials.
“Working with them is truly a collaborative
process. I love that I can call Bernd really early on in a
project, sometimes before we have been appointed, and
say, ‘This is the brief what do you think? How long would
it take? What are your thoughts?’ and he is immediately
ready to help us pitch for the project. I trust INTERIOR-iD
and we need each other to be successful. Sure, there are
a few other joinery companies that can provide the same
quality, but when the quality of workmanship is backed up
by that kind of relationship it’s really quite special. That is
what sets them apart.
“I was so thrilled when they tendered and won the
commission to produce the joinery for Project Pinehurst.
Above: Headboard in
specialist resin finish.
Right: Marble handle with
polished nickel frame.
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It’s a complex, amazing project and we very much pushed
for them because when INTERIOR-iD gets appointed on a
job I can rest easy. There will be tough deadlines, there
will be samples we won’t agree on, but ultimately there’s a
trusting friendship and transparent business relationship
there with no ego involved.
“This is not a business that I’m building to sell in
five years. My aim is to stay an independent studio not
beholden to anyone else. Do we want to grow? Yes, but
the aim is measured growth without compromising our
quality of service and delivery. In ten years time I would
love to own a property, ideally a mews house, where
clients can be discreetly dropped off by their chauffeur
and whisked into an environment that reflects our
impeccable design capabilities. Collectively, we are a
company that has a huge amount of experience, but
equally we are a very young business that brings a fresh,
trend-setting, engaging element to any project. Most of
our clients return to us because we deliver on time, on
budget, and we are professional to the core.”