Classic designs meet exquisite weaves as two home décor brands collaborate.
Classic designs meet exquisite weaves as two home décor brands collaborate to give you contemporary interior solutions with a twist of luxe.
Our recent visit to Elan, saw us at the swanky 3000 square feet home décor store down Kasthuri Ranga Road sipping coffee and talking about the drama and allure of their latest collaboration. The recently renovated boutique has tied up with city-based designer Amrita Thomas Modi’s customised furniture brand, Createyourcouch.com, to offer clients an exciting mix of services and products now. Poonam Jhaver, the charming owner and founder of Elan says, “We want to offer our clients all home and style solutions under one roof.” The duo began working together nearly six years back, when Amrita sourced her requirements from Elan for her interior decoration projects. When Poonam added furniture to the lineup available at her store and Amrita was looking to give her clients a touch and feel option – the tie-up was an obvious step in the right direction.
It’s a tale of charming contrasts. Amrita’s sense of aesthetics is just like the way she takes her coffee. Strong sense of quality with no sweetening frills. The vivacious 31-year-old teamed up with her brother, Bengaluru-based Arjun Thomas, to start her furniture brand in January this year. Amrita tells us that Arjun brings in over 15 years of experience running large global products in organisations like Nokia and Perot Systems. With an eye for business strategy and operations, he is the one who translates her beautiful designs from the drawing paper to the real thing at their manufacturing unit in the Garden City. “I’ve always been inclined towards design since I can remember. I began with architecture, and now practice interior design and furniture design. So I guess I’m one of the lucky few that always knew where I was headed. To be very honest, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do!” says the architect. While she favours black, white, nudes, blush and grey as a rule, her recent favourite, burgundy makes for a quirky surprise in her wardrobe. “My designs do reflect my personal taste,” agrees Amrita, who favours fuss free, clean and classic lines for her couches.
Meanwhile, Poonam is subtle and stylish in a stark black and white Anamika Khanna for our photoshoot – her collection of furnishing is anything but subdued. Racks of luxurious fabrics vie for your attention even as your eyes sweep over rich carpets, a vintage table and elegant gold edged crockery, besides glittering lights. Poonam’s eyes light up as she points out their exquisite European crystal chandelier. The 42-year-old decided that the city had a dearth of quality home décor solutions when she set out to decorate her own home a decade back. “I believe and have learnt in our nine years, that sincerity inspires loyalty – and quality is the only key to customers. Which is why we only have one outlet, we want to give our customers our best. So want to focus only on Elan,” says Poonam who proceeds to explain the nuances of her favourite book of swatches from The Pure Concept – textured, embellished and elegant. Poonam tells us that linen is the trending material in furnishing right now and adds that, “It works beautifully for our weather here.”
While we are suitably impressed with the impeccably curated range of options available – from wallpaper, crockery, furniture, furnishings to customised carpets – Poonam assures us, “When it comes to budget – we are very flexible. For instance you can find fabrics here from Rs 250 a metre to Rs 10,000. But we don’t compromise on quality and design.” The passionate entrepreneur has set the bar high by sourcing unique material and décor pieces from across the country and the globe, including brands like Casamance – for exclusive wallpapers. With the spotlight on their teamwork, we check out the mindfully arranged corner of the store that is dedicated to their combined work. Amrita tells us, “We tend to gravitate towards timeless designs that are simple yet elegant. Functionality is extremely essential, while your couch may look fabulous if the proportions and comfort fall short, then so does the product! A balance between ‘practical’ and ‘beautiful’ is key!” While we find that most of the pieces from their latest collection have found homes already, we loved their fully covered chair with patch work floral prints – a splash of colour to startle the soothing pastels of the couch and the artfully placed throw.
Elan is at 17, Kasthuri Rangan Raod, Alwarpet, Chennai. You can call the store at: +91 44 2499 1750.
