Shaunali Nanda: Leaving an Everlasting, Elegant & Timeless Legacy Across the Interior Designing Domain
Shaunali Nanda
Founder & Director
Determined to plunge deeper into such an intense industry, Shaunali Nanda, (Founder & Director, Sloane Luxury Interiors), established the furnishing and lifestyle retail arm for the family business Sloane Luxury Interiors, India’s first lifestyle store. Nurtured in the Arts and brought up amongst collectors, Shaunali obtained her Degree in English Literature and continued at Sotheby’s for her Degree in History of Decorative Art, before commencing her journey as the lead researcher on the Magnificent Mughal Jewels sale at Christie’s. After pursuing a Degree at the GIA, Shaunali combined her experience and study in Decorative Art, History and Jewelry, to perform at Van Cleef and Arpels as a store planner, leading to Visual and Event Design. She then became the Manager for North America for Hermes for Visual Design, which carried her through to Tiffany for store design and visual merchandising, with individual projects at Chanel and Bulgari. Shaunali along with her Mother Sita Nanda is currently running the family firm, Sloane Luxury Interiors with their own manufacturing unit where they make hand made and hand polished furniture in the European Style. Below is an excerpt of Shaunali’s interview with CEO Insights.
What inspired you to venture into the Art and Design industry? And today, what drives you as an entrepreneur?
I have always been inspired by my Mother who is a Fine Artist and Designer. Being a collector, she has remained exposed to art, fashion, and interior design, which gave me the required thrust to dive into the art and design segment. Having
decided my destiny, I educated myself by gaining apt degrees and honed my skill sets accordingly.
As an entrepreneur, I remain aware of the advantages that India promises as a premium hub of art and design, owing to its enriching history and burgeoning present. Apart from the finest quality of products that can be produced here, it is quite easier to experiment with my designs, interpreted most economically. Not to mention the easy availability of craftsmen and artisans, who come with their unmatched craftsmanship and laborious attitude unlike anywhere in the world.
Define your company’s position in the market and according to you, what is the unique proposition that you offer to your clients?
My company is a design ethos that is going to be everlasting, elegant and timeless. Therefore, I believe in designing beautiful and classic homes with a definitive touch across each nook and corner. Being a very organized person, I ensure that each item in every room is properly synchronized and in harmony, along with the color, texture, curtains and accessories, so that each of these factors will mutually complement each other. The unique proposition offered by our company lies in our flagship program under which we charge one exclusive price for everything, starting from furniture to fabrics, drapes and accessories to paint before serving our clients with their walk-in home.
Describe your specialized products along with the different unique techniques that you use while crafting these products.
Our specialty lies in our hand carved chairs because we believe that we are mastered by proportion. These chairs are extremely unique with very sturdy legs, along with a little bit of carving classic old English lines in them. Another extraordinary technique used by us includes hand-polishing which gives a high gloss finish that otherwise happens after applying many layers of chemicals and water for several days. Promising the furniture to be used by our customers for an eternity, everything at Sloane Luxury Interiors is filtered by hand and done inhouse within our vigilance.
In your professional journey so far, which major milestones that bestowed you with utmost satisfaction, both as an individual and as an entrepreneur?
As an individual, I have lived abroad for many years. As an Indian, working across the designing domain had numerous barriers, because my expertise was constantly challenged and I had to
As an entrepreneur, I remain aware of the advantages that India promises as a premium hub of art and design, owing to its enriching history and burgeoning present. Apart from the finest quality of products that can be produced here, it is quite easier to experiment with my designs, interpreted most economically. Not to mention the easy availability of craftsmen and artisans, who come with their unmatched craftsmanship and laborious attitude unlike anywhere in the world.
As an entrepreneur, I remain aware of the advantages that India promises as a premium hub of art and design, owing to its enriching history and burgeoning present
Define your company’s position in the market and according to you, what is the unique proposition that you offer to your clients?
My company is a design ethos that is going to be everlasting, elegant and timeless. Therefore, I believe in designing beautiful and classic homes with a definitive touch across each nook and corner. Being a very organized person, I ensure that each item in every room is properly synchronized and in harmony, along with the color, texture, curtains and accessories, so that each of these factors will mutually complement each other. The unique proposition offered by our company lies in our flagship program under which we charge one exclusive price for everything, starting from furniture to fabrics, drapes and accessories to paint before serving our clients with their walk-in home.
Describe your specialized products along with the different unique techniques that you use while crafting these products.
Our specialty lies in our hand carved chairs because we believe that we are mastered by proportion. These chairs are extremely unique with very sturdy legs, along with a little bit of carving classic old English lines in them. Another extraordinary technique used by us includes hand-polishing which gives a high gloss finish that otherwise happens after applying many layers of chemicals and water for several days. Promising the furniture to be used by our customers for an eternity, everything at Sloane Luxury Interiors is filtered by hand and done inhouse within our vigilance.
In your professional journey so far, which major milestones that bestowed you with utmost satisfaction, both as an individual and as an entrepreneur?
As an individual, I have lived abroad for many years. As an Indian, working across the designing domain had numerous barriers, because my expertise was constantly challenged and I had to
over come them for people to believe in me. I think that this exposure taught me a lot. Living internationally broadened my horizons, as I learned a great deal from my interaction with the international people and gradually knowing their preferences. Building my factory along with my manufacturing unit has enabled me to understand the rudimentary of good designing. When I meet a client, I can sense their ideas and what they want to reflect via their homes, since homes speak a great deal for our personality. Also, my ability to harmonize and synchronize the interior in terms of layout, furniture, and color, are some of my most prolific achievements.
What are the opportunities that you foresee in the upcoming days? And pertaining to that, what are the future plans that you have developed for your company?
I believe that homes speak for the character and personality of the individuals residing in it. After the pandemic compelled everyone to remain confined in their homes, people started concentrating on their homes, and I think that this is a great opportunity here to give our clients a complete, contemporary, and fully accessorized home as well as lifestyle. In India, the market is thriving, as people are interested in well-defined homes which suit their lifestyle and budget. Under such a market scenario, we are planning to take our company ahead internationally. I've also been concentrating a lot on Mughal miniature art as well as on hand-painted interior accessories. We are currently working on a website that will hopefully be able to sell abroad our handcrafted artifacts, interior accessories and poncho.
Share some of the noteworthy achievements of Sloane Luxury Interiors underlining its distinctiveness across the Indian Interior Design market.
Entertaining the most coveted list of private clients in India and sources from the best brands in America and Europe, we have hosted Earl Spencer as they launched Althorp and Theodore Alexander in India in 2019. The portfolio includes The Presidential Suite at the Oberoi and the Cigar Lounge & Bar, Indian restaurant and Residents Lounge, The Lodhi Hotel (New Delhi) in entirety, the Sheraton Lobby Hotel and Grand Presidential Suite, The Presidential Suite for the visit of President Clinton (New Delhi) and the Hyatt lobby Hotel (New Delhi), The TATA suite at the Taj Palace for the visit of President Obama (New Delhi) the Lalit in London & private apartments in Governor Square.
Shaunali Nanda, Founder & Director, Sloane Luxury Interiors
Being an adherent student of History, Shaunali has worked and thrived under the aesthetic of eternally classic brands that have formulated taste as it stands today. Her style therefore remains timeless, sophisticated and one of restrained glamour and elegance. Shaunali works on interiors that are in harmony and balance stylistically imbued with quality and style and always referring to classic references that remain eternal in Interior Design.
What are the opportunities that you foresee in the upcoming days? And pertaining to that, what are the future plans that you have developed for your company?
I believe that homes speak for the character and personality of the individuals residing in it. After the pandemic compelled everyone to remain confined in their homes, people started concentrating on their homes, and I think that this is a great opportunity here to give our clients a complete, contemporary, and fully accessorized home as well as lifestyle. In India, the market is thriving, as people are interested in well-defined homes which suit their lifestyle and budget. Under such a market scenario, we are planning to take our company ahead internationally. I've also been concentrating a lot on Mughal miniature art as well as on hand-painted interior accessories. We are currently working on a website that will hopefully be able to sell abroad our handcrafted artifacts, interior accessories and poncho.
Share some of the noteworthy achievements of Sloane Luxury Interiors underlining its distinctiveness across the Indian Interior Design market.
Entertaining the most coveted list of private clients in India and sources from the best brands in America and Europe, we have hosted Earl Spencer as they launched Althorp and Theodore Alexander in India in 2019. The portfolio includes The Presidential Suite at the Oberoi and the Cigar Lounge & Bar, Indian restaurant and Residents Lounge, The Lodhi Hotel (New Delhi) in entirety, the Sheraton Lobby Hotel and Grand Presidential Suite, The Presidential Suite for the visit of President Clinton (New Delhi) and the Hyatt lobby Hotel (New Delhi), The TATA suite at the Taj Palace for the visit of President Obama (New Delhi) the Lalit in London & private apartments in Governor Square.
Shaunali Nanda, Founder & Director, Sloane Luxury Interiors
Being an adherent student of History, Shaunali has worked and thrived under the aesthetic of eternally classic brands that have formulated taste as it stands today. Her style therefore remains timeless, sophisticated and one of restrained glamour and elegance. Shaunali works on interiors that are in harmony and balance stylistically imbued with quality and style and always referring to classic references that remain eternal in Interior Design.