We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrea Lecusay a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Andrea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My story begins with a desire for healing interiors & illumination. Moving to Hawaii & traveling to Bali opened a door that lead to everything. Through meditation & yoga practice I learned to transform myself which evolved the way I work and see the work and my craft. Today I transform spaces which become infused with peace and light due to the balance brought in through connection with nature. The effect is a harmony of elements, textiles, colors, and shapes resulting in beauty.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Inspired by Japanese craftsmanship early in life, I became convinced that living spaces could be healing and uplifting. My early career took a quantum leap when I moved my business from sunny South Florida to the islands of Hawaii. Convinced that working with natural materials would be more in alignment with sustainability I began designing homes balancing stone, metal, & wood elements with gardens views. Bringing natural beauty into the home to create seamless living spaces flowed naturally. One of my first clients desired a modern Balinese aesthetic & sent me on my first trip to Bali with drawings in 2004. By 2006 the North Shore of Kauai knew all about the Balinese treasures I brought back to the islands.
Later that year, a Pixar film producer walked into my showroom one day inquiring who the buyer was. Working for Lee Unkrich and his family on their North Shore estate proved to be one of the greatest gifts of my career. A natural artisan, Lee cared deeply about craftsmanship down to every detail. The property boasted extensive gardens which I also redesigned with local gardener Shaaron Fiore. The talented architect/builder, Jim Antony & his team assisted with every detail. If I could dream it, they could build it. Little did I know at the time that I was working in a Disney-like dream. The project was published several times in local luxury magazines, & the garden which was my first made its way into Garden Design Magazine with a 10 page feature. To date, this has been my favorite project and I indeed learned so much working with such a fine team.
Lee’s project led to several other estates on Kauai each more breathtaking than the next. Designing in the islands is a challenge but the local craftsmen are sensational & of course my Bali trips continued. I eventually stopped designing in Bali for logistical reasons but take yoga retreats yearly to this day. Bali elevated my design philosophy in many ways. The Balinese work together as a community supporting one another though every season of life. They inspired me in every way. I fell in love. I learned to mediate and integrate yoga into a daily practice until yoga simply became life.
Today, clients benefit from my practice which connects me to the earth while maintaining a peaceful disposition regardless of hectic schedules. The work is always a reflection of my client’s interests and dream vision though I am convinced they receive so much more. The space one keeps within is reflective of the energy one give back. Cultivating peace creates more peace wherever one places their attention or energy. I believe that clients benefit and receive more than a beautiful living space. Harmony and balance with intention transcend a space. In this way, my practice infuses my designs and people benefit with not only beauty but also with uplifted energy for greater living. One could say I am a channel which breathes life into the room.
If there is anything I learned from the Balinese, it is that life is about service. Service is how one give’s back to the world with their talents. Interior design is a demanding field with a lot of variables, but the service I have been able to give clients makes it all worth it!
Any fun sales or marketing stories?
The moral of this story is honesty is always best.
Many years ago a man on the North Shore of Kauai saw an ancient Hawaiian artifact I had commissioned with local Hawaiian craftsmen for the estate of a client. The man and his wife were interested in duplicating the artifact for one of their properties & flew me over from another island to advise on the proper location in order to commission a piece through my contacts. I visited 3 sprawling properties in order to consider, then turned to the couple and with complete honesty advised against selling them the artifact in question as I felt it would not enhance their properties. Instead I pointed out the lack of finish in their art and accessory detailing. The bones of their properties were exquisite. Proportion and scale were optimized by the previous interior designer and only the fabric schedule and lack of finish weakened the overall aesthetic.
I proposed a complete fabric, art and accessory makeover with a focus on “telling the story” of their travels throughout the various living spaces. The couple were both surprised, but also felt the synopsis was brilliant as they had never finished with their interior designer having stopped the project midway.
My honest thinking sold over 250k in goods and services when the inquiry was for a 5k accessory. It is always best to give honest opinions when consulting. Honesty sells itself. People can follow the rightness of words spoken with sincerity.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I first relocated to the Hawaiian islands in 2003 no one was interested in my South Florida urban portfolio of work. I had to reinvent myself with a style the locals appreciated. The first client that found me through friends heard of me through the yachting industry. He was a chef who desired to remodel a new property on the north shore with an authentic modern Balinese interior. I had never been to Bali but always felt drawn to the location and style. When a local broker told me it would be a year before I could fabricate and install through him I decided to go to Bali myself. I was 27 at the time and traveled overseas bringing my designs to local wood factories around the island. I custom designed lighting, accessories, furnishings, kitchens and all cabinetry and flew back to inspect and fill the containers to ship back to Hawaii. I had no idea the logistical issues both with quality control and wood stability not to mention that I was dealing with a very patriarchal society which was not accustomed to a woman in charge — a young woman at that.
When I returned to Bali to inspect and load the container I found so many errors it took me a month to fix all before I could load the container. What was to be a 2 week trip turned into a 5 week trip. Imagine the frustration and additional expense. I learned that the culture will tell you what you want to hear but this can be far from the truth upon inspection. Half of the items I was told were ready were not even into finishing yet. Needless to say the learning curve was extreme. When we are young is the time to take chances and this out of the box authentic installation was certainly that. I felt it near crazy but thrilling at the same time.
The client was more than delighted with the outcome and within weeks word started to spread. I had 5 more containers sold within no time at all and made 4 more Bali trips before opening a showroom. The issues did not stop here. It seemed Balinese workers are always taking off for ceremony. I thought this beautiful but also it delayed the process often. I persevered and learned the spiritual influence is what makes Bali and its artisans so special. The very place is infused with spirituality being founded through spiritual roots.
Building in Bali was a great challenge and eventually I decided to stop importing, but was rewarded with the best client I ever had through the Bali showroom. One door leads to another. We never know where the path will lead but with faith and perseverance the sky is the limit. Never stop believing in yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.andrealecusayinteriors.com
- Instagram: andrealecusayinteriors
Image Credits
Sargent Photography for Florida images & NY Hampton’s images David Duncan Livingston for Hawaii images