1. 8 9THE HIGH END THE HIGH END
Destiny
by Design
International designer Perla Lichi has built her career over more than two
decades. Having designed everything from palaces to apartments, Lichi’s
expertise and unique style have made her one of the most sought-after
interior designers working today.
By Stacey Staum
Through her extensive knowledge of de-
sign and art, Lichi has developed a reputation
as a truly international designer. With offices
in Miami, Dubai and India, Lichi has styled
homes for many prestigious clients that in-
clude high-profile sports figures, entertainers
and even royalty.
Lichi’s understanding of art history has
guided her design choices, especially in the
international market. Lichi explains, “I’m de-
signing worldwide, so it’s very important to
understand proportion and scale, as well as
different cultures, tastes and artistic styles.
I integrate classic and modern styles from
different time periods. Design
is a type of art, so I’m always
fusing different styles. I call it
‘eclectic fusion.’”
Designing internationally
presents challenges that do not
faze Lichi, as she has a pro-
found understanding of interna-
tional styles. Lichi explains that
the biggest distinction between
international and domestic de-
sign projects is that “the type
of construction differs. For ex-
ample, in Dubai and India, the
interior walls are all concrete.
The type of roof is different
and the weather is different.
Also, the cultural aspects and
needs of families are different.
Sometimes families have eight
children, so many of them use
their homes a lot more. People
have five servants so they need
servants’ quarters, or they use
their formal dining rooms more
often. The use of space is dif-
ferent. The home sizes are all
design
To renowned interior designer Perla
Lichi, her emergence into the world of
home decor in 1990 feels preordained.
Lichi shares, “Destiny took me to this.
I wanted to be a fashion designer way
back in my teens, but I entered an
interior design competition and won.
It kind of chose me. I love every minute
of it. I love anything having to do with
arts, design and fashion, and I feel that
interior design is fashion for the home.”
In the grand foyer and living room, which boast 30-
foot ceilings, intricate trims were designed, then
embellished with faux painting. A combination of
marble and different colors of onyx flooring flows
throughout the home.
©PerlaLichi-Toledano

2. 10 11THE HIGH END THE HIGH END
very different. But, in the end they all want
beautiful rooms, comfort, and elegance, but
different functionalities.”
While Lichi has extensive knowledge of
international design styles, she offers clients
from other parts of the world the American
experience, sharing that “the U.S. is always
way ahead. I’m doing work in Dubai and South
Africa and they always want things from the U.S.
That’s part of the reason why I do well there, be-
cause I’m from the U.S. They want the comfort,
the smart homes and other American features.”
As smart home design has come to the
forefront of luxury interior design, Lichi has be-
come an expert in all the latest technological
trends, and elaborates, “The one thing we’re
using a lot lately are motion detectors, where
the lights will go on when you enter the room;
iPad integration is also very popular. A very
hot thing right now is a mirror in the vanity
that has a TV. I call it the ‘magic mirror TV.’
Since TVs are so thin now, you can hide them
behind the mirror. We can really hide them
anywhere. They could be above a fireplace in
a gorgeous family portrait that rolls up and a
TV is behind it. We can now take old interior
design elements and integrate TVs into them.”
Another stylistic element that defines
Lichi’s unique style is her use of bold colors
in accent pieces paired with neutral hues. This
design choice is both beautiful and practical.
Lichi explains, “The reason I do that is I like to
keep the majority of my background neutral.
It’s a lot easier if you get tired of bold colors
to change them. It’s also easier on the eye. It
just pops more.”
Lichi is also known for her gorgeous ceiling
design work. Lichi calls ceiling embellishment
“the icing on the cake,” and continues, saying,
“Most of my ceilings are drywall, but usually
we can play with crown molding, LED lighting
or coffered ceilings. It gives me a chance to
include texture or a faux finish. It’s like adding
makeup. I think it’s just as important as the
walls, and it gives the illusion of more space
by bringing the eye up. If you’re in the space
and you’re looking at the walls and the floor,
the completed ceiling gives the feeling of the
room hugging you.”
Lichi has been an outspoken advocate for
the use of designers in any interior-decorating
project and encourages homeowners to seek
out professional guidance when consider-
ing a design change. Lichi says, “First, they
know proportion and scale, which the trained
eye knows based on the knowledge acquired
through study. Everybody has their own taste,
no question. Everybody has their own style and
artsy desires, and there is no right or wrong
on taste. But the designer can help you put
it together properly. Designers can also help
find resources because they know what’s out
there and what trends are coming in. They live
and breathe design. I don’t think a designer
should tell a homeowner what to like, but they
can make it happen based on their own un-
derstanding and access to resources.”
Lichi’s career has given her the vast
knowledge on how to design a wide variety of
spaces. Lichi recounts, “As a designer, I have
dealt with all the different walks of life, from
small apartments to large palaces, from a small
budget to a large budget. As a designer, my
job is to understand the person living in the
space and make their dream a reality. In the
end it’s them living in the space and I am the
professional.” What Lichi describes as her des-
tiny to become an interior designer has been
bolstered by her vision and experience, placing
her among the most recognized designers in
the industry.
This living room reflects supreme classical interior design
elegance with rich detailing in a classic, formal style that
flows into the adjacent dining room. Intricate custom
plaster moldings were cast and then highlighted with silver
leaf to reflect light and make the ceilings appear higher
than they actually are.
Columns, niches and custom lighting incorporated
into the ceiling design give this living room a
dramatic look. Large-scale elements, such as the
fireplace and oversized furniture, help tame the
large space into more pleasing human proportions.
An area rug pulls the seating together and also was
used to establish the color palette.
©PerlaLichi-Toledano