Few spaces capture the spirit of entertaining quite like a bar. Equal parts destination and backdrop, it is where conversations begin, celebrations unfold and memories are made. For Elicyon's Lalique Bar at WOW!House 2026, however, the ambition was never simply to design a place to serve drinks. It was to explore what entertaining means today, and how interior architecture can shape the moments of connection that happen around it.

Designed in collaboration with Lalique, the room reimagined the home bar as a contemporary setting for gathering. Conceived as a modern box of delights, it invited visitors on a journey of unveiling, where crystal became part of the architecture itself, craftsmanship rewarded curiosity and every detail revealed itself over time. More than an exhibition installation, it became an exploration of how thoughtful design can transform the experience of hosting.

Several months on, the project offers an opportunity to reflect not only on the room itself, but on why entertainment continues to occupy such an important place in contemporary design across residential, hospitality and commercial spaces. As our spaces become increasingly adaptable, projects designed for gathering are no longer defined by formality or occasion. Instead, they support the everyday rituals of connection, creating environments that feel welcoming, layered and deeply personal.

Designing for the Ritual of Entertaining

Charu Gandhi, Elicyon's Founder and Director, describes the Lalique Bar as a space designed around the "ritual of entertaining". Rituals are not defined by objects, but by sequences of experience: the arrival of guests, the first drink, conversations that gather momentum and quieter moments that unfold away from the crowd. Designing for entertaining therefore becomes less about creating a room around a bar and more about choreographing how people move, pause and connect within it.

That philosophy shaped the Lalique Bar from the outset. Rather than conceiving the room around the functional requirements of serving drinks, Elicyon designed it around the experience of gathering. The bar became an anchor rather than the destination, complemented by a cocooning lounge and moments of discovery that encouraged visitors to move naturally through the space, lingering a little longer as the evening unfolded.

Those ideas informed every aspect of the design. Conceived as a modern box of delights, the room reveals itself gradually through concealed niches, layered materiality and crystal woven into the architecture itself. Rather than presenting every detail at once, it rewards curiosity, inviting guests to engage with the space in much the same way they engage with one another: through conversation, discovery and shared experience.

A Modern Box of Delights

If the philosophy behind the Lalique Bar was rooted in the ritual of entertaining, its physical expression was what Charu describes as "a modern box of delights". Rather than revealing itself in a single glance, the room was designed to unfold over time, rewarding curiosity with layers of craftsmanship, materiality, curated positioning and unexpected moments of discovery.

That idea informed every aspect of the design. Crystal became part of the architecture itself, from Lalique's illuminated Hirondelles chandelier to the asymmetrical crystal wall panels inspired by mythology and Art Deco ornamentation. Works drawn from Lalique's archive, spanning the 1920s to the 2025 collection, were brought together within a single setting, allowing a century of design to coexist through one cohesive architectural vision. Concealed cabinetry and hidden display niches encouraged visitors to pause, look more closely and uncover carefully considered details woven throughout the room. Mirrored surfaces created shifting perspectives and a heightened sense of depth that echoed the layered storytelling behind Lalique's crystal collections, where motifs inspired by Arethusa and the rippling movement of water informed the room's wider architectural language.

These moments of discovery weren't conceived simply as decorative gestures. They reflect the way people naturally experience a space when they're entertaining. Unlike a room that's passed through in a matter of moments, spaces designed for hosting are inhabited over the course of an evening. Guests settle into different corners, conversations evolve and attention shifts from one detail to the next. The most memorable interiors embrace this rhythm, revealing themselves gradually as an evening unfolds.

The Lalique Bar invited exactly this kind of engagement. Bespoke joinery by James Wellesley framed collections of handcrafted objects, while intricate marquetry by Shamsian, embroidered details and even a bespoke card game created with House of Nobilique transformed everyday elements into objects of curiosity. Each layer contributed to a richer narrative, encouraging visitors to return their attention to the room and, in doing so, to the conversations taking place within it.

When Craftsmanship Becomes Architecture

From the outset, the collaboration with Lalique challenged traditional distinctions between architecture, interiors and decorative arts. Rather than introducing crystal as a finishing touch, Elicyon sought to integrate it into the fabric of the room itself, allowing material and architecture to become inseparable.

Working alongside Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director and Frederick Fischer, Managing Director at Lalique, the collaboration explored how the maison's rich heritage could be interpreted through a distinctly contemporary lens. As Marc observed during the project, it offered "a new way of expressing Art Deco and Art Nouveau," where heritage and contemporary beauty exist in dialogue rather than opposition.

Reflecting on the finished space, Charu describes it as creating "a sense of sanctuary", where light becomes an architectural element rather than simply a practical necessity. The ambition was to create an interior that felt immersive without becoming overwhelming, balancing moments of drama with an atmosphere of warmth and comfort.

Light became central to that conversation. Crystal catches, refracts and amplifies light in ways few other materials can, bringing movement and atmosphere to the architecture throughout the day. Whether embedded within the bespoke bar, suspended overhead or integrated into furniture, it became an active participant in shaping the experience of the room.

At the heart of the room, the bespoke bar embodied that approach. Lalique crystal panels were integrated directly into the joinery beneath a British-sourced leathered alabaster countertop, allowing light to move through the architecture rather than simply illuminate it. Around the room, sculptural elements echoed this dialogue between material and atmosphere, from the shimmering crystal surfaces to the bespoke Totem light, handcrafted by Iberian Lighting and inspired by one of Lalique's own crystal motifs.

Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director of Lalique alongside Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director of Elicyon

Beyond the bar, the room unfolded into a cocooning lounge designed to encourage a different pace of entertaining. Softly curved seating, tactile upholstery and layered lighting created a more intimate setting for conversation, while concealed cabinetry and display niches revealed handcrafted objects gradually throughout the evening.

Realising that vision required close collaboration across every discipline involved in the project. More than twenty artisans, makers and specialist suppliers contributed their expertise, from marquetry and upholstery to lighting, joinery and stone. Each element was crafted independently yet developed as part of a singular architectural vision.

Continuing the Conversation

The Lalique Bar's impact extended well beyond the exhibition itself. Widely featured across the international design press, including House & Garden, The Telegraph and ELLE Decor, the project sparked conversations with clients, collaborators and the wider design community, reinforcing many of the ideas explored through the installation.

For Emma Weaver, Marketing Manager, that response reflected something more meaningful than media attention alone.

While WOW!House offered an opportunity to push creative thinking within an exhibition setting, the room was never conceived as a standalone exercise. Instead, it became a catalyst for ideas that continue to inform Elicyon's design work, from designing entertaining spaces as layered experiences rather than singular rooms to integrating craftsmanship and collectible design as part of the architecture itself.

Beyond WOW!House

Like any exhibition, WOW!House was always intended to be temporary. Yet from the outset, the Lalique Bar was designed with permanence in mind. Rather than creating one-off pieces that belonged solely within the installation, Elicyon approached every element as something that could continue its story beyond the exhibition.

That ambition has since been realised. Several of the room's defining pieces, including the sculptural Totem light and the curved banquette, have been commissioned for alternative projects, allowing ideas first explored at WOW!House to become part of clients' everyday lives.

Their continued journey reflects a broader shift within contemporary design. Increasingly, clients are looking for pieces with a sense of permanence and provenance; designs that carry a story, celebrate craftsmanship and become part of a home's identity over time. The Lalique Bar demonstrated that there needn't be a distinction between collectible design and everyday living. The most enduring pieces are often those that balance sculptural presence with genuine functionality.