A Global Take on Interior Design

Interior furnishing has many components that can make or break a space visually as well as take it to greater heights. In conjunction with ID Material Day, The One Academy’s School of Interior Design enlisted Goodrich Global Sdn Bhd – a leading company in the field of soft interior furnishing in South East Asia – to shed some light on the subject. General Manager Jansen Poon, together with his team, introduced the various aesthetic products of their company ranging from wallcovering, fabric, carpet and flooring. The sharing not only provided the students with the opportunity to gain insider insight on interior furnishing but also to familiarize themselves with the latest development and products available in the field by the industry experts themselves.

The global company, whose services cater to residential, hospitality, healthcare, education, commercial and retail, presented on the four Lifestyle Trends of 2018/2019. The Flexible Space is a solution for big city dwellers who are increasingly living like modern nomads in ever-smaller flats. Interior designers will have to start looking into creating flexible work-living environment and optimizing the available space within studio apartments. The Healthy Space calls for innovative designs that promote our level of health, satisfaction and productivity by bringing nature indoors. The integration of plants in the interior space and solutions for clean and purified air is a wellness trend on the rise.

The Re-made Space addresses a pressing issue that the world faces today – the amount of waste products in cities is growing faster than urbanisation itself. To cope with this problem, cities will have to forget the difference between waste and resource, providing initiatives for a sustainable future by reusing materials to create re-made spaces. The rapidly growing Maker Movement brings about a revolution in manufacturing, leading to the vision of the future citizens to be self-sufficient. Cutting-edge technology and hands-on practical skills enables anybody to create their own items in the Maker Space.

Also unveiled were the Design and Colour Trends of 2018/2019 – Relax & Recharge, Perfect Imperfections, Soft Minimal, Adapt & Assemble and Urban Oasis. Colour is an important element in design, able to enhance the mood and bring balance to a space. The key colours predicted to be in trend are tone to tone and ombres, ranging from calming red to energizing blue, indigo, soft cozy pastels and shades of green. For design, simple and honest is the way to go, creating grid-patterning such as geometry and interchangeable shapes and materials.

Wallcovering is more durable than paint and hides irregularities of the wall. It coordinates with furniture and changes the dimension of a room, creating an elegant finish while adding character with different textures and designs. It is also user-friendly, easy to apply and economical, lasting up to 10 years and can easily be cleaned. An interesting option is the premium hand-painted wallcoverings produced by Goodrich’s master artists in their Beijing studio. Their eye-catching and unique works of art are one-of-a-kind, tailored for those who seek exclusivity.

Goodrich Global has recently launched ‘REATEC’ - combination of the words real and texture – a decorative architectural covering which comes with adhesive backing. This differs from regular wallpaper which needs to be applied with glue. REATEC allows the wallcovering to be placed easily and is not limited to only walls and can be used on furniture, doors, floors and more.

Jansen Poon iterated that product makes a big difference in the interior design world and that choosing the right furniture or interiors is crucial. Product knowledge is essential when servicing a client to visualise concepts and provide the best recommendation, and therefore producing the best work outcome. A greater understanding of various materials gives a designer the upper hand when selecting products, ensuring the compliance of safety and health regulations.

“It is critical to know what product you are putting in, because that will determine the success or failure of your project,” he shared.

His advice to Interior Design students is not to just fulfil the requirements to obtain a certificate, but to see how their creativity and passion can be translated into their work, and be proud of what they have created. That aspect is what sets designers apart in the interior design market. He shed some light on potential career options of interior design graduates, who are not just limited to drawing and designing. They may go into the path of product specialists, who attend exhibitions all around the world, talking to suppliers and sourcing for materials that will be popular and suitable for the Malaysian market. They will have to have a keen eye for colour and design, and a thorough understanding of the market.

The One Academy is committed to providing the best art education programmes and continues to nurture its students passionately through its ‘Masters Train Masters’ coaching philosophy, which has been practised for the past 28 years, by providing diploma and degree courses namely Advertising & Graphic Design, Digital Animation, Digital Media Design, Film Visual Effects, Interior Architecture & Design, Illustration, Fine Arts and ESMOD Fashion Design & Pattern Making. For more information on The One Academy, visit www.toa.edu.my or call +603-5637 5510 or e-mail your enquiries to [email protected].