Johnni Wong | Nov 21, 2009

Breaking design taboos 2

Interior designs

Integrated design
Apparently, owners or operators of luxury resorts in Asia rarely follow through with the stipulated guidelines of designers when it comes to details like furnishings, lighting, signage and even the colour scheme.

“Good integrated design is rare - operators like the Amanresorts or the Four Seasons insist on getting the interior designer involved in the choice of all accessories and graphics, etcetera. Most importantly, lighting is a major factor but rarely done well,” reveals Made.

“Colour is often a problem. Most developers and home builders have a fear of colour. New Asians have far too many taboos. The tropics should be colourful, look at Sri Lankan architecture as well as Mexico and Africa.

“The Maldives, Mauritius and Malaysia are all brown-and-beige interiors, very boring-lah after a few years.”

Naples Botanical Garden
Lately, the globe-trotting consultant has been working on several residential projects in Belize, Hyderabad and Bali plus a major landscape commission in Italy. And in between, he has designed a couple of gardens for home owners in Malaysia.

“The Asian garden section at the Naples Botanical Garden has started. And I am working on tropical boutique luxury hotels in Nigeria and Kerala with the focus on eco-tourism and ethnic chic.”

Modern Tropical Gardens

What was the most satisfying project that Made Wijaya has worked on recently?
“I designed a large villa complex north of Ubud in Bali for a client who is an industrial designer. He really knew how to get the best of a design team by supporting their ideas to the max and encouraged them. We designed everything for those villas, including staff apparel. There is a big difference between joyous integrated design and control freak conservative,” stressed the design guru who has worked for some of the wealthiest clients in the world.

Villa Kirana, Sayan, Ubud, Bali

* The free lecture by Made Wijaya is at 3pm on Nov 29 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. For reservations and details, log on to starproperty.my

Click here for more details on The Star's Stylish Living Property Fair


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