In 2013, Design Intervention participated in the International Property Awards and won Best Interior Design (Private Residence) Singapore. Since then, they have continuously made their mark in the industry to become an award-wining brand, achieving new accolades year on year. We speak with founder and CEO Nikki Hunt to learn more these achievements.
(Photo, from left: Andrea Savage, CEO of Design Intervention; Nikki Hunt, founder and CEO of Design Intervention)
Q How do you feel about being one of the few consistent award winners from Singapore?
It is a great honour and validation of all the hard work our team has put in over the years. We have been awarded at the regional and global level, and are absolutely thrilled to be showcasing Singapore design to the world.
Q Share with us more about the projects you submitted this year, and why they are unique.
This year, we won Best Interior Design (Private Residence) in Australia, making it the second time we have won for an Australian project.
We also won Best Residential (Architecture) in Singapore for the second year in a row, and this clearly showcases the talent of our architecture team.
We were also award Best Kitchen Design in Singapore, similar to last year. As kitchen design is a niche specialisation, we excel by prioritising function in the design. In fact, this is something we apply to all our projects. Function and comfort are paramount, and of course we will then make it look beautiful and full of personality.
The other awards we won this year are Best Interior Design (Apartment) in Singapore, as well as Best Retail Design. Both were judged to be amongst the best across the Asia and have been selected to represent the region to compete in London at the end of this year, where the best of global designs will be unveiled.
Q Do you feel a pressure to win every year?
Of course! It is always nice to get a pat on the back, but striving to win awards also ensure we continue to push our standards up.
Our wins also give clients confidence that our works have been seen by experts and found to be of a commendable standard. I think what is more important is also the consistency of our wins. Over the years, we have established a consistent quality and that gives a peace of mind, and instils trust in our clients.
Q How do you think the interior design scene will evolve over the years?
I think the biggest change over the next few years will be the growing realization that good design can actually transform the way we feel, and affect our health and wellbeing. As city dwellers, we spend much of our time indoors so the design of our interiors is especially important.
New advances in neuroscience are revealing what many designers have known intuitively that elements like colour, ceiling height and symmetry can affect our metabolic rate, mood, and even behaviour.
The right design can encourage us to sleep better and interact more. I think these new scientific discoveries will help advance a stronger focus on the true power of design.
Q What’s your take on trends that are coming our way in 2020?
There is a strong move to cheerful homes and colour is a big part of that. The love for soft organic shapes and curved sofas that look warm and inviting is also apparent.
Ten years ago, Western designers led the design world and their aesthetics were key drivers of taste and trends. In recent years, that has been changing. Consumers now drive trends. For example, Chinese, Indians and Russians have become increasingly wealthy and therefore are exerting a big influence on the market. There has definitely been a pronounced shift to more glamorous and colourful interiors and I do think they have brought such an influence.
