IDr Lai Siew Hong – Interior Design Is Storytelling

The Dreamcatcher

Interior designing is essentially storytelling where the interior designer tells evocative stories that are adventurous and full of soul, incorporating a mix of materials and influences.

If you are not a Malaysian or a tourist/explorer who enjoys going off the beaten path to discover places that are not popular or known for its touristy vibe then chances are Kampar would not be on your radar. A sleepy town 40 kilometres south of Ipoh, Kampar was once a rich town due to the discovery of tin ore but tin ore is not the only discovery that was made in Kampar, for it is also the birth place of renowned interior designer, IDr Lai Siew Hong.

Hailing from a small, sleepy town, Lai Siew Hong is one of the blueeyed boys of the interior design sphere. The co-founder and Chief Executive Designer of Malaysia-based Interior design firm Blu Water – an award-winning boutique interior design studio, Lai Siew Hong had his first taste of interior designing at the age of 16 when he assisted his mum in designing the interior of their new house.

“Thinking back, I think my inclination towards interior designing started during my secondary school where I was very involved in our school Arts Society and won a few poster/graphic design competitions nationally. This has given me the fundamentals strength and spirit in the creative field. With the encouragement from my art teacher and the support from my parents, I then signed up for an Interior Design course right after my secondary education,” recalled Siew Hong.

Upon graduating from Malaysia Institute of Art as an Interior Designer and armed with some working experience in KL, he took the initiative to pursue his interior designing knowledge further by heading to New York City. During this period, Siew Hong was exposed to a wide spectrum of arts and designs with divest culture and history and this is where he gained the knowledge about the past, which has cultivated his appreciation for things that are quite diverse.

In addition to all of his experience, he also had a brief encounter of projects in NYC before returning to Malaysia in 1991. According to Siew Hong, this has allowed him to have a taste of different cultures and different lifestyle which became a part of his DNA and a catalyst for his design ideals

Siew Hong has been creating innovative spaces and solutions, crafting meaningful brands and guest experiences for a wide variety of clients over the last 30 years. Prior to Blu Water, Siew Hong spent 20 years in Axis Identity Group, a multidisciplinary design studio in Kuala Lumpur specialized in hospitality design. Siew Hong credits his success to passion and exquisiteness.

“One critical element of achieving a work-life balance is having a job you can wake up happy to and be passionate about it. This is the fuel that keeps the fire burning inside me for the last 30 overs years in the design industry. Passion drives the need to create a uniqueness in every project we embark on, as such we always embark on the journey to create purposeful designs which facilitate memorable and inspiring experiences that are distinctive yet seamlessly integrating cultures and beliefs into every story,” exclaimed Siew Hong pensively.

Touching on a spectrum of topics, Siew Hong comes back to the topic of interior designing and what propels his and the team’s design ideals, and Siew Hong explains that as a team they believe in narratives and storytelling which they regard their most powerful tool.

“Curating powerful story/ narrative with local heritage and local culture is what allows us to determine the design and story rather than the design dictating its own terms. We believe in collaborative efforts with a team of creative people that share the similar vision where we can collaborate to achieve something that is unique,” exclaimed the man who looks up to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Carlo Scarpa as his mentors.

“Speaking of design narratives, one project that remains a favourite right now is EQ, Kuala Lumpur. This was one project where we managed to craft the entire narrative based on a theme of Timeless Heritage Chic. The story is about borrowing traditional elements and refashioning and modernizing them in a contemporary way,” he explained.

“We don’t believe reflecting Malaysian heritage is merely through putting up a carving or a songket, so we have taken the songket pattern and the silver thread to transform the material into something else throughout the hotel. From the lobby glass measuring 3 storeys and fabric behind the reception backdrop to even the wallpaper print in the guestroom, everything is done in a subtle yet luxuriant tone and manner,” further explained Siew Hong.

An avid traveller, Siew Hong said while The Lourve in Paris is a sight to behold, there are also local architecture that are attractive. Citing The Datai Langkawi as one of those architectures that captivates the eyes and heart, Siew Hong expounds that The Datai Langkawi embraces tradition without entirely sacrificing modernity and is designed with respect to local cultures and locations while staying clear from architectural design trends.

Being an achiever who is driven by a compelling narrative and the vision to achieve bigger milestones, it comes as no surprise that Siew Hong would one day want to own a chain of hotels and resorts that is curated and designed by Blu Water. For the immediate future though, IDr Lai Siew Hong hopes for Blu Water to become a leading design house in Asia, where all the designers in his studio are given the platform to learn and grow; to feel a sense of belonging and to continuously strive for higher standards.