Refined Taste: A chat with Kent Lim, Founder of Aura Interior

Aura Interior

Address:

40-1, Jalan Makyong 5d/ku5, Bukit Raja, 41050 Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.

T: +603 3362 1281

Tell us about the company.
It’s always slightly funny when I talk about this because Aura Interior was established on April 1 2011, that is on April Fool’s Day! Anyway, I’d just finished high school and was at a crossroads of what to pursue as a career. Funnily enough, my home was undergoing renovation at the time and that’s what piqued my interest in interior design. In Spanish, “aura” somewhat refers to a certain glow and that’s what I wanted for my company — to be above the rest.

How does a project normally go?
I personally think that being in interior design doesn’t mean imposing your ideas and taste onto your clientele. In a way, you’d want to respect their wants and needs; you’re there to enhance their ideas. Of course, we can definitely submit a proposal that’s unique or pushing boundaries, but the final decision still lies in the hands of the customer. I’ve never come across a client who wholly surrenders the entire home just because of your whims and fancy — we’re not the ones living in it. So as long as they give me an idea of what style they’d like it to be, then I’ll work along those guidelines.

What would you say are aura interior’s strengths?
If I had to pick, I’d refer to the Company’s rich portfolio of realising well-designed food and beverage outlets, whether it’s bars, restaurants, cafés or clubs. Nonetheless, we don’t neglect residential projects either. We’ve completed 13 branches for the Movida Group and we are proud of our work. Such clients also hold on to our close business relationship as we’re also known for our efficiency, which in turn is cost-effective for clients. Thanks to the solid management team and manpower that we have, major projects can be completed within eight weeks or so.

Are you a minimalist fan, by any chance?
Yes, I would say I am because it is going to be one of the biggest trends in Malaysia for the next two years. Although it’s almost become a norm in countries like Australia, the United States and Europe, there is so much room for it to grow here. A lot of my clients are not open to it mostly because of their need to achieve a very extravagant look with their home, but trust me, it will be one of the best things to do with one’s home.

Why the minimalist look?
It’s expensive. Just because it looks empty, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not pricey.
It makes cleaning less of a chore. With very basic but tasteful furniture pieces put together, the entire room can be easily maintained for years to come. And it’s evergreen. Sticking with clean walls balanced with neutral colours the right accessories, the home will never go out of style.

What are your dreams for aura interior?
One of my proudest moments has got to be winning the 7th International InteriCAD ID Award’s (IIDA) Best Lighting Award for Movida in Hatten Square, Malacca, and this allowed me to dream big. It was only the Company’s second or third year in operation, and I’d become the only Malaysian amongst the four finalists. From that moment on, I’ve aspired to be more confident in getting more long-term projects like Movida, where I can carry out their brand identity consistently through the interior of these commercial spaces.