Interviews with Vault Design Lab

I’m one of the founder of Vault Design Lab, a full- service interior design firm based in Penang, Malaysia. I play role as Managing Director and I’ve accumulated 6 years working experience in high-end private residential interior design. Our design lab emphasizes on unique, premium and elegant character in spaces.

I do have great interest in fashion and colour when I was young. I spent my every Saturday morning during the college time, browsing over internet for more design reading materials. I was keen to explore design so I could share with my pals. We used to hang out and talked about the materials we gained from our readings. I believe this was a little step to part of my milestone today. I started my formal education on design during high school by taking art courses, and continued my interior design diploma in KDU College. I began with entry-level interior designer in one of the leading interior design firm in Penang before I founded Vault Design Lab.

I always start with visualisation after the first site visit and first talk with client. I will collage the pictures in mind and have further research on the design ideas I would like to deliver. At the same time, I follow up closely with client on their needs and try to put myself in their shoes during the problem-solving process. When the design is confirmed, we model it with software such as Google SketchUp, 3dsMax and final touch the rendering images with Adobe Photoshop.

Excitement. I love the initial stage when composing the preliminary sketch ideas together, forming multiple collages in my mind. I like the scene of imagination before transforming it into a real-life space.

I’m a team player with strong sense of responsibility. Good communication skill is my strong tool to have a clear understanding on client’s need.

Growth path- To develop Vault Design Lab as an international branding, with branches across the world and work with great designers.

Future plan- To further develop our branding by including architecture design as well.

Dream project- project from interior spaces design to exterior façade treatment.

“Dream It, Live It”, at the same time be responsible to decisions you’ve make. Be humble and always learn from mistakes.

Step out from the comfort zone and never stop hungry for knowledge.

A good day starts with an energetic shower with nice jazz music. I will take 30 minutes to browse through news and work tasks before I step into the office. My daily delight is a cup of coffee to start the busy and exciting day ahead.

I always keep myself up with latest design trends from reading magazines such as Kinfolk and Design Anthology, or browsing through the interviews with great designers. I think it's important to be updated with the latest design trend information so we could broaden our knowledge. This would become a powerful tool when come to communication with the client. I mostly done my projects based on personal design style or in another words, translate the design trend into my work in my personal way.

In my point of view, a good design gives a ‘3 second impact’- a great first impression to lead the crowd into designer’s perspective through the space experience. It creates a balance in space’s functionality and visual experience, carefully considering all situations based on the design brief.

As a Managing Director, I define the design is ‘ready’ when I don’t find any odds elements or imbalance in the spaces design. I believe a longer time will give a better design quality. But the reality is we can only improve our design from our last mistake. Thus within the time-frame, we should non-stop trying to achieve the best we can.

Joyce Wang and Ferris Rafauli

I’m Managing Director of Vault Design Lab and I’m working closely with my two partners to manage the design studio. Three of us share the same vision, it’s a main key for us to lead a diverse group of 10 staffs to move in the same direction. Team work is relatively important in our studio to deliver good quality design. We believe staffs are the asset of the company. My partners and I appreciate a person with good manners, keen learner with positive competitive attitude. Adventurous will be a bonus point. We are a group of young people, loving the motto of “work hard, play hard”.

I’m one of the founder of Vault Design Lab, a full- service interior design firm based in Penang, Malaysia. I play role as Managing Director and I’ve accumulated 6 years working experience in high-end private residential interior design. Our design lab emphasizes on unique, premium and elegant character in spaces. We are keen to explore material in trend. In recent years, my partners and I are venturing into commercial design industry for more opportunities.

I see no-limit possibilities in every space and strongly believe a well-designed space should possess a unique character and elegant in its own way. I’m excited to redefine the spaces that with my perception. I wish to create strong sense of space through my design and create a whole experience to the end users.

I chose to become an interior designer.

I love to explore sophisticated and timeless elegance design. That’s our design lab design direction as well. I appreciate premium and luxury goods. I focus on details that would bring out the essence of luxury, from the selection of texture of fabrics to the decorative paintings. I keen to explore more of the delicate and expensive details in this industry.

It might sound cliché but “Dream It, Live It” has driven to where am I today and keep me moving.

Good designer- create a balance in space’s functionality and visual experience, carefully considering all situations based on design brief.

Great designer- create iconic symbol, breakthrough from tradition, discover new perspective in design.

In my point of view, a good design gives a ‘3 second impact’- a great first impression to lead the crowd into designer’s perspective through the space experience.

Support from crowd in good design will positively induce more new concept and thinking logic. I believe this cycle would create new mindset and visual perspective.

Face your fears and step into the unknown ground to discover your strengths and weaknesses

Joyce Wang and Ferris Rafauli

I think fashion design is interesting.

I think design is a powerful communication tool, with no boundary and limit. It speaks with an attitude. A designer’s attitude will shape the design itself.

My ex-boss was my learning model during my practice as entry-level interior designer. Now, my two business partners are my greatest supporters.

I think visualization on goals is the power of attraction to get things done in a good manner.

Be confident and be clear with your design intention. Always try to think from client's perspective.

Currently, we are involved in commercial design, a hotel project in Penang. In this assignment, we are experimenting the type of materials and bold colour palette to create a vibrant sensation of the common space and hotel rooms. We expect more impact from the combination, a breakthrough from our previous projects’ shades.

I hope my works become source of inspiration for the others.

A private residential bungalow with privileged site location, in Kedah Malaysia. The site is surrounded by lush greeneries and a stream. I’m excited to design the spaces with good visual connection to the nature, to provide a multi-sensory experience that can ensure a strong relationship between the end user and the surrounding. We imagine the outcome would be a beautiful choreography.

‘Educate your clients” is relatively important. We looking for quality in client who appreciate good design and speaks more than generalities. We hope client try to understand their needs, so designers could assist more specifically in bringing out the characteristic of the space.

I always started with visualisation after the first site visit and first talk with client. The first idea came into the mind is very much inspired by the site surrounding itself.

Be unique and provide the biggest possibility of quality living experience to the users.

Google SketchUp, 3ds Max, AutoCad, Adobe Photoshop

Color is a layer of makeup to the space, it creates the mood when people step in. Material is the background story of the space. Combination of color and material will define the ambience of the intended design.

Joy. Share. And would love to learn more of the story behind the great design.

Kinfolk and Design Anthology

Every award is a recognition and encouragement. It’s a positive publicity tool to share our design works and story.

Royal blue, London, Winter, Dior

The smile when client moved into their house with satisfaction. The photos from client sharing us their little joy moment spent in the house. They motivate me to pursue further.

I do have great interest in fashion and colour when I was young. I spent my every Saturday morning during the college time, browsing over internet for more design reading materials. I enjoyed the learning moment. I’m keen to explore design so I could share with my pals who share the same interest. We used to hang out and talked about the material we gained from our readings. I believe this was a little step to part of my milestone today.

I’m one of the founder of Vault Design Lab, a full- service interior design firm based in Penang, Malaysia. I play role as Managing Director and I’ve accumulated 6 years of working experience in high-end private residential interior design. Our design lab emphasizes on unique, premium and elegant character in spaces. I developed my interest in design since I was in high school. I chose to become an interior designer.

Vault Design Lab (VDL) was founded in 2015 by three young and widely acclaimed professional interior designers. Unbound by tradition, VDL redefines space, form and experience in each project by exploring extensively the cultural implications embedded in every assignment. It customizes a unique design style all time by means of contemporary design language. VDL's vision is to create design that integrates both functionality and aesthetics, to improve cultural experience and life quality offered by the space, and to provide customers with excellent space design and unforgettable user experience.

Personally, I think design is a powerful communication tool, with no boundary and limit. It speaks with an attitude. A designer’s attitude will shape the end product (the design itself).

Private residential. I like the intimacy while designing a residential project where I could have the chance to have deeper conversations with the client until we reach a mutual agreement on the design direction. I love the challenge of translating and transforming the design brief into the real-life product, where the client claims it as home.

Modern Eclectic Design. I love the harmony in space when disparate styles, contrasting colour, textural pattern plays create a cohesive and appealing interior space. It mixing the old, the new, the modern and the classic, beautifully create some fun and endless possibilities to a space design.

When I’m alone, having a drinks or two at the bar or in a coffee shop. Ideas always flow in when I’m observing the crowd.

A lot of excitement.

Always a great sense of satisfaction and recognition.

The design details and the design characteristics

I like to watch the interviews with great designers. A good interview always is a food for thought, it develops my thinking further. Besides, magazine is a good material to feed the creativity.

I love to explore sophisticated and timeless elegance design. That’s our design lab design direction as well. I appreciate premium and luxury goods. I focus on details that would bring out the essence of luxury, from the selection of fabric texture to the decorative paintings. I keen to explore more delicate and expensive details in this industry.

I live in Penang, Malaysia. I do agree that cultural heritage of the country will affect the design. There is limited material sourcing within the country. We usually need to travel abroad eg. China to source for more complex and distinctive materials. In Malaysia, material choices and production methods are very limited, which indirectly constraining the design we would like to achieve. Malaysia is a layback country which is still in early stage to explore advanced/ leading technology in the design industry, instead more traditional method is used in the industry. However, we very much appreciate the craftsmanship and heritage value in this country. It is something that can’t be simply replaced by technology in all means. We take this as advantage to apply in our projects. We collaborate with carpenters, ironsmith and crafters to produce customized design and other delicate details in our projects.

Attitude is everything. My partners and I appreciate good manners, keen learner with positive competitive attitude. Adventurous will be a bonus point.

I always start with visualisation after the first site visit and first talk with client. I will collage the pictures in mind and have further research on the design ideas I would like to deliver. At the same time, I follow up closely with client on their needs and try to put myself in their shoes during the problem-solving process.

Carpet, floor lamp, incense chamber, armchair, designer poster

A good day starts with an energetic shower with nice jazz music. I will take 30 minutes to browse through news and work tasks before I step into the office. My daily delight is a cup of coffee to start the busy and exciting day ahead.

Positive- I can create interesting space. Sometimes, I’m able to do some magic to the space, making the impossible possible.

Negative- A hobby that will take all your focus away, so sacrifice personal time is unavoidable.

Try not to repeat the same design elements used in previous project. Explore new solutions.

Design software- Google SketchUp, 3ds Max, AutoCad, Adobe Photoshop

Magazines- Kinfolk, Design Anthology

Varies, shortest 1 month to longest up to half a year

What’s your difference from the other designers in the local industry?

Mostly professional / businessman

Currently, our design lab is involved in commercial design, a hotel project in Penang. In this assignment, we are experimenting the type of materials and bold colour palette to create a vibrant sensation of the common space and hotel rooms. We expect more impact from the combination, a breakthrough from our previous projects’ shades.

As a team

A private residential bungalow with privileged site location , in Kedah, Malaysia. The site is surrounded by lush greeneries and a stream. I’m excited to design the spaces with good visual connection to the nature, to provide a multi-sensory experience that can ensure a strong relationship between the end user and the surrounding itself.

Through email mixy@vdl.com.my