Vouch 15 Cover Story – Interview with Mdm Law Lee Kiau ( JIDA)

Johor Bahru Property & Ecominic Outlook in 2016

Johor’s Economy is set for a Positive Growth

Tell us more about the current property and economic outlook in Johor Bahru, what will be the direct and indirect factor that may impact on  the interior design industry ?

With four ongoing large-scale projects, Malaysia’s Johor state is set to become the next economic powerhouse in the country behind Klang Valley. These mega developments comprise of multibillion development Forest City, the oil and gas facilities at Pengerang, the double-tracking project between Gemas and Johor Bahru, and the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR). With these I believe Johor’s economy is set for a positive growth despite the uncertainty of the global economy.

• Connectivity from Singapore-JB-KL- cross-border high Speed Rail Project creating unlimited opportunities to the ID industry, also designing for second home.
• Educational hubs in Nusajaya would see a fair amount of investments as the townships carries holistic values to the developments.

IMPACT ON THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY AT THIS OUTLOOK

A lot of people might decide to keep their home, instead of buying a new one, and opt for remodeling works.

• Low budget to renovate the house / office However, this situation might be a temporary period as mega projects are carried out in the Johor state, Johor’s overall outlook is positive compared to others states.

 What are the current challenges of the interior design industry?

• Slow recovery of global economies;
• The growth in popularity of interior design companies had also led to more interior designers company moving into Johor from others state and even from Singapore.
• The quality of Interior Designers trained in Johor Design Institutes are far away from the market’s expectation.
• Too many freelance young designers with inadequate experience had brought down the design standard and value of the industry.

What will the outlook be like for 2016 for the interior design industry ?

• The six macro-trends identified :

Health & Well-Being: Interior design supports individuals and organizations in taking health and well-being into their own hands. As a sub-trend, designing for healthy behaviors focuses on how design can motivate more physical activity.

Technology: Practitioners surveyed expect technology’s impact on design, which has already been transformative, to grow even more in the coming years. With the ability to connect to almost everything, everyone, everywhere, for instance, the possibilities are endless.

Sustainability: Sustainability has been around for a long time under a variety of names, and it continues to be relevant across business sectors, including interior design. In fact, a broader interpretation that more closely links sustainability to designing for healthy behaviors continues to increase.

Urbanization: As more people move to the city, access to necessities and amenities becomes more important. In conjunction with the growing interest in health and well-being, urban designers are creating neighborhoods that are walkable for increased physical activity.

Globalization: With overseas travel more common and the technology to support communication when abroad in place, the world is more interconnected than ever – and so is the world of interior design. Design is no longer limited to a single location or culture; rather, it transcends boundaries.

Resiliency: In a world that is fast-paced and constantly changing, resiliency is becoming a fundamental necessity for survival. For design, that means incorporating holistic thinking in order to solve bigger challenges, not just the immediate ones.

The move toward an urban, fast paced era how does the interior design industry keep up with the following changes in technological presence?

• Creating new business / diversifying into new services or segments
• Recruiting qualified staff & retaining qualified staff
• Marketing the firm’s capabilities
• Training staff
• Keep track of profit and expenses
• Managing the growing needs for sustainable design

What will be the current highlights ( trends ) for interior design this 2016?

THE TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW FOR 2016

• Texture
• Floral
• Dramatic Colour, Blue, Pink, Gold

All are important components for styling trends, as texture sets the bar to various touches, while floral prints are being reinterpreted and back in season again. As for trending colors, dramatic colour, blue, pink and gold means glamorous, modern and sophistication set for 2016.

4 INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2016

• Embrace – The celebration of texture, engaging with surfaces again.
• Nurture – Relationship with the environment and use of natural materials.
• Pioneer – Future landscape with unusual aesthetics.
• Construct – The strength and realibility in design

Maison Objet had been the front runner in projection to future living, is there a possibility for us to experience or have similar trade shows with standards of Maison Objet in Johor  Bahru ?

• Yes, there is no need cross border, all participants would come from all states of Malaysia. Association like JIDA may play an important role to materialise it.

Tell us more about the influences of Ikea’s presence in Johor Bahru, what will be the factors / impact involve for the interior design industry?

• Competition on loose furniture and decorative accessories.
• No really affected much in ID as they are 2 different needs of markets.

Share with us about your daily job scope, what motivates or inspires you on a daily basis. What advice would you give to our readers when choosing an interior design firm?

Motivating and Inspiring at the same time working with passion and a mission. By meeting challenges and questions posed by customers, with a positive outlook and mindset positioned to assisting customers in every way to materialise their dream. The mission to creating a healthy environment and lastly customers to be happy. As for advice, having a responsible and renowned reputation alongside track records is as important to living up to a company’s name. Branding of a company sets the tone of how the company is perceived by customers, last but not least keeping up to date with design and today’s urban lifestyle.