For Keith Kang of The Interior Maison, design begins not with trends, but with dialogue. His boutique firm may take its name from the French word for “home,” but its ethos goes far beyond bricks and mortar. Instead, his and his firm’s design philosophy revolves around a careful chemistry between space, objects, and people. The result is a diverse portfolio that resists strict categorisation, often described as “interesting hybrids”.
At the heart of The Interior Maison is a quiet but confident sense of restraint. Whether it’s using lighting to shape ambience or refining a complex design idea into something elegantly simple, Keith champions subtlety and sincerity in every home renovation he undertakes. In this edition of Sol Meets, we speak with Keith about lighting, layered design, and why industrial elements deserve a comeback.
Maison comes from a French word that translates into home or house; it is also a word that resonates flair and culture. The Interior Maison was founded with an interest in being a house of design with a sense of flair and creative culture.
My own design direction is ever evolving. However, one thing is for sure that I don’t follow trends or fads all too much; I listen more to the conversations and ask the right questions in discovering what’s best for my clients.
We believe that interior design is the chemistry of space, objects and people.
Once these three important factors are meticulously planned together and cared for, inevitably, the famous saying of “home is a feeling” sets in naturally.
Our design mainly revolves around our client’s brief or ideas, and we simply challenge ourselves to elevate and transform them into a statement or element in the design language of their homes. It is also one of the reasons why we prefer not to position ourselves as an interior design firm dedicated to one or two niche design styles, instead choosing to have a diverse portfolio where some of our designs can be seen as “interesting hybrids” of design themes.
Pictured Above: Halo Gypsum
The Gypsum series in all of its forms, the Halo, Voli®, and Boba! The concave design brings sophistication to the space, and it is always a therapeutic sight to behold from the side when you see the warm glow emitting from Halo Gypsum. I enjoy having them planned in my designs as they are like the cherry to a beautiful cake.
Embracing more simplicity and having less complexity. It is also in our recent designs where we want to bring out more by doing less. Embrace complex design ideas and streamline them in the end product.
Through the art of restraint. Just like in all matters of life, as we are being overloaded with decisions, events and information constantly, the same could be said in a home with many design considerations and wants happening at the same time. Being restrained in design or volume can lead to a more impactful or expressive outcome in the end.
I don’t usually anticipate something like that in mind and prefer to be surprised with a request from the client. It is more exciting this way. Be it having textiles framed as wall décor, out-of-the-world colours, or textures that need to be sourced from abroad, I await discovering the next challenge.
Lighting is sometimes one of the last few things that come to mind when planning for a renovation budget, or even the thought of considering false ceiling works. I often share with my clients that the right lights elevate and enhance your home interior design by many folds.
The ability to dim is sometimes underestimated, especially when you have the intention to host or spend a lot of family time at home. Ambience can be truly felt, and the atmosphere of the event can be really enhanced.
In order to help them make better choices, I simply arrange visits to Sol Luminaire®, as my clients will have a better visualisation of the lighting plan in person.
Sol Luminaire® contributes well to the industry by educating clients on the importance of qualitative lighting fittings, the right lighting temperature and introducing new designs that would go well in different design settings.
Do not over-stress and over-research; focus your efforts on finding the right ID that you can vibe with and connect well with. Doing just enough research to find your likes and dislikes will do, it provides a direction of design preference to your ID. As for the rest, just leave it to your ID to propose and discover together as a collaborative effort.
Enjoy this memorable milestone of seeing your house transform into your very own home sweet home.
I’d love to see more industrial design, but not in the form of all-out deconstructed or raw industrial material design. Moreso, the idea of using brushed metal finishes, deep refined colours and bold textures to add as either a statement design or refinement to the interior space.
