Editorial . Partnerships
In Conversation . 4 Minute Read
EightyTwo x CDL
A Design Conversation with Terence Neo
2022 marks the 10th anniversary of EightyTwo. With this milestone, EightyTwo is looking beyond the horizon to commemorate a decade-long in this business. Earlier this year, we collaborated with City Developments Ltd and organised a webinar for their home buyers. Our co-founder Terence Neo took the opportunity to share the story of EightyTwo, his thoughts on transforming a house into a home, and what lies ahead as a lifestyle brand.
The webinar was organised in partnership with City Developments Limited for home buyers of Irwell Hill Residences, Nouvel 18, Boulevard 88, Amber Park, and more prestigious CDL condominiums.
A Decade of Design Excellence
CDL:
I hear this is your 10th anniversary of in this design business. Congratulations on the significant milestone. I hear regional expansions are on the horizon. Could you share with us a bit about the genesis of EightyTwo?
Terence:
EightyTwo was founded based on our deeply rooted passions in designs, our desire to defy conventions and to create a difference in the industry. For the most part, our longevity and success really came from our clients who believed in us and allowed us to achieve this success through their trust.
The key to building this trust really is in the spirit of collaboration with our clients. And in the last decade, we have accumulated quite a few really good clients, especially those who endured the Covid pandemic in 2020 together with us. This year, given the re-stabilisation, we have big ambitions to roll out expansion plans into Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Photographed at Martin Modern
Great Design - A Way of Life For All
CDL:
That sounds exciting. Once again congratulations on reaching this milestone. We can’t wait to hear more. Now tell us, what is the philosophy of EightyTwo?
Terence:
We believe great design should be a way of life for all. Great designs are not just good concepts and ideas, but also understanding its users, the overall ergonomics it provides, as well as the meaning it gives to the space. A lot of consideration needs to be given in creating an ambiance for the home, especially with our bustling and stressful lifestyles these days. It is important to convert your main living spaces into a sanctuary to spend meaningful time with loved ones, to collect your thoughts, to recharge, and to rest.
For me personally, great designs also need to have the ability to not just be transformational, but also transformative to its user. Good design always considers its user. And our paradigms have shifted; houses have taken a change to become a little bit more work oriented. An interior designer must not just be able to design a home office, but rather creative homes for people to intentionally live and work.
“Great designs are not just good concepts and ideas,
but also understanding its users,
the overall ergonomics it provides,
as well as the meaning it gives to the space.”
- Terence Neo
The Beauty of Simplicity
CDL:
And do you have a signature style?
Terence:
I have always believed in the beauty of simplicity and timelessness. Designs should always stand the test of time.
We have a general disinclination for anything too decorative and ornamental. Homes should be an extension of ourselves to allow for an authentic way of living.
The designs that we curate must always reflect the homeowners’ personality. We subscribe to understated luxury that connects people and nature.
To us, luxury is in the carefully considered elements not just in regard to its form, but also its materiality, the details, textures, and the overall sensibilities.
CDL:
Sounds great, Terrence. How about trends? Please give your expert opinion on them. Do you personally like any trends, whether it's Minimalism, Scandinavian, Mid Century Modern, Contemporary, Wabi Sabi, Japandi or perhaps you have your own style and don't follow trends?
Terence:
For me, I advocate timelessness. Trends fade because they carry a shelf life. That is also why it goes against our thinking to follow trends. They are more applicable to fashion with Spring/ Summer and Fall/ Winter seasons. That said, one can still draw inspiration using some of these elements from such trends. You want it to be a bit more tasteful and not to the point of being too overly polarizing. You want these elements to be versatile, but moveable and not permanent fixtures that you cannot undo. For example, if it's the season for perhaps a certain shade of green, you can paint your walls as you can sort of reverse that process in time to come.
An Organic and Time Honed Process
CDL:
How about sharing with homeowners your process?
How do you go about doing this?
Terence:
At EightyTwo, we tend to do things very differently. The process we have developed allows us to understand our client’s design brief a lot better. We start with an interview to find out their work profession, hobbies, things that excite them, etc. We don't start with what they need because we aim to uncover what they truly want. Interior design is the key to their lifestyle. It is a deep understanding of the space, its history, the ergonomics and its user.
It’s far more important to know what the homeowner looks forward to at the end of the day, and how the house can perhaps in some ways create an intangible value. We are also against recycling ideas or concepts because every user is different. Our processes are organic, starting from understanding our clients to proposing bespoke solutions for each different context.
3 Tips For Renovating and Designing Your New Home
CDL:
3 top tips for new homeowners before they start renovating and designing their new homes?
Terence:
Understand what your interior designer will be able to provide you in terms of the overall design language, design philosophy, price point/ budget, as well as the overall chemistry with the designer to establish that alignment from the onset. You're embarking on this journey together to create your dream home, so it’s really important that your interior designer shares a level of alignment with yourself.
Set aside a budget for good quality. When you invest in quality, you buy right, you buy once. Quality is also something that we advocate a lot in our work. In fact, for us, quality is a form of luxury and the true definition of luxury is not about having shiny chromed brass or gold finishing. It's truly about quality craftsmanship. It's important to be aligned as a couple before you move into the design phase. At the end of the day, it's a home for the family.
It would be good to have that important conversation to understand each of your whims and fancies and requirements before your first design consultation so that the designer will receive clearer direction to develop better concepts that meet your expectations. Try to collate a visual diary so that it is much easier to communicate ideas across to the designer.
CDL:
Any last pointer to share with homeowners?
Terence:
This is really something close to the heart: the mission of EightyTwo is to debunk the general misconception that interior design is just home renovation. I think interior design is much more meaningful and it definitely goes beyond what most people would assume. It's actually a true reflection of us, its users, its personality, and its unique identity. It goes beyond that of just everyday functionality. For me designs are experiential, creating that intrinsic feeling to our senses. It's emotional, it's evolutionary to life. And I find that we should take a different view towards what interior design is about and elevate the general perception.
Further Reading
Of Creativity & Flair
To allow for our creative works to come through, our brand has been deliberately pared down to its distilled essence. By employing subtlety and considering the finest of details, the EightyTwo brand is about refinement and timelessness.
