The interior design industry in Malaysia is tough to break in to but with only two years in the scene, this firm has amassed over 20 successful projects with many more in their pipeline. We were intrigued by their quick rise in the industry so we spoke to Isaac and Sheila the founder and co-founder of Mieux Design to find out more about the firm and their beliefs.
Talk to us about the inception of Mieux Design? What inspired you to start your own firm and what is the story behind the name?
Mieux Design was born from the idea of wanting to create an interior design firm that doesn’t follow trends but instead ensures that the end goal is to create a personalised and unique space for its occupants. Our main idea with this firm is to bring more character and charisma into timeless homes. The word Mieux is adopted from the French language, it translates to better or best. We were inspired by the various fashion brands that were founded in France, a majority of which exude class and luxury. By picking the name Mieux, we believe that as a brand we can stand out by creating better and classier designs.
On a more personal note, what inspires you both as an individual and as an interior designer?
Similar to my reason for founding Mieux Design, I am motivated by the need to create designs that are one of a kind. I like the personal satisfaction that comes from seeing all these ideas come to reality. My passion for this is what drove me to pursue interior design in the first place.
What is the most frustrating and the most rewarding thing about being an interior designer?
One of the biggest challenges as a creator is to have clients who accept your ideas and design language wholeheartedly. Along the way, we have encountered many property owners who were not ready to accept our way of design and preferred to stick to more traditional concepts. What’s rewarding is when these ideas are accepted and we watch these ideas come to life. It makes us happy when clients respect us as designers and trust that we can help them by designing a space that is new and innovative.
Tell us more about the design beliefs of your interior design firm? What sets Mieux Design apart from other firms?
Mieux Designs belief is that we design based on the lifestyles, habits and characteristics of the occupants who live in the property. We make sure that we capture these details to make certain that we create a unique space to fit their everyday needs. For example, livings rooms don’t necessarily have to have a television in it. Some people prefer reading to watching TV so we cater to that idea instead. Your home should be an extension of your personality and not a trendsetting space.
Aside We as a brand pride ourselves in being innovative. We always want to ensure that no two properties are alike. We don’t want designs to be the same.
For readers who aren’t familiar with the Mieux Design brand, what would you like them to know?
We as a brand pride ourselves in being innovative. We always want to ensure that no two properties are alike. We don’t want designs to be the same. Communication with the client is a very important part of this process. We want to know everything about you that will make the design process easier.
Your firm is daily new in the industry but you’ve amassed quite a number of projects thus far, what do you credit your success to?
We are very lucky because we’ve achieved a lot just through word of mouth alone. Mieux Design doesn’t overpromise, always doing our best, which is why in only 2 years we’ve managed to complete over 20 projects with only 5 people on our team. We truly believe in quality over quantity.
What has been your most memorable project thus far?
Our first project has to be the most memorable one. Usually, first projects are given by friends or acquaintances but this was from a stranger which truly touched us. We’re ever so grateful for that opportunity that helped us start our firm. Even with a language barrier, the homeowners gave us their complete trust and we created a family home. The project is called ‘Dancing with the Stone”.
What lessons have you learned about the industry that are important?
The biggest lesson that we’ve learned is that its important to be responsible for our clients and projects. Whatever promises that we’ve made need to be delivered no matter what. Integrity is very important in this industry.
What does the future look like for Mieux Design? What is your vision for the brand?
We are looking at expanding but as I said before, we value the quality of quantity so we are picky with who we hire into our firm. We’ve also got many projects in the pipeline that we are excited for so readers can look out for them on Atap or our Facebook page.