“Interior design is a business of trust” – Venus Williams; that is the firm belief of the team at Dot Works who are determined to alleviate their clients’ concerns by taking care of all their interior design needs and executing these designs meticulously. Although Dot Works can still be considered a new firm in the interior design scene, they have achieved much within their year of establishment and this winner of the Rising Star Award in 2015 will certainly continue to see their star rising.
Qanvast: What is the story behind the birth of your interior design firm, Dot Works?
Dot Works (DW): Our founder, Jake Chow, started off as a project coordinator in an interior design firm, and it was in that job that gave him the highest sense of satisfaction in interior designing, he decided to pursue a career in interior design as he had a passion for turning an empty room into a beautiful well-planned and designed space. This led to the establishment of Dot Works which represents our collective passion, experience, efforts, initiatives and inspirations.
Qanvast: Does your company have a design philosophy?
DW: Yes. We believe that a good design is able to change people’s lifestyles. To push this view further, we believe that a great design can even change the world. Everyone deserves to live in a wonderful environment.
Qanvast: How do you make sure that a space is attuned to your client’s needs?
DW: We put thought into making spaces work, delivering concepts and understanding how the homeowners move around in the space and interact with their environment. When we are working on corporate projects, we have to also take into consideration the brand of the business, its history and the business context.
Qanvast: Which of your completed projects are you most proud of?
DW: Definitely the Yue Studio project. The design of this music academy was inspired by Taiwanese street style and it received a lot of reposts and shares on Facebook. We were very delighted by the attention that this project drew. The owners of Yue Studio also told us that a lot of potential students sent in inquiries even before enrollment for their academy was announced. We were happy to know that our design contributed to boosting their business indirectly.
Qanvast: What is your firm’s signature style?
DW: In both our residential and corporate projects, we always place an emphasis on lighting. We love to make use of lighting to create focal points in the house - whether it is a glamorous feature wall, a grand imported décor display or some other special furnishing or work of carpentry.
Lighting serves different purposes and solves various dilemmas in the overall design environment. Different layers and heights of lighting are able to create an ambience that affects one’s mood and emotions on a whole, including one’s performance, whether at work or at home.
Qanvast: How do you find inspiration?
DW: Our team has a ‘Resources’ chatroom where we can share links and pictures of creative interiors with each other. Whenever we spot something interesting on social media, magazines and creative websites, you can be sure that we would spread the word to all the members of the team through this chatroom. Regardless of position or title, we ensure that everyone in our organization is learning new things everyday.
In addition, we make sure to always set aside time to attend exhibitions and talks by industry leaders so that we can gain extra knowledge and find inspiration for our designs.
Qanvast: What interior design tips would you give to homeowners?
DW: When designing their home, homeowners should always keep the purpose of their home in mind – is it for their own stay or for rental purposes? This purpose is closely linked to the budget that is set aside for renovation. If the home is for rent, there would be a greater need to spend more on the design as it would affect the value of the home. However, if the home is for their own, then homeowners might want to pay more attention to designing their home in such a way that would represent or enhance their identity.
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