Interviews
Expat Living Singapore interviewed our Principal Designer, Arjan Nijen Twilhaar. They asked about sustainability in interior design and what to look out for when planning your next renovation project. Below is the transcript of the article:
Good for planet and soul!
Sustainable home interior design reflects a commitment to protecting the future of the planet – something we all know is a high priority. But what exactly are these practices, and how can we incorporate them? Find out we take on sustainable home interior design and how to create an environment that works for both the planet and you.
How has sustainability in home interior design developed over the past few years?
A lot of emphasis has been placed on renewable resources and using products that lower the carbon footprint. However, I believe it is the longevity of the materials and the aesthetic that should be at the core of each scheme and material selection.
For example, let’s look at one of the largest surfaces that make a design impact – flooring. A popular choice now is vinyl flooring, a cheap alternative to hardwood floors. Most brands produce this material fairly sustainably, but vinyl flooring is still a product that does not age well and often gets replaced in the short term. Hardwood flooring may well be a better option.
Another area to be aware of is how products are made – for example, if they produce harmful gasses like formamide. Although I do try and support local and smaller businesses, it seems suppliers haven’t caught up with this issue as yet. I therefore usually use Benjamin Moore paints, which do not produce harmful gasses.
Longevity of materials should be at the core of a sustainable design scheme
What sustainable materials are really making an impact in home interior design?
Heirloom quality should be at the core of each decision. This means choosing good, quality material that has lasting power against changing styles and trends. When we selected bathroom tiles for our own bathroom 12 years ago, we picked neutral tiles with a natural finish. I added some wood on the vanities and a stone on the countertop. After more than a decade, I am still happy with this choice.
The same goes with furniture choices. One of my first furniture purchases was a suite of Provençale French furniture from the 1800s. These pieces have travelled with me from the Netherlands to the US, Hong Kong and eventually here in Singapore. More than 30 years later, I still love the pieces. This is true sustainability – these are items that can easily pass down generations and they also have a sentimental value.
Choosing quality pieces that have longevity in quality and style is key
Does sustainable design mean a bigger bill at the end?
While the initial outlay might be higher, in the long run you can save substantially. We get a lot of requests to do renovations on the cheap, which we always decline. Using inferior materials, cheap chipboard furniture and mass produced items seems to be a short-term solution to renovating and interior design. For some furniture pieces, you pay a premium because it’s made out of solid wood or natural fabric, but then these pieces can last years.
What tips can you give on waste reduction?
We all accumulate products, often bought cheaply and of a low quality. If you invest in items that you can use for longer, this helps to reduce waste. I recently changed my dining table; we had a good five years use out of it, but I decided to go a different direction. Because we bought a good quality, timeless piece, we were able to sell it within two hours, for about half the cost we paid. It went to a new loving home where it can be used for many more years.
For my very first home, I decorated with many hand-me-downs; some items I upcycled, some items were perfectly fine still. We need to come back to that habit of looking for items that have more life in them. Unfortunately, recycling furniture and purchasing second hand, vintage or even antique pieces is not an overriding trend in Singapore just yet.
Why is good home interior design so important for a person’s wellbeing?
When I was young, I realised how interiors made me feel or how they changed my experience. I noticed how they changed my emotions and the people around me. Interiors impact all our senses.
This has become more evident through the pandemic as our time at home has increased. Well-appointed homes envelop you with belonging, while familiarity helps to soothe and relax you. One element is space, and while we might not have large spaces to live in, we can plan our homes to hide clutter, and use items that bring enjoyment and happiness.
This can come from the simplest things. Every morning, I drink my coffee from a Wedgwood mug. I purchased it in my early days of earning. The history and quality not only brings joy, but it elevates that simple morning routine to an experience to enjoy.
Homes provides shelter and a place to live, but they are so much more than that, especially when you live a hectic life, or you travel or uproot frequently. Creating a home that is familiar helps reduce stress and creates affinity and attachment.
What principles of home interior design can have an effect on mental health and wellness?
The way a home is laid out and how each space functions, is important. One of the most important things we seem to have lost is a foyer. To me, this is the perfect decompression zone. We may not all be blessed with that space but we can make simple tweaks to create it. From adding a simple cased opening to de-mark the space to erecting some walls to create a foyer.
Foyer design is a lost art, but so important as the welcoming zone to the home
Meal time is also an important aspect. To have a dedicated dining space – away from a television or other distractions – is a must for my own home. Again, I see this tradition slowly fading, where homes don’t even have space for a dining table.
Another area that should reflect calm and tranquillity is the bedroom – this should be a personal space that cocoons you and helps you unwind and relax. Often we see clients running out of budget when it comes to designing the master bedroom, but here window treatments, bedding and artwork play an important role.
I like to design homes where the elements keep revealing themselves, and there is something to discover each time you look. These might not be apparent on first glance (for example a marbled skirting), but the depth of layering in the details is what makes homes interesting and shows personality.
When designing for clients, I like to find out what pieces have meaning and history for them. Objects gathered over the years are a great way to keep giving that home personality, comfort and a familiarity that you want from a well-designed home.
In 2019 we completed a wonderfully eclectic terraced house for the Dharmaraj family. With their mixed roots from Thailand, India and Singapore, we took the Silk Road as an inspiration, mixing Lanna Colonial vibes with English Cottage aesthetics. Happitat interviewed the home owners and they share their experience of the renovation process and how they live their daily lives in their new home.
You can read the full article here:
Traveling the World with the Dharmarajs’ in their Tanah Merah Home
Sometimes inspiration comes with unusual combinations, that eventually work very well together as a cohesive scheme. In this article, we explore this Peranakan/Japandi scheme and how this tired looking apartment got a fresh update with a feminine touch.
You can read the article here:
Real Homes Transformations: A Hybrid of Themes that Transformed this Condominium Unit
Luxury online magazine Coveted selected Aiden T as one of the top 10 interior designers in Singapore. We are very proud to be part of this list of wonderful designers based on our little red dot. Below is the link to the full interview with Coveted, where our Principal Designer shares his views on interior design, upcoming tends and his approach towards design.
COVETED EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AIDEN T STUDIO – Covet Edition
Arjan joins a panel of international interior designers to pick his top choice colour of the year. For 2019, his colour choice was a deep vibrant green as well as a mustard yellow accents. To see all the designers’ choices and read more about the colour choice, you can read the article here:
Colour of the Year 2019 by 100 Top Interior Designers | QS Supplies
Arjan was interviewed by online magazine Boulevard. He shares his approach to interior design and what to look for when selecting an interior designer for your project.
You can read the article here
Luxury interior designers and their stunning home tours | Boulevard
Our principal designer, Arjan Nijen Twilhaar joins an international panel of interior designers to pick the colour of the year. For 2018 he picked a blush pink, in line with the trend for warmer hues and softer colours for the home.
You can read the article here:
Colour of the Year 2018 – 105 Interior Designers Views on Colour Trends (qssupplies.co.uk)
In 2018, Aiden T was awarded Best Residential Interior Designer, 2018 by LUC magazine. Below is the transcript of the interview with our Principal Designer, Arjan Nijen Twilhaar.
Transcript of the article in LUX Magazine – 2018
Aiden T is a boutique interior design firm supporting a range of residential clients and helping them to create a home they can be proud of. We invited Principal Designer Arjan Nijen Twilhaar to talk us through his role in the firm’s incredible success.
Dutch-born Arjan Nijen Twilhaar helms Aiden T, an interior design firm based in Singapore, specialising in residential projects. For its residential clients, the firm designs apartments and homes and offer full interior architecture services as well as interior design.
The company was founded 2005 and Arjan still helms the company as the principal designer. He shares an insight into his inspiration and how he draws on this to provide exceptional service to every client.
“As a child, I was always intrigued how interior design affects the sensory experience and affect the mood and wellbeing. During my childhood travels, I was amazed how people started to whisper when walking into a cathedral or how the mood changed walking into a palace or a well-appointed hotel. Interior design has this impact on our perceptions, how we feel and ultimately, how we live our lives.
“Interior design can transport you – just like fashion and the clothes you wear. The home is the essence of one’s true self, and your sense of style directs very much how you live your daily life. I like clean and collected interiors that incorporate unique and individual pieces, helping to create an atmosphere that is timeless and original. In order to achieve this, the overall design needs to be cohesive and all-inclusive. That is why my preference is to work on complete overhaul renovation projects or new build homes. Starting at the foundation of with interior architecture, I can dictate the flow of the home and address each element of the design to come together into one full experience.
“While not all clients have the same vision, my aim is to move the company towards working on projects where I have the opportunity to implement this design vision. Key is that each project has the basic fundamentals of clarity, proportion and proper light. It is important to me that each space shares a connection – a flow that offers new viewpoints with elements of surprise.”
Understanding the integral importance of interior design on the wellbeing of clients, Arjan and his team work hard to create truly unique designs that offer clients something more than just space, as he highlights.
“At Aiden T, our design approach always comes from a point how the design will enhance the wellbeing and lifestyle of our clients. Interior design and its philosophies are still pretty new in Singapore. While most people will hire a contractor to do up their place, few firms offer a cohesive design approach based on the owners’ personal style and taste. What sets us apart is not only the personal touches on each project, but also incorporating the old and new in a contemporary design approach.
“Personally, the greatest compliment I can get is how the new home improved my clients daily living. A certain ease in daily functions – like having a power point in the right spot, but also that sense of unwinding at the end of the day. This is why I prefer homes with some character and personality – a certain softness through the use of materials and heirloom quality furniture pieces or accessories. These features characterise my designs and are what clients are attracted to.”
Moving forward, Arjan intends to branch out, working not only for Aiden T but also creating his own brand that will help him to get his name out and showcase his talent to an even wider range of clients, as he proudly concludes.
“As I look to the future and how I can continue to enhance my success, I intend for my core business under the Aiden T brand will be more streamlined and I want to be able to put more of a personal stamp on each project. This will mean fewer projects per annum, but more creative projects and more experimentation with new materials and such. Each project will be more bespoke, and I want to be more involved in each aspect of the design.
“Alongside my work for Aiden T, to cater to the larger market I am starting a sub-brand, catering to more entrée level project. For this brand, I will design five to eight new designs each year which will be introduced in the market. Clients can then pick and choose these pre-designed homes and adapt them to their own home. A team of interior designers will tweak the designs to meet the needs of the clients – but the idea is to keep the basic design elements in place and work on turnkey projects, including packages towards styling and interior decorating. These projects will be more economical as we will introduce tried and tested working methods and designs.”
Winning the Innovators in Design award, 2017 by BUILD Magazine was a great privilege. The magazine interviewed our Principal Designer, Arjan Nijen Twilhaar, and asked about how he incorporates new trends, materials and methods of construction into his projects.
You can view the article here:
We were invited to join a panel of international interior designers to pick a colour trend for the upcoming year. This year our Principal Designer, Arjan Nijen Twilhaar picked a teal colour – a colour that straddles the cool and warm tones and add some punch to any interior.
You can read all the picks of the panel here:
Colour of the Year 2017 – 100 Interior Designers Views on Colour Trends (qssupplies.co.uk)
