Top young interior designer speaks to AboutProperty
Thursday, 6 October 2011 4:20 PM
Tony Tan, Janine Stone's Young Interior Designer of the Year 2011, speaks to AboutProperty on his exciting future and gives some tips for next year's hopefuls.
Winning the inaugural competition last year has landed Tan a six-month internship at Janine Stone, a position he is relishing.
And interior design students are now being given the chance to compete for next year's internship, along with a £10,000 first prize.
Final year undergraduates from UK universities studying interior design or a related subject are given the chance to design a 450 sq metre lateral apartment set in any major world city for the competition and the best design will be announced in April 2012.
Last year's winner Tony Tan tells us about how it felt to win and offers some invaluable advice to interior design students who might have their eye on the top prize:
So Tony, how did it feel to be the inaugural winner?
I was thrilled to win such a prestigious competition and have the opportunity to join Janine Stone on an internship. It was a great night and I met many professionals in the design industry.
How's the internship going?
I have just begun my internship at Janine Stone and I am excited for the future. I am already immersed in helping to create design concepts and have been involved in supporting the work for the next competition.
Any tips for this year's entrants?
Prepare your work in advance and ensure you give yourself time to fully develop your visuals. Be creative and really think carefully about how you can transform the space into something beautiful and practical as the space is quite small; it will require attention to detail.
What do you think of this year's brief?
This year's brief is dynamic and will challenge students to think about the relationship between the chosen site, the living style and how the culture of the chosen country will affect the design. They may want to consider how the relatively small space can be transformed to fulfil the client's aspirations for an aesthetically pleasing design, but combined with the practical purpose of the space.
What's the situation like for young interior designers trying to get a break?
I feel incredibly fortunate to have the chance of working within one of the world's leading architect and interior design practices, but the current climate in the UK generally is challenging. Internships provide invaluable experience and I would recommend fellow students seek out as many opportunities to get in front of industry professionals and work with companies to help maximise their chances of securing a job.
What other ways can interior design students distinguish themselves from the crowd?
Entering competitions to showcase your talents to the industry is a good route and try to get to the leading design events like Focus and Decorex as well as the design festivals which happen throughout the year.
This year there's money on offer to the universities whose students do well in the competition, what effect do you think that'll have?
Any financial support universities receive can really assist the course and help the students. The £1,000 on offer to the top five university entrants this year will be welcomed as it will help them purchase expensive books and equipment.
What kind of interior design style do you admire?
I really admire a relaxed Mediterranean style; the warm Tuscan yellows and earth tones are the perfect foil to azure blue skies and the rustic textures work to create a harmonious mood.
AboutProperty will be following the progress of this year's competition through to the award ceremony in April 2012.
Want to be the first to know when we break a story? Follow @AboutProperty on Twitter and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter.
