Eye for Detail
D EDITORS ANSWERS EVERY BRIEF WITH BESPOKE INTERIORS MADE FOR EVERY CLIENT
Kat Tan, director of D Editors, wears many hats. Not only is she the Design Director of her firm, she also holds the role of Vice-president of The Society of Interior Designers, Singapore (SIDS). Through it all, she flies the flag for interior design projects in Singapore and with the Republic’s dealings abroad. “Our designers need to travel out of Singapore to exchange ideas and viewpoints with our overseas peers,” she says. “This will help to broaden their perspectives and they can bring back fresh ideas and inspiration to Singapore and recreate them in new and exciting designs.”
SIDS has also recently launched the SIDE programme to “expose, experience, export” local talents and foster relationships between local and overseas designers. Tan places much emphasis on innovative designs and meticulous work as calling cards for D Editors. Since its inception six years ago, the firm strives to design memorable spaces for residential and corporate clients. D Editor’s latest projects include a Good Class Bungalow in District 10 as well as an apartment at Gramercy Park. “We bring happiness to our clients by providing attentive service and new innovation in every project,” she says.
Which design styles do you specialise in?
I would say contemporary. But in the last two years, through working with new clients, I have adopted a more mature and timeless approach towards my designs. The “D” in D Editors stands for “Design”, and “Editors” refers to our ability to edit the information in the brief and develop it into a design concept that suits the client’s lifestyle.
What types of clients do you usually work with?
We are pretty selective with our clients and we want to work with people who appreciate design. We have also designed offices and restaurants in the past. I hope we will cross paths with these projects again in time to come.
Tell us about your design process.
First, I study the client’s lifestyle and personality, looking at what they are lacking, and develop from there. We will analyse the brief and start out with a layout plan, and develop it into 3D visuals following the material and colour selection. Some clients are still very reserved about trying new colours. As designers, we have to convince them to be daring enough to accept new colours. One way is by encouraging them to change their dress code as your lifestyle depends a lot on your own fashion sense.
What are your guiding principles?
Details are the main ingredients for a great and soulful design. It’s not just about modern, simple lines. We always add layers to our designs to make them more threedimensional looking. Quality and accuracy are also paramount.
Could you name one of your most memorable projects?
Years ago, I attended a concert by Taiwanese singer David Tao and hoped that I could design his home one day. Over 10 years later, I was blessed to be assigned to design his apartment in Singapore. As an artiste, Tao’s requirements were different from those of regular clients. He wanted the flexibility to be able to work anywhere in his house. I designed a multifunctional cabinet that housed his wine chiller, wine glasses and printer. That was the first piece of furniture I had ever customised; from there, I started designing a piece of furniture for every one of my projects.
What’s on the cards for D Editors?
I would like to conduct more talks for design students and professionals. I also hope to have a line of custom-built furniture locally and overseas, and work with specialists who produce special finishes that we can apply to our furniture and interior design work.