The building blocks to reliable and quality interior designs

It’s hard to find an interior designer who can visualize your perfect home; it’s even harder to find someone whom you can trust to take full control of your project. Be it a residential or commercial space, it is important to create a personal identity and to convey an emotional connection through the interior design. For a home, it may be designing a space that brings you peace of mind at the end of a long work day; for a business, it is a matter of solidifying your brand identity and creating an image that echoes the products and services you provide.

Whatever your needs may be, it is incredibly important to entrust this task to someone who can create the right mood and utilize a space to suit your needs. But giving this responsibility to an interior designer can be a difficult decision; especially when Hong Kong homeowners have had largely negative experiences with their designers and contractors.

According to Nison Chan, managing director and founder of Zchron Design, repeat business for an interior designer is a rare thing in Hong Kong. “Most of the time, homeowners end up being unhappy with the results, it could be because the designs do not turn out the way the client envisioned, or the craftsmanship is questionable or simply because projects are rarely delivered on time,” he explains.

With a focus dedicated specifically to luxury properties—apartments that are at least 2,000 square feet and houses at are at least 3,000 square feet—Chan and his team pride themselves in delivering what they promise. “We create three-dimensional renderings that we follow strictly during the entire project. We are able to create homes that are at least 95 per cent identical to these renderings. There will be no surprises when the project is completed.”

Previously under Krishom Design, Chan set up Zachron Design this past year as a subsidiary that caters exclusively to residential projects. This, he explains, allows the team to be more focused. “From contractors to sourcing, commercial and residential projects are very different. By setting up two different branches, we are able to separately target the needs of these two groups of clients.”

But more importantly, this diversification grew out of a need to brand the company as a leading name in interior design. “There is a lack of branded interior design firms in Hong Kong. I feel this is what the market needs because clients want to turn to someone with a good reputation, someone they can rely on to do a good job, to deliver on time and to create designs that capture what they want. Through this branding, I want to represent ourselves as reliable designers that deliver top-quality designs and craftsmanship,” says Chan.

The designer admits that it is all about working closely with clients to turn their dream homes into reality. Many clients, Chan says, want to give input into their designs. From furniture sourcing trips to Europe to brainstorming sessions, communication is key to customer satisfaction.

But often, a client’s visions are simply not viable. This is where the designer and his team should step in. “We have to guide each client and give them our professional opinion; when we know what they want is not going to be visually appealing or functional, it is our responsibility to tell them.”

The vast experience of Chan and his team makes them a trusted authority on the subject, and gives them a defining edge that keeps clients coming back. And with ultra-luxury property and commercial projects such as Carlsberg, Dairy Farm and the Kuwait Consulate under his belt, it is easy to understand why Chan is the go-to source for quality designs.

“We are very proud to say that a lot of clients come to us by word-of-mouth referral,” he says. “We truly value their business because it means they believe in our ability to create great designs and service.”

FAST FACTS

• 1994 -- Nison Chan starts Krishom Design Group to cater to clients in both the commercial and residential markets, providing design and project management to completion

• 1994-2011 – Conceived and improved the ‘design and build’ concept for commercial clients, such as Hang Seng Bank, Sincere Deparment Store, Wellcome Supermarket and SaSa Cosmetics Company and others

• 2006 – Started Zchron Design to cater strictly to the residential market