Singapore-based celebrity interior designer

Peter Tay

April, 2022

This month, Asia Designers Directory casts the spotlight on Peter Tay, a celebrity interior designer whose star-studded client list includes Zhang Ziyi and Stephanie Sun. Peter graduated from the Architectural Association in London in 2000 and worked with world-leading contemporary architects before starting his practice, Peter Tay Studio in 2001. His commercial projects include boutiques and showrooms for Manolo Blahnik, Armani Casa, Louis Poulsen and Maxalto on boutiques and showrooms, as well as luxury showflats for the likes of SC Global, Guocoland, CDL and Hotel Properties Limited.

In 2014, Peter won the prestigious “Designer of the Year” award in Singapore. In 2021, he won the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’  awarded by the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS). In 2013, Peter published a monograph. He is also making a difference as an educator who has been lecturing at various design institutions for over a decade.

 

You have worked on celebrity homes, as well as commercial projects for renowned brands and developers. What are your considerations when working on different projects?

I think it is important to understand the identity of the brand and its owner. When I was designing for celebrities like Stefanie Sun and Wang Leehom, their music served as inspiration for the space. Similarly, I pair brand identities with interior design in my commercial projects.  This is where design consideration comes in when creating a specific space for the brand and its owner.

 

How would you describe your design style?

I would describe my design style as modern simplicity, often with a slight touch of luxury. More importantly, it is about creating a simple space that will endure the test of time, yet bringing out the idea of “home” within.

 

 

 

One of your signatures is using reflections in a space. What inspires this design concept and how do you bring in this element in your designs?

Design is also about creating the duality within. It is also about how I see myself as an artist transforming the space, and finally it is about bringing the exterior within. These are the elements that create the duality within.

 

 

You are an avid furniture collector, what kind of pieces are you particularly drawn to?

I am particularly drawn to modern classic pieces, including pieces from the 50s that embody rich historical meaning in it.

 

Having been in the industry for about two decades, do you feel that you have evolved professionally and how?

Yes, I see my designs change over time. The motivation for what I do professionally has also evolved. While I have been very fortunate to be working on many celebrity homes and projects with strong brand names, I have started to embark on pro bono services like designing for churches and hospitals for the underprivileged in Cambodia. Interestingly, and more importantly, this journey brings me back full circle to when I was a designer who started from nothing. This is a very humbling and gratifying journey for me on both a professional and personal level.

 

Apart from being a renowned interior designer, you have also launched your own books and exhibitions. Are you exploring other creative outlets in the near future?

Following my first book book launch in 2013, I am in the midst of preparing to publish a second book. More importantly, through various avenues, my main goal as a designer is spreading design to the community. Through this exchange, we can share about design and facilitate learning.

 

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on boutiques for Franck Muller and V-ZUG – brands which have an international presence and many branches in Asia including countries like Singapore, China and Malaysia. I am also working on many penthouses, bungalows and even showflats.

 

 

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