Measure Interior is a local design company to watch, having picked up national awards and attracted the attention of the most successful developers in the country. Sarah Rees meets the co-owner of the company to hear about a project that made 2014 a successful one.

Designers and developers are always looking forwards: planning the next project, predicting the next trend or simply trying to schedule launches and events months or even years ahead of time. While an eye on the future is undoubtedly key to ensure designers remain at the top of their field, it can sometimes be beneficial to occasionally take a moment to look back.

If Mastura and Joe, the husband and wife duo behind Measure Interior, a design company specialising in show unit, made a point of appraising 2014, they could only conclude it was a game-changing one for a company with a stellar reputation in the property world.

“Through Veo Kuala Lumpur, developed by Sime Darby Property, our company received The Best Residential Interior Design Award at the national level South East Asia Property Awards 2014. We were then ‘highly commended’ at the regional level of the awards,” explains Mastura, co-owner of Measure Interior.

She downplays the prestige, but the award was surely a delightful reward for a year of hard work on a project that will transform an area of the city and create inspired and modern new living spaces for those fortunate enough to snap up a unit.

The Veo is part of KL East, a residential development project by Sime Darby Property, and Mastura and Joe were invited into the project to design a show unit – their area of expertise. The pair was presented with the challenge of working with a two-unit area that could be used as one whole or two separate living areas.

Addressing this challenge underpinned the entire vision of and approach of the design, as Mastura explains: “the layout was designed to allow for flexibility of space usage and to showcase the potential of the space and enhance its versatility.”

This was achieved via a design innovation that focused on “the creation of more space, more light and more privacy”, crafting a unit that would inspire wouldbe buyers at the myriad possibilities for them and their families within the space.

The result is a beautiful, spacious unit that cleverly incorporates storage and features into hidden spaces, maximising every inch of the property for the person who would call it home.

“Storage compartments are practically invisible, having been cleverly converted from the existing space, and built into and against the wall to disguise their existence,” Mastura explains delightedly.

“What looks like a wall actually contains a laundry facility, complete with ironing board and shelves. A feature wall in the entrance walkway turns out to be a shoe and utility cabinet, and the dividing wall between the two parts of the units is converted into a fashionably-designed book shelf.”

The approach delivered exactly what was sought in the construction of The Veo, the complex in which the show unit was connected and the inaugural development in a grand residential project named KL East.

This new integrated township development will, upon completion, fill 153 acres of land in the foothills of the Klang Gates quartz ridge, the longest quartz ridge in the world, combining green spaces and a boutique shopping malls with various residential options comprising apartments, condominiums, and a hotel.

The Veo is the first part of the residential development, offering two towers of 30 storeys divided into 175 units and the choice of studios, 3-bedroom apartments, and duplex properties with a private deck.

Mastura and Joe’s show unit was the sole glimpse of the possibilities of life at The Veo presented to interested customers, and this responsibility was taken very seriously by the husband and wife partnership.

“We undertook full construction, from the ground up, mainly to control and ensure the quality, workmanship, and detailing of the unit to complement our interior design plans,” stresses Mastura. Their attention to detail paid off, with The Veo attracting the attention of customers soon after the show unit was launched and being recognised for design excellence by the Southeast Asia Property Awards 2014.

“Getting the award was a wonderful surprise, but it only spurs us on to the next project and to continue to make our work better,” says Mastura.

And their work continues at a heady pace, with the couple involved in creating a property gallery for the KL East project, as well as developing a show unit for Madge Mansions Kuala Lumpur, a high-end condominium developed by Gamuda Land.

With such a focus on quality and eyes that look upwards and onwards to the future, Measure Interior is set for a bright and brilliant future. The pair continue to thrive in an industry they adore, playing their part in the transformation of their city and helping people find their ideal home.

For more information on Measure Interior and their projects, visit www. measureinterior.com.