Interview
Zoe Lee
1 Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your design background.
I am Zoe Lee, an interior designer with over 16 years of experience working on several high-end retail, commercial and hospitality projects. I have had the opportunity to hone my craft and learn while working for some of the best design firms like Burdifilek, Kokai Studios throughout my career. Some of the award-winning projects that I have been involved to name a few are: Indigo bookstore, Mackage, The Plant Queen West in North America; Toni & guy salon, St Regis Hotel, Renaissance Hotel
2 What made you become/why did you choose to become a designer/artist?
In my teenage years I took up some drawing lessons, it is during these formative years that I began to fell in love with the arts. I decided to enroll in an interior design course and have not look back since. I truly enjoy curating spaces, dressing up walls and adding finishes to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing built environment for people to live in.
3 Tell us more about your business/company, job profile, and what you do.
Dexign Matter, based in GTA, is a multi-disciplne design firm. We specialize in providing design services for the residential and commercial sectors. We offer custom design solutions to our clients and pride ourselves in producing quality design works. Some of the services we offer includes space planning, creative concept solutions, branding design, drawings and docuemtations.
4 What does “design” mean to you?
Design is open ended. It can be as simple as creating a palette of colors, textures, materials to dress up a space or be as complex as manipulating spaces thru shifting walls, adding levels of structure to improve space efficiency.
5 What’s your favorite kind of design and why?
Concept designs. In reality, there are several factors such as time, budget and schedule that would affect the outcome of a specific design. However, it would be really cool if we can just be free and come up with an idea/design that doesn
6 To you, what makes a “good” design?
A good design is not defined by a specific style or how it looks. A design is the perfect solution to a problem and when your clients are overly satisfied with the end result, that to me is a good design.
7 Describe your design style and its main characteristics.
Expressive design that comprises of the exploration of materials, forms and patterns.
8 Tell us about your design process.
We tackle every design project with a step-by-step approach. From gathering information and project parameters until the unveiling of the final product, each stage having equal importance in coming up with the perfect design solution. The conceptual development stage, however is key to my design. It is during this stage that we unlock the design possibilities, where we establish and create the narrative that will define the project.
9 Do you think your country and its cultural heritage has an impact on your design process?
In some measure yes. As human beings we are all shaped and influence by our past, similarly in design, our ideas and inspiration are somewhat impacted by what we have been accustomed to.
10 Congratulations! As the winner of the 2021 MUSE Design Awards, what does it mean to you and your company and team to receive this award distinction?
It means a lot to me and my company. In essence it is a validation of our hard work and is essential to the continued success of our business.
11 Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2021 MUSE Design Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
The Cube Nail Lab to me was an example of how a meticulously curated space can provide a perfect built environment for the end users. With a tight interior space to begin with, it was imperative that the design was laid out in a way that would maximize every inch of the space and provide the utmost planning efficiency. In this project we also had the benefit of establishing from scratch the client
12 What was the biggest challenge with this project?
The tight space that somehow limited some of the ideas that we wanted to implement in the project.
13 How has winning an Award developed your practice/career?
It is critical to always continue to develop and progress my design craft. Winning an award lets me know that my creations are being acknowledge by industry leaders and is a great satisfaction.
14 What are your top three (3) favorite things about our industry?
That each project is unique The holistic nature of interior design knowing that things like building codes, building systems, furnishings, traffic patterns etc all these needs to be taken into account. The aesthetic component.
15 What makes your country specifically, unique in the design industry?
Its diversity, Canada is known to be a country that is shaped by immigrants. The culture and uniqueness of each custom is evident as well and can be seen in the design industry. Different design styles are always evolving and I believe it is due to how each designer had been influenced by their past or culture.
16 Where do you see the evolution of design industry going over the next 5-10 years?
How design will be increasingly digital. Not only because of what the pandemic had brought and forced us to changed the way we work. But as technology continually improves, designers will for sure embrace what
17 If you were a student entering this industry or an aspiring MUSE Design Awards submitter, what advice would you give them?
As a student, entering this award can be a good foundation for their design career. It is a good way to see how they stack up and gain experience at the same time.
18 What resources would you recommend to someone who wants to improve their skills in the design industry?
Take advantage of the technology. With the development of several design related technology like apps, online schools, software
19 Tell us something you have never told anyone else.
Originality is a clich
20 Who has inspired you in your life and why?
Studio McGee SHEA MCGEE inspire me to break boundaries and try something new, find our own voice and get out of a comfort zone.
21 What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
Always believing in yourself. That if you put your thoughts and heart into something, you can really achieve success.
22 Do you have anything else you would like to add to the interview?
It is truly an honor to receive a Muse Award for our projects. Thank you Muse.
