An ideal career path for a woman interior designer vary depending on her individual skills and interests. However, there are a few things that all successful women interior designers have in common. First and foremost, a successful woman interior designer must be passionate about her work. This passion will not only drive her to create beautiful and unique designs, but it will also motivate her to continuously learn and grow in her field. Additionally, a successful woman interior designer must be able to effectively communicate with her clients, as this is essential to creating designs that meet their needs and expectations. A solid business sense is also a requirement for a successful woman interior designer, since this will enable her to manage her enterprise profitably and effectively.
Hilary Loh, an award-winning interior designer located in Singapore, is one such successful interior designer and an entrepreneur. Hilary has been designing exceptional spaces for over 17 years, and her work has been featured in numerous publications. She is the one can rely on to make a space that is both aesthetically pleasing and utilitarian. What distinguishes her from other designers in the field is her attention to detail and dedication to customer satisfaction.
With refined craftsmanship and a great grasp of her clients' design aspirations, Hilary creates elegantly conceptualised final products where beauty and purity are realised. Hilary is a passionate interior designer based in Singapore. Before pursuing her career as an interior designer, Hilary spent ten years working as an architectural assistant in various architectural firms. In July 2005, she established 2nd EDITION as a boutique studio with a focus on being truthful and empathetic in order to produce great as well as distinctive and one-of-a-kind solutions. Her emphasis on maintaining a balance of authenticity, style, and functionality in design statements of subtlety with boldness while preserving its essence, where beauty and purity are discovered, has been validated by recognitions with accolades and portfolios over the past 17 years of running the studio.
Hilary gives women entrepreneur India the opportunity to speak with her and learn about her venture and adventures in the world of interior design.
Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience. What motivated you to venture into the field of interior design? What are some important features about your expertise as an interior designer?
I have always found the combination of objects in terms of shape, colour, and texture to be fascinating. I spent my childhood and adolescence in small town, Ipoh at West Malaysia. I later continued my tertiary education at Singapore Polytechnic. After working as an architectural assistant for different architectural firms for ten years, from 1995 to 2005, I was detoured to pursue my inner voice and strive to be an interior designer. When I founded 2nd EDITION in July 2005, I was in my 30s and had no prior experience working in interior design firms. Since that time, I have been operating a boutique studio for 17 years.
My expertise is in being sincere while emphasising sensitively to provide exceptional as well as unique and distinctive solutions. The projects I work on have a balance of authenticity, style, and functionality in design statements of subtlety with boldness while preserving its essence where beauty and purity are revealed. The firm has been managed organically and has gained recognition with accolades and portfolios.
What are the various responsibilities that you shoulder as the Design Director for 2nd EDITION? What are you current focus areas in the said role?
It's positively challenging and invigorating for me to be in charge of a team of 18 creative individuals ranging in age from Gen X to Gen Z. Due to the varying working attitudes of various age groups, it is exceedingly complicated. The current aim is to undo and refresh how we used to do things in order to advance to the next level. Additionally, I must maintain a balance between my beliefs and actions and ensure that everyone is giving their best.
Throw some light on the most critical challenges you face in your current role. What steps do you take to overcome the roadblocks that you face?
The current crucial task is to support my teams to expand their skill sets. Our business began as a tiny operation, and since then, both the company and the team of designers working for it have expanded. The current challenges is identify new leaders to carry on design DNA which is our main priority right now.
“The projects I work on have a balance of authenticity, style, and functionality in design statements of subtlety with boldness while preserving its essence where beauty and purity are revealed”
What are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?
We were listed as one of the Top IDs 2015 for Singapore Tatler Homes' SG50 Most Influential Designers. At that point, we understood that we were moving in the right direction and that others were recognising. These specific accomplishments gave us a lot of confidence and confirmed our competence. The force that drives me forward is not about monetary rewards involved or project scale, but rather my desire to design more beautiful, meaningful, and captivating spaces.
How do you foresee the Asian interior design landscape evolve in the days to come?
Western design has had some influence on how we operate in order to develop our own Asian aesthetic and sense of style, we must seek out the virtues and beauties from our ancestral history, culture, and background. Our strong foundation comes from our cultural roots. A firm foundation supports the weight of beauty and brings out the intangible aspect of design.
A female icon inspired my good self is MARIA GRAZIA CHIURI, the first woman to head the iconic French fashion house. She is the current creative director at DIOR. According to Chiuri, The New Generation has brought up important issues like gender, ethnicity, the environment, and cultures that fashion must address in the days to come.
“To be a leader in the industry, you must be unwavering, unrestrained, unconventional and unconditional”
What would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?
If you genuinely wanted to be an entrepreneur, I would advise all the women out there to start young. To be a leader in the industry, you must be unwavering, unrestrained, unconventional, and unconditional. The major responsibility of being an entrepreneur is to maintain one's identity throughout the journey.
Hilary Loh, Director, 2nd Edition
Awards & Accolades
. International Property Award, 1919, Residential Development (Singapore), 2014 – 2015 World’s Best (Team - Interior Designer – 2nd edition Pte Ltd, Submission By Developer Aurum Land) SIA 2014
Award winner, interior architecture (commercial), 2014, Park & Associates Office Architect’s Office (Team - Park & Associates + 2nd edition Pte Ltd)
. Inside world festival of interiors award 2014
Adaptive Re-Use Category/Shortlist Offices Category/Shortlist Architect’s Office At Kim Yam Road (Team - Park & Associates + 2nd EDITION Pte Ltd)
. Interior design best of year award 2014 Designer’s Own Office, (Team - Park & Associates + 2nd EDITION Pte Ltd) The SG50 Most Influential Designers Citations, Singapore Tatler Homes, Top Ids 2015, Aug/Sep 2015, Hilary Loh, 2nd EDITION Pte Ltd.
. Society Of Interior Designers, Singapore (Sids) – Sida 2020 Awards
Best In Residential – Bronze – South Beach Residences 01 Best In Residential – Bronze – South Beach Residences 02 Best In Showflat Design – Bronze – 8 St Thomas Best In Exhibition Design – Silver – Park Colonial Show Gallery Luminary Award – Best In Exhibition Design – Park Colonial Show Gallery TITAN 2021 (Taiwan Interior New Talent Award ) 2021 – Showroom/Sales Gallery Category – Winner.
.Society Of Interior Designers, Singapore (Sids) – Sida 2021 Awards
Best In Residential Design Showflat Completed Category – GOLD – Ki Residences Luminary Award – Best In Residential Design Showflat Completed Category – Ki Residences
• Singapore Good Design Award 2022
Winner – Mori, Sales Gallery & Two Showflats Winner – Ki Residences, Sales Gallery & Three Showflats Society Of Interior Designers, Singapore (SIDS) – SIDA 2022 AWARDS Best In Residential Design Showflat Completed Category – SILVER – MORI, WABI SABI Honorarymention – Best In Residential Design Showflat Completed Category– Canninghill Piers, A Home By The City Honorarymentioned – Best In Residential Design Sales Gallery Completed Category – Mori, A P
