Recognising the best achievements of elite operators in the Hong Kong, interior design industries

HONG KONG, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- REA Group, a multinational digital company and owner of leading Hong Kong property site, squarefoot.com.hk, is pleased to announce the winners of the 'REA Interior Design Awards 2019'.

The second annual REA Interior Design Awards recognise industry leaders who push the boundaries of creativity and innovation through interior design, radically transforming architectural spaces into living masterpieces of creative art and thoughtful, liveable design.

Winners were selected through a judging panel which comprised of four well-known industry professionals: Mr. Joey Ho, Chairman of Hong Kong Interior Design Association; Prof. Rodrigo Buelvas, Interior Design Professor, Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong (SCAD); Dr. Lesly Lam, Director of Investment and Research at Wing Tai Properties Ltd.; and Mr. Elliot Chu, former Head of Construction, Store Design & Planning, Regional Director of Cartier.

In total, 21 residential projects and 3 commercial projects were selected by the judging panel on the strengths of their Design Concept Innovation, Functionality, Space Planning, Integration of Interior Design, Finishes and Furnishings and Sustainable Development Concepts.

The REA Interior Design Awards 2019 presentation ceremony was held at The Mira Hong Kong, Mr. Kenneth Kent, Country Manager -- Hong Kong of REA Group Asia, commented: "REA Group is proud to honour and recognise the remarkable achievements of leading designers and solution providers in the architectural design space in Hong Kong. Increased demand for improved property utilisation and ease of living is driving rapid growth and competitiveness in the interior design market in Hong Kong, particularly within the residential sector. Through listings and design showcases on our leading property platform, squarefoot.com.hk, we're providing greater connectivity between the market and outstanding interior design firms in Hong Kong."

According to a recent study of Global Interior Design Market Growth^[1], over the next five years the interior design market will register a 8.5% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) in terms of revenue, while the global market size will reach US$ 212,300 million by 2024, from US$ 130,100 million in 2019.

With fierce competition across the global interior design industry, creativity, innovation and utilisation have become even more important. Mr. Joey Ho commented, "A great design is not just one that catches your eye with great visuals, but one that also possesses solid content and appointments that are used effectively to resolve real living issues. Design is not merely about aesthetics nor technical brilliance, but tailor-made solutions that cater to the needs, emotions and experiences of each individual. More importantly, these designs will be cherished long into the future for their positivity-affirming touch upon the users' own personal philosophy towards their life."

Mr. Joey Ho also believes there is increased demand for interior design services to further enhance living quality in small flats in Hong Kong. He continued, "Designers face great challenges when it comes to addressing demand for ideas which can be deployed within our environment, which is one of very compact living. Therefore, they need to serve in multiple solution-provider roles and 'wear multiple hats', rising to the occasion with tailored spatial solutions in light of the critical land supply situation in Hong Kong."

Dr. Lesly Lam adds, "Design styles should match with the location, surroundings of the property and also the product type and solution required. There should be a theme that shares cohesiveness throughout the property. The finished designs must also rise to address the needs of the property owner as well as building inhabitants, which are all about flexibility and practicality."

Concerning the key principle of matching the design to the location and its surroundings, leading interior design firms skilfully focus on the use of materials to address the challenge. Prof. Rodrigo Buelvas explains, "Going back to basics by using local resources and emphasising sustainable design have both become luxury industry trends, and both of these have had a major impact on the design community. This trend is being rapidly adopted by a new consciousness of clientele that understands the need for being sustainable. Therefore, they demand environmentally friendly design solutions with a lower carbon footprint, whilst still delivering a pleasing aesthetic and design-led innovation."

Appendix 1 -- "REA Interior Design Awards 2019" Final Winners List (In alphabetical order)

Residential

1.    2cnot2c productions ltd.
2.    Chill Interior Design Company Ltd (winner of two awards)
3.    D&T Interior Design
4.    Decor House
5.    Design 2000
6.    Joseph Sy & Associates (winner of two awards)
7.    KAST Associates Ltd.
8.    KS STUDIO LTD
9.    Legend Design International Limited
10.  M-9 Design
11.  Massive Dynamic Interior Design Ltd.
12.  Moi Interior Design Ltd.
13.  OscarC Interior Design Ltd
14.  PlotCreative Interior Design Ltd
15.  Primocasa Interiors Limited
16.  Septem Design Limited
17.  Sincere Design
18.  SKYBLUE DESIGN & DECORATION WORKSHOP LTD
19.  Taste Interior Design

Commercial

20.  Mas Studio Limited
21.  OPS Interior Design Consultant Ltd.
22.  XLMS Limited

More information, please refer to: https://www.squarefoot.com.hk/en/interior-design-awards

About REA Group

REA Group Limited (www.rea-group.com): REA Group Limited ACN 068 349 066 (ASX:REA) ("REA Group") is a multinational digital advertising business specialising in property. REA Group operates Australia's leading residential, commercial and share property websites - realestate.com.au, realcommercial.com.au, Flatmates.com.au -- as well as Spacely, a short-term commercial and co-working property site. In Asia, REA Group owns leading portals in Malaysia (iproperty.com.my), Hong Kong (squarefoot.com.hk) and Indonesia (rumah123.com), and prominent portals in Singapore (iproperty.com.sg), and China (myfun.com), and a leading property review site in Thailand (thinkofliving.com). REA Group owns Smartline Home Loans Pty Ltd, an Australian mortgage broking franchise group, and Hometrack Australia Pty Ltd, a leading provider of data property services. REA Group also holds a significant shareholding in property websites Move, Inc in the US and PropTiger in India.