Inspired Interiors: Peter Lam

Peter Lam is a man with a few surprises up his sleeve. Not only did the Malaysian take the unusual step from a career in advertising to one in interior design with his company Hot Dog Decor, he's also recently turned a flair for custom made chairs, sofas, mirrors and rugs into newly opened Jiashan Market furniture boutique, Baarn. It therefore comes as perhaps less of a surprise to learn that Peter applies this same ability to transform and change direction to his projects, which was precisely his approach to a Pudong villa, completed last year.

Set deep within a green, shrub-lined compound, the property like all the others in the area takes its inspiration from Europe, specifically the Mediterranean: white in colour and half clad in stone, its wide chimney partially covered in creeping vines, were it not for the houses' uniformity and wandering security guards, the complex could be easily be some sleepy, traditional village in perhaps Greece or Italy.

And indeed, it would not be unreasonable to expect that the interiors of these homes match their outsides – classical and dare we say it, even a little contrived. True to form, however, Peter has furnished his client's four bedroom property in a way that is not only unexpected, but also refreshingly contemporary.

The effect is instant, and opening the heavy wooden door reveals a colourful entrance space that really sets the tone for the rest of the house. An otherwise classical sideboard is transformed by green and white stripes, flanked either side by plush purple chairs. Above, a Damien Hirst-esque polka dot painting draws the eye up to a striking light fitting of hanging red rope and acrylic.

"The foyer is the first thing guests will see", explains Peter, "So I wanted to create something surprising. Outside is all traditional, but then you open the door and suddenly there's all this colour and drama. I'm a big fan of gorgeous lighting too – it's so important and too often gets overlooked in favour of furniture."




The lighting throughout the house is indeed fabulous, ranging from elegant to decidedly quirky, and always fitting the feel and height of the house's respective spaces. The study, for example, features a contemporary, parred down take on the classic chandelier shape, whilst a floor standing anglepoise lamp adds a somehow studious air to the room. A dynamic painting – a red, green and black graphic – dominates the room and is just one of the many unique pieces of art dotted throughout the family home.

"Almost all the paintings are custom made pieces I had made. Either we buy original art, or else I find an interesting graphic that we modify, add to and commission an artist to paint something in a similar style. In my projects the art is always quite unique – it adds colour and personality".

Built just a few years ago, the villa was presented to Peter as a shell, a structurally-sound blank canvas. His client, though, had a clear vision of how his family's home should look: " He travels a lot for his work, and often to Italy. He showed me pictures of boutique hotels he'd stayed in - generally old buildings with very modern furniture. I knew immediately that he was OK with doing the whole old meets new thing – traditional architecture with contemporary furniture. From the start that was the concept and it so happens that that's the style I like to work with – surprises and contemporary twists. I try to inject a certain playfulness, a bit fun – nothing too wacky or over the top, not different for the sake of it. It should be elegant and sometimes arty, just not boring!"

Far from boring, Peter has worked with the building to interesting effect: the living room's high ceiling and dramatic fake chimney struck him as being almost church-like, so, he reshaped the windows from angular to curved and installed wooden beams. A Tom Dixon light fitting of silver hanging globes fits the space well, whilst elsewhere candles evoke a spiritual feel and a blue Venini table lamp a splash of colour. The furniture in this room is similarly idiosyncratic: beautiful black and white Patricia Urquiola chairs stand alongside another pair, this time in horse hair by Minotti. The most eye-catching piece, however, is a reddish pink Chesterfield style leather sofa – surprisingly discovered by Peter at high street chain Casa Pagoda: "I don't believe it's always necessary to only go for expensive designer pieces, rather go for custom made unique pieces and place them in interesting ways – or in this case mixing expensive Italian furniture with inexpensive ones"




The focal point of the ground floor is the dining room, elegant and refined, its centre piece being a beautiful Emmemobili oval wooden table surrounded by Baxter leather chairs – and again, striking lighting in the form of a rectangular candelabra. "The concept was the same throughout but with a different execution for different rooms. The dining room is more formal, which is important for Chinese clients. There's a bit less playfulness because, you know, they take food very seriously. It's toned down, the focus in here is going to be on the food and conversation around the dinner table".

The space leads off to a spacious kitchen and cosy family room, complete with terracotta floor tiles, a nod, explains Peter, to the building's Mediterranean style. Upstairs, now, to yet more playful elegance, starting strongly with a landing overlooking that fabulous living room, the elongated Tom Dixon lights suddenly becoming a key feature of both spaces.

Bedrooms – one for parents, grandparents, teenage son and guests – feature built-in cabinets and fittings all created by Peter, as well as beautiful carpets, another of the talented designer's strengths. Made from silk and New Zealand wool, they're luxuriously soft and customised in a muted palette of greys, mauves and teals.

It's a happy, bright and fun family home, striking an elegant balance between quiet sophistication and bold splashes of colour. Stepping outside onto the meandering garden path bordered by trimmed lawns and looking back, the villa's stone clad, Mediterranean appearance bears little relation to what lies within. The lesson here? Never, it would seem, should a home be judged by its building – especially when Peter Lam is involved.



Check out CreativeHunt's listing for Baarn here, and for further information about Peter Lam and Hot Dog Decor, click here.