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SINGAPORE: Give MediaCorp host Bryan Wong an empty room and chances are he will transform it beyond your wildest imagination.
If you have seen him in action on home makeover programme, "Home Decor Survivor", the aforementioned isn't an overstatement of the 37-year-old's interior designing ability.
Wong is one-half of the hosting duo on the Channel 8 variety programme which recently concluded its fourth season. Together with comedian Mark Lee, the pair have completed an impressive 42 home makeovers each without any repetition of designs.
When asked what was the secret behind those creative ideas, the witty host unashamedly replied, "My brain."
He gave me one of his trademark chuckles before sharing more insights, "Most of my ideas came from my travels when I was doing 'Destination Most Wanted'. I've been to many parts of the world. In the process, I've seen more and have been exposed to more things. It adds to my inspiration."
His first foray into interior designing started more than 20 years ago when his family shifted into their HDB flat. Despite his tender age, Wong voluntarily took up the task of painting and redecorating the home.
"It was the first time we owned our home. And every now and then, I would repaint and redecorate [it]," the eloquent host recalled.
During our phone interview, he continued to share how his designing philosophy has evolved over the years and how it affects his design style.
"When I was younger, it was all about bright colours. Now, I steer away from them and go for simple earth tones like white and grey.
"As you grow older, you realise that nature's beauty surpasses any man-made creation. For example, when you see a piece of wood, the beautiful natural lines in the grain reflects character. It's this true essence that you appreciate as compared to a shiny man-made product," said Wong.
And this philosophy is being ingrained in his home which he described as a "100 per cent Bryan Wong creation".
"I go for the simple earth tones and use plenty of raw materials in my home. Unfortunately, I can't show them to you," said Wong as he politely turned down my request for some photos of his home.
From HDB flat to boutique hotel
Wong may be a natural at interior design but it was never his dream to make that his career, and his short stint as an interior designer only reinforced that.
"Two years ago, I set up an interior designing company with my friends. It was truly based on passion but after that I realised that it was not feasible. After one year, I had to give up because I wasn't able to give my full time commitment," he said.
These days, Wong still gets to flex his design muscle on "Home Decor Survivor" but he is not content with just designing home spaces, his dream is to design, run and own a boutique hotel.
The inner child in him spoke enthusiastically as he recounted his aspirations, "This idea started when I was really young, reading story books about landlords and it appealed to me that I would one day like to own a boutique hotel."
He added that owning a hotel would also satisfy his workaholic nature.
"Owning the boutique hotel helps to satisfy the bossy side of me. I want to be in control of everything, from being a bellboy to being a chef… I will design all the rooms. I just enjoy the process of working hard to welcome my guest to my abode."
Deriving satisfaction from his designs
His interest in interior design isn't solely about transforming something ordinary into a piece of art but the emotional satisfaction he derives from seeing the final product.
"I like to push things to a certain level of finesse. Oh well, I'm quite a vain person and I like to see beautiful things (chuckles). At the end of the day, there's this feel good factor when you see your final work. This self-actualisation and achievement really enriches your life," he explained.
Keen followers of "Home Décor Survivor" would have noticed that the resourceful host has a penchant for getting his hands dirty to create his own furniture and accessories.
Describing himself as a hands-on person, Wong credited those technical classes in secondary school for giving him an advantage.
The former Tanjong Katong Technical School student said carpentry lessons gave him the opportunity to be exposed to various materials and also the fundamentals of carpentry. It also helped that he likes to visit hardware stores during his free time to look for new ideas.
"I love D-I-M (Do-It-Myself) because it's about having an idea and making it into a reality. It is a damn good boost to your ego when you see your final work," he gushed.
"The most important feature of D-I-M is that it allows you to customise your creations especially when it comes to space constraints. In fact, that is the main purpose because you can't get furniture out there that fits exactly all the time."
D-I-M Tips from Bryan Wong
• Space planning. Have a clear idea of the amount of space you can afford before working on the designs.
• Accurate measurements. The primary purpose of creating a customised item is to fill odd gaps and corners.
• Understand the nature of the materials. For instance, how a certain material reacts when exposed to sunlight?
• Budget. This will affect the type and quality of materials.
• The right tools. Sawing a plank of wood can be as easy as ABC if the proper tools are available.
• Patience. Building something from scratch requires patience and persistence as minor glitches are bound to happen occasionally. - CNA
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