Cover The Ketupat series drew inspiration from the Malaysian rice dumpling wrapped in hand-woven palm leaves
The Ketupat series drew inspiration from the Malaysian rice dumpling wrapped in hand-woven palm leaves
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The founder of Aureole Design shares how she is preserving Malaysia’s traditional craftsmanship through creating contemporary pieces
From her beginnings as a graphic designer to setting up Aureole Design as her personal platform for exploring a passion for lighting and furniture design, Tan Wei Ming’s journey reflects a deep commitment to material exploration and collaborative craftsmanship through her thoughtful approach that bridges traditional craftsmanship with modern sensibilities.
Established in 2013, the studio has crafted interior pieces for notable clients such as Fritz, KLoe Hotel, and Kapas Heights, while also producing passion pieces that showcase Tan’s personal design style and highlight Malaysia’s lesser-known communities.
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Above Tan Wei Ming of Aureole Design
Tan Wei Ming of Aureole Design
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In this exclusive interview with Tatler Homes, Tan shares insights into her creative process, sources of inspiration, and how her collaborations with local artisans are not only preserving traditional techniques but reimagining them for contemporary contexts—all while creating sustainable opportunities for remote communities throughout Malaysia.
See also: 6 prominent female furniture designers through the ages
What first drew you to design?
After practising as a graphic designer for a couple of years, I had the opportunity to venture into a completely different field with a local design firm, where a collective of multi-disciplinary designers gathered to design and produce customised home accessories and interior pieces tailored to specific needs.
Covering fields like hospitality, fashion and culture, it was indeed a rewarding experience, as it was where I extended my skills to furniture and lighting design, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
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Above The bespoke Bloom Totem Lights at Fritz in Troika Sky Dining
The bespoke Bloom Totem Lights at Fritz in Troika Sky Dining
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What inspired the establishment of Aureole Design?
The experience from my previous design firm gave me the platform I needed to extend my skills further and would pave the way to forming my independent brand Aureole Design in 2013.
I took time off to focus on design explorations to research and develop my understanding of materials and production techniques. During this period, I enrolled into available short courses such as wood working and ceramic classes.
These short courses gave me some basic knowledge of the materials and techniques, as well as an understanding of material characteristics that contribute to an important aspect of my design process.
Read more: Studio tour: Malaysian design studio transforms ’70s building into a creative haven
How would you describe your personal design philosophy, and its distinction in aesthetic from others in the industry?
Aureole approaches design within the context of simplicity—be it in the purity of lines or the unadorned elegance of a material. Within this framework, the richness of Asian culture inspires the process before being translated into forms that allow design and material to accentuate [the look of] the finished product.
Where do you find inspiration for new projects?
Nature is a constant inspiration for me: wood, bamboo, rattan, clay, or stone. I also deeply admire the artisans who, through their craftsmanship and dedication, transform these natural materials into everyday objects or wearable pieces.
These explorations with materials shape my design process. I would like the pieces I design to express my personality—a fusion of my design discipline from my graphic background, the richness of Asian culture, and translating them within the context of simplicity.
I also look up to the work of the late American designer Charles Eames. One of my favourite quotes from him is: “The most important thing is that you love what you are doing. And secondly, that you are not afraid of where your next idea will lead.”
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Ketupat is a series of rattan-made low seating
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Which project are you most proud of, and why?
It has always been my aspiration to collaborate with artisans and integrate Malaysia’s rich heritage craft techniques into the development of Aureole’s product collection—exploring the diverse ‘treasures’ of Malaysia’s past and reinterpreting them into the present context of contemporary design.
The project collaboration with Tanoti, a Sarawak-based social enterprise team [founded by Jacqueline Fong], is one such opportunity, where we adapt traditional crafts, such as rattan craft development, into new variations of home products, while also introducing sustainable income-generating opportunities to Sarawak’s remote forest communities.
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The idea for the Ketupat series came about as I would like to incorporate local and Asian elements into the design context. We drew inspiration from the Malaysian rice dumpling wrapped in a pouch of hand-woven palm leaves. Using rattan instead, we adapted this concept into a collection of low seating, which very much embraces the Asian “floor culture” and is expandable into bespoke dimensions based on requirements.
The Ketupat series was also recently awarded the Malaysia Good Design Award. We are deeply honoured and encouraged by this recognition from the Malaysia Design Council, which acknowledges the product of our collective efforts.
What project(s) are you currently working on?
Currently, I am one of the collaborating designers invited by Tanoti for their Project Craft Connection initiative. Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts in Sarawak, the project aims to bring designers together to create innovative and commercially marketable designs that celebrate craftsmanship and cultural heritage by engaging with artisans based in rural and remote areas of Sarawak.
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Credits
Photography: Aureole Design
Celeste Goh is a senior writer covering architecture and design. Based in Malaysia, she reports on emerging architectural and home design trends, as well as insights by local and international architects and interior designers.
Previously, she covered men’s lifestyle, fashion, music and entertainment.
