The ultimate goal of owning that perfect dream home is what keeps a lot of Hongkongers working hard. Design Information Centre (DIC) understands what its customers want and provides design and decor solutions with their needs in mind. DIC's CEO Kevin says, "The satisfaction that results from having completely refurbished a customer's home, together with their praises, is indescribable. Our customers' smiles keep the company going forward."

Custom make your own furniture

Every customer’s furniture is custom made to order by DIC’s very own production team. Quality is assured from the creation of technical drawings to the selection of materials. Fabrication is achieved by qualified carpenters to ensure that every piece of furniture is functional and safe, yet reflects the individuality of the customer.

The design of the Tsim Sha Tsui unit was inspired by the bustling and vibrant city, with bold colours and a modern decor. The agate bar top in the middle of the living room particularly stands out in the unit.

The caring designer

Having competent designers is fundamental to a successful interior design firm, yet it would not be the case if it was not for the company’s stable foundation. Kevin says, “Efficiency is paramount to the typically fast paced Hongkonger. A one-stop design and building solution aligns with the current market needs. DIC has attained numerous ISO certifications, including ISO 9001:2008 quality management certification, ISO 14001:2004 environmental certification and ISO 18001:2008 occupational health and safety certification. These internationally recognised standards assure that our quality control and management follow industry best practices. Our team of designers are attentive, dedicated and true to our customers, while at the same time endeavour to satisfy all our customers’ requirements. The team will first try to explore what the customer likes and their habits and generate creative and innovative ideas which reflect that individual. While making sure that the end product is safe and ergonomic, our team will devise a design that best suits that person. Next is the selection of materials and colours for the project. Unlike many interior design firms, we take advantage of the diversity of high quality materials we have in stock at our supplies depot, which has everything we need from wallpapers, tiles to curtains. This eliminates the hassle of securing materials from outside vendors and realises a true one-stop service for our customers.”

The idea of “home” is always in our designers’ mind. The concepts of creativity, aesthetics, practicality and individuality underpin our design philosophy for an ideal home for our customers.

Being professional and responsible

DIC understands that their customers not only want a good design, they are also demanding on the quality of materials and the standard of construction. To that end, DIC is a registered Buildings Department Minor Works Contractor, meaning that all builders, carpenters, plumbers, painters etc. involved in a project have been certified and licensed by the government. In addition, to mitigate environmental concerns, environmentally friendly materials are used, including paints which do not contain heavy metals, toxic volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) or formaldehyde, and boards which are E1 or E2 rated. Kevin says, “DIC recognises the lifelong value of customers. We follow up all our completed projects and offer a free 3-year structural warranty for all non-human caused defects.”

Since this customer is a cat lover, the designer for this project specifically implemented a glassed enclosure for the customer’s cats in the design, so that the cats can be seen even during meal times from the dining area.

DIC embraces the concept of continuous development for its staff. All designers, drafters or services personnel are therefore provided with regular training to further their professional development.

Training focused

DIC has a large team of professional designers and they receive training regularly. Kevin says, “The Company puts emphasis on its management culture and the development of its staff. We encourage lifelong learning and provide on-the-job training and lectures on, for examples, drafting, surveying, communication skills and conflict resolution. In addition, we also organise exchange tours to our furniture production teams in mainland China. Over the years, we have accumulated many satisfactory customer cases, which are testaments to our teams’ hard work.”