Mohd
Faizal Mohamed Bakri
Home
Treasures
“In
a land filled with craftsmen only few create art worthy of
being
called Home Treasures,” said the first ever Home Treasures advertisement. More
than a decade later, Home Treasures has established itself as a brand with a
keen eye for craft and design, creating intricate and beautifully constructed
wooden furniture. The brands success can be attributed to the legacy of its
owner Robert Bain, and his company’s penchant for picking out and nurturing
designers who understand his vision for the future and the need for the
preservation of craftsmanship and carpentry.
It
is no surprise Mohd Faizal Mohamed Bakri considers himself privileged to be a
part of the inspired and artistic Home Treasures family. As furniture designer
for the internationally recognised brand, the 41-year-old husband and father of
three joined company a year into its inception, watching it grow to the heights
that it has now achieved. Malaysia Tatler Homes sits down with Faizal as he
opens up about his life, the success of Home Treasures and his hope to stay
with the company for years to come and continue the Bain legacy.
Tell us about your design background.
It
was my grandfather who first introduced me to the art of carpentry. Watching my
grandfather hard at work as a carpenter cultivated in me a fascination and
appreciation for the entire design process involving wood. I do not have much
formal training, but I guess it’s to safe say timber design is in the blood.
How long have you been with Home
Treasures? Tell us about your experience designing for the company thus far.
I started with Home Treasures in 1999 not as a
designer but as a retail consultant. At first, it was not very different from
my previous job in the retail industry, only that I immediately felt at ease
with Home Treasures and found the working environment more comfortable and
suited for me.
My career as a designer began when I was
fortunate to be exposed to all aspects of the design and manufacturing process
during the production of Mrs Elizabeth Bain’s first Home Treasures collection,
which was produced by Mr Robert Bain in their factory in Indonesia and exported
via the trade shows in Jakarta. I saw the great success they had supplying the
collection to 15 countries all over the world, and was very proud of this big
achievement for the company.
This exposure helped me to really understand
what goes behind each teakwood design and inspired me to design my own pieces
when customers asked for something special. The Bains encouraged my growth and
over the years, I made my name through referrals. Over the years I gained the
confidence of customers and finally became the design consultant for Home
Treasures.
What makes a Home Treasures design so
unique, bringing it so much success and why do your creations stand out in
terms of design and function?
Home
Treasures is the vehicle that bridges modern designers and decorators with the
traditional skills of proper carpentry to create unique masterpieces. We use
solid wood instead of modern materials like ply, chipboard and medium-density
fibreboard. We bring a modern touch to classic designs and we also cater for
the inherent characteristics of solid wood like expansion and contraction. Most
of all, the brand takes a lot of responsibility in choosing the right talent to
design for our clients.
What do you design for Home Treasures?
Most
of my designs are very specific made-to-order pieces. I have also designed
special pieces of furniture when I feel I want to meet a particular need or to
tell a story as a form of my own creative expression. Inspired by a quote a
customer once told me, that ‘every piece tells a story’, I strive to make each
piece I design, a conversational piece.
As a designer, what are the aspects that
you take into account when you are developing a design?
To
me, a made-to-order design starts with finding out what is the purpose of the
furniture or accessory to the customer. I consider who is going to use it, how
often it will be used, where it will be placed and if it is a more decorative
piece or a fully functional one. Once I have understood its purpose, I then try
to blend the design of the piece with the style and decor of the rest of the
room.
Do you have to take into account any
special details or techniques when designing with teakwood?
With
solid wood, the first and most important consideration is the expansion and
contraction inherently characteristic of the wood itself. The next thing you
have to look into is how to blend the strength of the wood with the beauty of
the design. You need strength for function but it must show the grace and the
beauty of natural wood. Other details that need to be established will be the
type and texture of the wood and of course the time frame and budget allotted
for the project.
Tell us about the
quality of the teakwood used and preserved for a Home Treasures design? What
does maintenance of wooden furniture involve?
Only
mature teakwood from sustainable sources is used in any of our designs. No
rainforest is cut and only plantation wood is used. Whenever we can, we use
recycled wood. Maintenance is generally very simple. Indoors, all that is
needed is a wipe with a wet cloth. Outdoors, if proper finish is used, a good
oil or wax will delay the fading of the finish but all finishes, exposed to the
elements, will turn teak to a silvery grey - which I love. But if you need to
re-finish your piece, then that too can be done.
What are some of your proudest Home
Treasures designs?
From
my personal range, I am proud that the simple 4-poster bed I designed and the
Faizal art deco sedan chair have become popular items. I am also proud to be part of the collaboration in Mr Bain’s White
Wash Range and the Yoni Art Rustic Range.
What does it take to become a designer?
What advice would you give to young aspiring designers?
It
takes a lot of passion. A designer must also be true to the customer and help
them find what works best for them. Many designers can’t find someone to make
their designs come to life. So my advice to young aspiring designers is to link
to people who can produce. Like the link I have with Home Treasures.
What do you see for the future of
teakwood furniture, and Home Treasures?
I will just keep to what I know; the highest value in
furniture ownership is to have something that is your own. Make to order
something from your heart. My plan is to be part of new generation that will
continue the Bain Legacy.
