A completed interior project by Terne Lab
Client Stories

What Clients Say After the Project Ends

The best measure of a design project is how people feel about their space once they have lived in it for a while.

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190+

Projects Completed

92%

Client Satisfaction

8+

Years in Practice

40%

Clients via Referral


Reviews

In Their Own Words

A selection of feedback from clients across residential, office, and hospitality projects.

We started with just the Growth Consultation because I was not sure we were ready to commit to a full project. The written notes were genuinely useful — we kept referring back to them for months. Eventually we came back for the Full Design Cultivation and that was also excellent. The 3D renders made it so much easier to say yes to things we would have hesitated over otherwise.

NK

Nurul Khalida

Homeowner, Bangsar, KL  ·  April 2025

The project coordination service was the main reason we chose Terne Lab. We had had a bad experience on a previous renovation where we ended up managing contractors ourselves, which was exhausting. Having someone else handle that side of things — and do it well — made a real difference. A couple of minor delays in the middle, but nothing that caused problems in the end.

PK

Priya Krishnamurthy

Homeowner, Damansara Heights  ·  March 2025

I was sceptical about hiring a designer for a relatively small condo. Rajesh's visualisations changed my mind — I could see exactly what the changes would look like before spending anything. The finished space is exactly what was shown in the renders, which I did not expect. The material choices have also held up well. Would not hesitate to recommend.

TH

Tan Hong Seng

Condo owner, Mont Kiara  ·  March 2025

We used Terne Lab for a small café fit-out in Petaling Jaya. Siti understood the atmosphere we were looking for almost immediately — earthy, relaxed, but with enough character to be memorable. The material recommendations were spot on and within budget. Liow's site management was reassuring throughout. The whole team feels like they genuinely care about the work, not just the invoice.

FZ

Fazlan Zulkifli

Café owner, Petaling Jaya  ·  February 2025

I appreciated that they were honest about what was and wasn't achievable within my budget. Some designers overpromise — Terne Lab told me early on that one of my ideas would likely look worse in the space than I imagined, and they were right. The final design was their counter-proposal and it works really well. That kind of directness is worth a lot.

CL

Christine Lau

Homeowner, Cheras, KL  ·  February 2025

We renovated our office in Bukit Bintang using the Full Design Cultivation service. The team was particularly good at understanding that we needed the space to feel welcoming to clients while also working practically for staff. They managed that balance well. We have had numerous comments from visitors about how comfortable the reception area feels, which is exactly what we were after.

AM

Ahmad Mustaqim

Business owner, Bukit Bintang  ·  January 2025


Case Studies

Project Stories in Detail

The Challenge

A family in Taman Tun had lived in their home for twelve years without making significant changes. The layout worked when the children were small but no longer suited three adults with different routines. The main living area felt dark and fragmented, and there was no clear place for guests to stay.

The Approach

We opened the living and dining areas by removing a non-structural partition, introduced a light material palette to address the darkness, and redesigned one bedroom as a dual-purpose study and guest room. Full Design Cultivation followed by Project Tending. Timeline: 11 weeks.

The Outcome

The family described the result as making the house feel twice the size. Natural light increased substantially. The dual-purpose room has been used by visiting family twice in the first three months. The client noted that the team's response time during the renovation was a particular relief after past experiences.

"We kept delaying the renovation because we were worried about the disruption. It was nowhere near as stressful as we expected, mostly because Liow handled so much of it." — Rozana & family, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

The Challenge

A small financial services company moving into a new office wanted the space to feel calm and professional — not corporate and sterile. They had a modest budget and were not sure how much could be achieved within it. The space was plain and poorly lit.

The Approach

Growth Consultation to clarify priorities, followed by Full Design Cultivation focused on lighting strategy, material choices in reception and meeting rooms, and carefully specified joinery that did not require a large budget. Timeline: 6 weeks for design, 8 weeks renovation.

The Outcome

Staff described feeling more at ease in the space from the first week. Client feedback on the meeting room environment improved noticeably. The company director said the Growth Consultation alone changed how they approached the fit-out — it gave them confidence to spend where it mattered and save where it didn't.

"The consultation paid for itself. We nearly spent money in the wrong places." — Ahmad Mustaqim, Bukit Bintang

The Challenge

A new café in Petaling Jaya had a distinctive identity in mind but struggled to translate it into spatial decisions. The owner had ideas that individually made sense but pulled in different directions, and needed someone to help reconcile them into something coherent.

The Approach

Full Design Cultivation from scratch, with an emphasis on building a clear material story first — earthy tones, tactile surfaces, warm artificial light. Every subsequent decision was evaluated against that story. Project Tending handled sourcing for several custom joinery pieces that needed careful contractor management.

The Outcome

The café opened to strong early reviews, with customers frequently commenting on the atmosphere. The space was featured in a Malaysian lifestyle publication within the first two months of opening. The owner noted that having the design document made communication with contractors significantly smoother than expected.

"Siti found the through-line in all my ideas. I couldn't see it, but she could." — Fazlan Zulkifli, Petaling Jaya


Credentials

Professional Standing

MIID Member

Active since 2017

Professional Indemnity

Full coverage

MIID Award 2023

Residential nomination

KL Design Week

Shortlisted 2021

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