Interior design encompasses more than mere furniture arrangement and colour selection; it is an art that transforms spaces into harmonious, functional, and aesthetically pleasing environments. Whether it’s a cozy home, a stylish office, or a trendy café, interior design plays a crucial role in creating inspiring and uplifting spaces.
In Kenya, the field of interior design emerged as a distinct trade over thirty years ago, and one company that has witnessed this evolution is Planning Interiors Limited (PIL). As PIL celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, it reflects on the remarkable journey and growth of not only the business itself but also the entire interior design industry in Kenya and the region.
Evolution of Interior Design
The role of professional interior designers has become widely recognized in the building industry, unlike in the past when architects provided such services on an ad hoc basis. Over the years, the interior design industry has undergone significant transformations, embracing sustainable and biophilic design concepts, as well as seamlessly integrating technology into homes and office environments.
It’s been an interesting journey”, says Eugene Ngugi, Managing Director. “Interior design as a profession has come a long way not only in Kenya but also in the region. So when we look at 30 years, it’s not just for PIL as a business but the entire industry as well.”
PIL has its beginnings in the early 1990s when the 1987 University of Nairobi Design graduate was working at PLANNING Systems Services, a respected architectural studio. Previously, he had a stint at House of Interiors where he honed his skills in interior design, rising to Chief Designer in the firm.
Back then, interior design was seen as a section of general design and it was common to find the trade bundled together with graphic design, and other design work, as Eugene experienced during his first job placement.
Eugene was hired by PLANNING Systems Services in 1992, a period when architectural firms were beginning to set up Interior Design departments. “At the time, PLANNING Systems Services had recruited some interior designers from the United Kingdom to work on fit-out projects,” he recalls.
“I was very useful to the UK team as I had worked locally for five years and gained valuable experience in interior aspects including furniture, partitions, local contractor fit-outs, etc.”
Eugene helped grow the Interior Design department at PLANNING Systems Services, getting two other designers and expanding to seven within three years. “It was the right time to set up the department as the firm (PSSL) was now doing a lot of office buildings and would get interior design and fit-out work from tenants,” he says. “It was good business.”
In 1997 when two expatriates in the Interior Design department returned to their home countries, the founding partners at PLANNING, Jim Archer and Trevor Andrews, decided to promote Eugene to head the department rather than hire new expatriates.
Recognizing the immense potential of their independent interior design work and the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest on projects, the partners took a bold step in 1993. They established the Interior Design department as a separate company – Planning Interiors Limited.
This move laid the foundation for a future filled with creative freedom, and the ability to collaborate with other architectural firms across the region.
Although the Interior Design section operated as a department within PLANNING, it was nonetheless a registered company – Planning Interiors Limited.
In 2002, the PLANNING Systems Services partners hived off Planning Interiors Limited to Eugene and Fatema (Eugene’s fellow interior designer) to set off on their own. Fatima Essaje helped Eugene as the Design Director.
For about one year, PIL operated from the premises of PLANNING on Lower Kabete Road before finding a home in their current address, Roshanmaer Place on Lenana Road in Nairobi’s Kilimani suburb in 2004. Interestingly, it was while doing interiors for the South African High Commission, then located in the same building, that PIL decided to settle there.
“Getting jobs was relatively easy at the beginning”, says Eugene, an award-winning interior designer. His experience at PLANNING came in handy and fortunately while still there he had begun learning the art of managing a business.
“There were very few interior design firms then. Our main competitors were architectural firms. We would do mostly corporate office work and bank branches.” Practically all the work would come in through word of mouth or referrals rather than competitive bidding’ remembers Eugene. “These days, to get a project, you have to really fight for it.”
PIL started with a team of 11 comprising 7 designers and 4 support staff. The company has a workforce of 18 staff today. But the size has fluctuated over the years depending on the general business environment in the industry. “At one point, we were about 36,” says Eugene.
Projects
PIL takes pride in transforming interior spaces for some of the most reputable corporates in the country. Among the projects that stand out are Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) where, in line with the client’s value of inclusivity, PIL created a new office that is homely, vibrant, innovative, diverse, Afrocentric, and sustainable. Other projects include General Electric offices, KCB Head Office and branches, I&M Bank Head Office, Coca-Cola, House of Waine, Wasoko Head Office, Cellulant, and many more.
According to Eugene, most interior design these days is brand-centric. “In the past, I would travel extensively around the world to places like South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States to get exposed to international standards and see how to bring that back home but nowadays when we do a project, we try to express the character of the brand. We also try to promote local flavor in aspects such as art, furniture, etc.”
“We call it glocal, which is an interconnection of global and local aspects. So, a project can be global in terms of technical standards but local through the use of materials available here.”
Eugene reveals that indeed most international companies are keen on the glocal element. “Their office here should not look exactly like what they have in London or New York. They want their local office to say something about Kenya and her people.”
To achieve these exciting results for clients, PIL, like other consultants has to work with contractors. So how does the company ensure that the contractor understands the design and brings out the space exactly as envisaged? “To achieve the desired result, PIL works with qualified contractors whose capabilities have been tried and tested, says Eugene.
“We walk the journey together with our clients to understand their goals, and how best to realize them.” PIL also ensures that our drawings and specifications are as detailed as possible and clear to the contractors. “We also supervise our projects very closely.” He adds that Design & Build projects are more convenient but there are also many cases where clients have their preferred contractors and PIL has to work with them.
Over the last 30 years, there are several important changes that have impacted the interior design sector, says Eugene. “One of the biggest is technology. When we were doing corporate offices in the late 1980s, an office would have basic components such as desks and telephones. Today, we have audio-visual equipment, Internet and data connectivity, security systems and so on. Projects have become much more technical.”
“Another change is in materials”, says Eugene pointing to a laminate table. “Twenty or thirty years ago, we would probably have done it in wood. There is much more variety than we had thirty years ago.”
He adds that sustainability has also become enormously important, revealing that some of PIL’s clients have given express instructions to deploy only sustainable materials sourced from specific places.
Having lived through the last 30 years, PIL is not about to slow down. According to Eugene, the company hopes to expand its services in the region, having already worked in Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Uganda. It’s currently pursuing work in Rwanda. And as the firm grows, Eugene is focused on growing leadership capacity within the team with the intention of gradually relinquishing executive management. “I intend to move on to other areas such as design education and business mentorship”, he reveals, adding that although he would still like to occasionally do a project, he is looking at spending some of his time doing fine art, which he has always had a passion for. “I may also get involved in organizations that support the creative industry.”
“For PIL, I see us doing more turnkey projects. However, we have no intention of not abandoning the creativity that made us what we are.”
