2020 has been dubbed the year of seeing things as they are and for some, that translates as having a crystal-clear vision of how to be the designer of your own hopes and dreams. For Meow Praowphan, the already successful interior designer, art consultant, founder and managing director of Quattro Design, this will be a very important year in her company’s 13-year history. It will also be a very important year health-wise. Find out more below about what’s in — new? — store this year for Meow.

On New Year’s Resolutions, do you have one for 2020?

When you turn 40, everything changes and you really have to start taking better care of yourself! My New Year’s resolution is just that. In November of last year, I suffered quite a bad back injury while working out and over-stretching. My bad posture over the years sat at my desk also didn’t help! So I was forced to really take a look at my daily habits. Over the last few months, I’ve been seeing the Doctor regularly and doing physio and yoga. This year, I want to continue working out properly and be more mindful of how I use and strengthen my muscles and continue working on my posture. I also aim to cultivate peace of mind as much as I can. This world is very busy and can get overwhelming; it’s important to always find
time to slow down.

We’re glad you’re on the mend! What are you looking forward to doing most this year?

In March, we’re actually moving into a new and much larger store within A Square on Sukhumvit Soi 26! I am really excited about all the new directions this will take Quattro Design. We’ll still continue to focus on our ‘Triple S’ service philosophy (Site visits to clients, Selection of the finest furniture and accessories for our clients and absolute client Satisfaction) but we’ll also be able to offer an ever more immersive experience of the value we can add to our client’s homes and/or hotels.

The 900 sqm showroom, a lot more spacious than our Thong Lor branch, won’t just feel like a furniture and accessory shop; visitors will actually be able to experience the craft of Quattro design and enjoy drinks at the bar, peruse through books at our library, experience the walk-in wardrobes, see the final look of a room before they buy, and most importantly, find inspiration for their own designs. The store will be a game-changer for Quattro Design.

How exciting! Hopes and aspirations for 2020, work-wise?

Alongside making Quattro Design’s new store opening as successful as it can be, I also want to focus on improving my team, of which all this I could not have achieved without. Quattro Design is not just one person, but 50 people who all work so hard and I will continue to look into ways for them to grow.

And how did you make a fresh start to 2020?

I started the New Year skiing in Niseko, Japan! It really gave me a fresh perspective on things and made me realise how much I love skiing. For 5 days, I was skiing from early morning to late afternoon. And when you’re skiing, you’re up in the mountains and snow, away from noise, pollution and distractions and you really have to focus on the moment and what’s in front of you. Being able to do that for really gave me confidence, peace of mind and fuelled my inspiration to work out more, and effectively too.

Do you have a fresh beauty and skincare routine?

I am really lazy when it comes to over-the-top beauty treatments and such and I tend to focus more on what I eat than what I’m putting on my skin. I eat a lot of fresh vegetables daily, avoid processed, sugary and high sodium foods and use things like rice bran oil and olive oil in my cooking. Of course, I use good skincare products to wash and moisturise my face. But I find the most important cream to put on your face, especially as you get older, is sun screen. This is so important! I also do intermittent fasting regularly, which I find really helps my skin.

Planning any exciting trips this year?

Yes! I’m planning a trip with my family, and my brother and sister’s family to the UK during Songkran and we’ll be visiting London and Scotland. Both my brother and sister went to school in the UK so we ended up spending a lot of time there when we were younger. We’ll be taking a trip down memory lane and visiting places we went to growing up. I haven’t been there since I was a teenager and I’m excited to share the experience with my 12-year-old daughter.

Any advice on how to lead a more fresh and fulfilled life?

Be more relaxed and learn how to let things go. We’ve already been through so much so try not to overthink problems when they arise. Overthinking and excessive worrying will tire you out! Try and be positive from the start, expect less and accept that in life, we just can’t
control everything!

For more information, visit quattro-design.com.