Sips is a 1,500 sq ft bar in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. The owner briefed KL interior design company A Trio Design on a Bohemian interior, a relaxed room where people settle in with friends over a drink, and the existing natural skylight retained and worked into the design. The project took two and a half months, and the interesting part is how the concept survived a tight budget and a fast programme.
The Problem with authentic Bohemian
Bohemian interiors lean on materials that are expensive and difficult to source, often with long lead times. The owner wanted to control costs and open as quickly as possible. Specified literally, the concept would have pushed both the budget and the programme in the wrong direction.
Translating Bohemian Into Buildable
The concept was reinterpreted rather than watered down. A Modern Bohemian direction was adopted, built on warm neutral tones, organic forms and natural-inspired textures. This kind of translation, keeping the character of a concept while changing what it is made from, is central to how the studio approaches commercial interior design in Malaysia.
Look-alike materials in place of the costly originals
Several of the expensive and hard-to-source authentic Bohemian materials were replaced with modern look-alike alternatives producing a similar visual effect. The warmth, texture and relaxed character of the concept were retained, and the substitution delivered better cost efficiency, easier maintenance and a faster completion.
Seating planned for two ways of using the bar
Comfortable sofa seating was selected to create a relaxed environment where customers can sit, socialise and enjoy their drinks over a longer period. Dining-height tables were provided alongside it for customers who want to order food. The floor therefore supports a casual drinking crowd and a proper dining group at the same time, which matters for a bar trading across the evening.
The skylight as a design element
Rather than working around the existing skylight, it was incorporated into the design to bring in natural light and open up the room. Its curved detailing was picked up in the bar framing, giving the space a consistent design language and reinforcing the Modern Bohemian concept instead of leaving the skylight as an unrelated feature overhead.
The Result
The finished bar reads as relaxed and stylish while remaining easy to maintain and suitable for daily operation. The team is most pleased with the translation itself: a Bohemian concept delivered in a modern, practical and cost-conscious way through look-alike materials, warm natural tones, curved forms, comfortable seating and functional dining areas. The client was very happy with the outcome, particularly with how the concept was achieved cost-effectively.
Why This Project Matters
A concept is a set of visual effects, not a shopping list of materials. Identifying which effects actually carry the style, here warmth, texture and curved organic forms, is what makes substitution possible without losing character.
Working towards an opening date with a concept and a budget that do not quite agree? That gap usually closes at the specification stage. Bring your concept to A Trio Design, or book a consultation to review the unit and the programme together.
