Designing with Intention: The Journey of Amin Yussoff and ERTI MAISON

The Culture of Intent (Niat)

I grew up in a culture that places profound importance on niat, the Malay word for intent or purpose. As a child, I often heard my elders remind me that every action begins with a intention. In fact, a guiding principle of my faith taught me, “Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded according to his/her intention.” These early lessons instilled in me the habit of thinking deeply about why I do something before I do it. Little did I know how much this philosophy would shape my life as a designer.

Entering the world of interior design in my twenties, I quickly noticed how projects typically started with mood boards, budget discussions, and chasing the latest trends. But I kept coming back to the idea of purpose. How could I design a space if I didn’t understand its soul or the intent behind it? Even the most extravagant luxury home design can feel hollow if it lacks meaning. So from day one, I made it my mission to infuse every design with a clear niat. I would ask clients (and myself) simple yet powerful questions: What is the purpose of this space? What experience should it nurture? The answers became my North Star, guiding every design decision beyond just paint colors or sofa styles.

Each morning in my studio, golden light filters through the windows as I pause over my sketches. In those quiet moments, I reconnect with the why behind my work. This daily ritual is my way of setting a clear intention for what I will create. Just as a compass needs true north, I need that reminder of purpose to keep my designs on course. By beginning every project with pure intent, I ensure that creativity never loses its direction.

Over time, designing with intent turned from an internal mantra into a professional ethos. Clients soon noticed something different in my approach. I wasn’t just asking about preferred color palettes or design styles; I was asking about their lives, their routines, their dreams. I realized that understanding a homeowner’s niat for their home—whether it’s to raise a family, find peace after a hectic day, or foster creativity—was as important as the floor plan. This philosophy of intentional design became the bedrock of my career long before I gave it a name. And it would soon be tested and refined by the greatest challenge of my life.

A Personal Transformation

In my mid-thirties, life hit the pause button in a way I never expected. I still remember sitting in a sterile hospital office, the doctor’s words crashing through my world: I had cancer. In that instant, the bustling rhythm of design projects, client meetings, and site visits faded into the background. All I could think about was my wife, my children, and whether I would live to see my next birthday. Facing my mortality so directly was terrifying. It also became the catalyst for a profound transformation in how I view life and work.

The months that followed were a blur of hospital stays, chemotherapy drips, and long sleepless nights grappling with why this was happening. Some days, I was too weak to hold a pencil, let alone draft a renovation plan. Yet, in that forced stillness, I began to see everything—my life, my career, my purpose—with a new clarity. When you’re hooked up to machines and fighting just to have a future, you gain a startling perspective on what truly matters. I found myself pondering the intent of my own life: Had I been living and working in line with my deepest values? If I survived, what kind of legacy did I want to build?

Cancer, as painful and frightening as it was, became a brutal teacher. It stripped away all the superficial motivations I once had—ambition for its own sake, chasing accolades, the pressure to constantly expand the business. What remained was the raw truth that life is too short to do anything without meaning. I promised myself that if I got through the illness, I would double down on living and designing with purpose. Every moment, every decision would have to count.This wasn’t a burst of inspiration in a single epiphany, but a gradual reawakening day by day, treatment by treatment.

During my recovery, I found unexpected solace in the very thing I had always been passionate about: design. Too weak to travel or socialize, I spent a lot of time at home in reflection. I’d sit in my living room armchair—often at sunrise, wrapped in a blanket—and observe the space around me. The soft morning light would creep in, illuminating the photographs of my family on the shelf and the textured rug we brought back from a special trip. Those elements of my home, each thoughtfully placed years before, now became my emotional support. The house itself felt like a living, breathing companion in my healing process. In that period of vulnerability, I truly understood that a home is more than just four walls and a roof. It can be a sanctuary, a place of strength when you feel weak. That realization would fuel my next chapter, blurring the lines between design and life in ways I never imagined.

The Connection Between Design and Life

Emerging from my battle with cancer, I returned to my work with a changed heart and a fresh pair of eyes. I began to see clearly that homes are more than just spaces; they are containers of our joys, sorrows, aspirations, and memories. Every interior holds the imprint of the life lived within it. The kitchen is where a mother lovingly prepares meals that nourish her family’s souls, not just their bodies. The living room sofa might be where a teenager confides her dreams to her father late at night. The study is where someone builds a business or writes a book. Our homes quietly witness all these pivotal moments. How could their design not profoundly affect our well-being?

I recall one evening sitting in the very living room where I had nursed myself back to health. The day’s last light draped gently across the walls, revealing the gentle interplay of colors and textures my wife and I had chosen together. In that calm, golden hour I felt how deeply the design of a space and the life within it are intertwined. The warmth of the lighting, the placement of each chair and cushion, the way the room opened up to our little garden—all of it influenced my mood, making me feel comforted and safe. It was in this moment I truly grasped the ethos of meaningful interior design: when a space is crafted with care and personal significance, it doesn’t just look beautiful; it feels right. It supports you, almost like an old friend silently cheering you on.

Stories from my clients started to resonate with me in new ways too. I remember delivering a renovated home to a client—a young family—after months of work. As we walked through their new foyer, I saw the mother’s eyes well up with tears. At first I panicked, thinking something was wrong. But then she pointed at a detail we had included: along the wall were framed sketches and crayon drawings made by her children and even earlier, by her when she was a child, lovingly preserved by her own mother. We had taken the time to create a gallery of their family’s creative lineage. “I never expected our home would have this,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. It wasn’t the high-end marble flooring or the designer light fixtures that moved her— it was seeing her family’s story honored on the walls. That day, I learned an invaluable lesson: the true luxury in home design is emotional connection. A house becomes a home when it reflects the soul of its inhabitants.

From that point on, I viewed each project as far more than a contract or a creative challenge. I saw it as a privilege—an invitation into a family’s private world where I could help translate their values into a physical form. It became clear that designing a home is really about designing a life. If life is a journey, then the home is the journal that records it. Each room is a chapter, each piece of furniture or art a paragraph, and each memory made there a line in the story. This realization reinforced something I had always felt: there is no real divide between design and living. They are two sides of the same coin, constantly shaping one another. My battle with illness had merely peeled back the layers and made this truth shine brighter. With renewed energy and insight, I was ready to pour this understanding into my work like never before.

Manifesting Meaning in ERTI MAISON

Armed with a new perspective and a heart full of purpose, I set out to imbue my design practice with everything I had learned. I co-founded ERTI MAISON as both a business and a personal mission. The name itself carries our philosophy: erti means “meaning” in Malay, and maison means “home” in French. Together, ERTI MAISON literally stands for “meaningful home.” This was not just branding—it was a daily reminder of our commitment that every home we touch must carry intention and significance beyond surface beauty.

From the very first client consultation, our approach at ERTI MAISON is different. Instead of starting by asking, “What style do you like? Modern? Classical? Scandinavian?”, we ask, “What do you want to feel when you come home? What is your vision for how your family will live here in the next 5, 10, 20 years?” We listen as they share their routines, their traditions, and even their pain points. By doing so, we unearth the niat behind their desire to renovate or build. Maybe they want a home that strengthens family bonds, or a sanctuary to recharge from a high-pressure job, or a space to spark creativity for an artist at heart. Understanding these intentions becomes the blueprint for all our designs.

I often say that we don’t just do renovations; we guide personalized home renovation journeys. No two families have the same story or the same needs, so no two ERTI MAISON projects ever look alike. For one recent client, a well-traveled couple, the heart of the redesign was about creating a sense of peace and retreat. We drew inspiration from the tranquil vibes of Aman Resorts that they loved from their travels, using natural wood tones, indoor greenery, and open spaces that flow seamlessly into a zen garden outside. The result was a residence that feels like a private luxury retreat tailored just for them – a daily vacation from the world outside.

In fact, one of our award-winning projects was literally a luxurious modern home inspired by Aman Resorts. We designed it to blur the lines between interior and nature, complete with a lush courtyard and water features that make the home feel like a spa sanctuary. It’s a prime example of how luxury home design can incorporate intention: the opulence is there in the quality and detail, but every element serves the purpose of tranquility and rejuvenation. Walking into that home, you immediately sense a narrative – a story of homeowners who value peace, wellness, and the serenity of nature.

Another family we worked with had a very different niat. Their life revolved around vibrant family gatherings and celebrating their cultural heritage. For them, we created multi-purpose spaces that could transform from a casual living area into a grand dining hall for festive dinners. We designed a feature wall in the living room to display ancestral art pieces and family heirlooms, so that every visitor would immediately feel the history and pride that runs through the household. We even integrated a cozy reading nook by the staircase, because the matriarch mentioned how she dreamed of passing down the tradition of bedtime storytelling to her grandchildren there. Such details may never be noticed by a casual observer, but to that family they mean the world. The home now tells their story at every turn.

In each ERTI MAISON project, personal touches like these are not afterthoughts – they are the very DNA of the design. This is where I resonate deeply with one of my design heroes, Bill Bensley, who famously said, “Narrative is everything to me, as I have always loved storytelling, and no project is complete without a real design DNA.” I couldn’t agree more. Every home needs its own narrative. At ERTI MAISON, the homeowner’s unique story is our design DNA. We weave it into the floor plans, the materials, the lighting, and the décor. The process is highly collaborative, almost like co-authoring a book with our clients—except the book is their home. We take the time to find out what home means to them, so that the final design is not just visually stunning but also deeply personal.

This meaningful approach doesn’t mean we ignore aesthetics or function—far from it. We marry purpose with polish. Our designs still feature luxurious finishes, smart-home technology, and all the elegance you’d expect in a high-end residence, but these elements are never there just for show. A beautiful marble countertop in the kitchen isn’t chosen just because it’s expensive; perhaps it’s also a nod to the client’s love of baking (cool marble is excellent for rolling dough) or a durable surface for family baking sessions with the kids. A sleek modernist sofa is selected not just for its look, but because it’s perfect for the client’s habit of Sunday afternoon reading by the window. In essence, we ensure that every aspect of the design serves a meaningful intent. When form, function, and intent align, something magical happens: a house becomes a nurturing environment that carries a sense of barakah—a blessing or positive energy that comes from aligning with one’s values. That is the hallmark of an ERTI MAISON home.

Inspiring Clients and the Industry

My journey has taught me that when design begins with intent, the results can be life-changing. Through ERTI MAISON, I hope to inspire not only our clients, but also the wider interior design industry, to embrace this philosophy. For homeowners embarking on creating their dream space, my advice is simple: start with your soul. Before you think about color swatches or furniture catalogs, reflect on what you want your home to do for you. Do you seek peace at the end of a long workday? Do you need space to bond with family or to spark creativity for your passion projects? Share these desires with your designer. Don’t be afraid to demand a home that nurtures your well-being and personal growth. The true mark of a luxurious home isn’t just a fancy layout – it’s coming home after a tough day and feeling instantly relieved, or waking up on a Sunday morning and feeling like your living room is your favorite corner of the world.

To my fellow designers and industry professionals, I issue a friendly challenge: let’s elevate our craft by designing from the inside out. Yes, keep mastering the technical skills, keep up with trends, and pursue artistic excellence – but never lose sight of the human aspect of our work. We are not just decorators; we are dream enablers, problem solvers, and sometimes even healers. We have the privilege of shaping the spaces where people live out their lives. That’s a sacred responsibility. So ask the deeper questions and listen intently. Aim to create spaces with soul, not just style. A room that looks like a magazine spread but doesn’t feel right for its owner has missed the mark. However, a room that perfectly reflects and supports the person living in it will always be a success, whether or not it wins any design award.

To encapsulate these ideas, here are some guiding principles I live and work by:

Niat (Intent) First

• Begin every design journey by clarifying the core purpose of the space. When the intention is clear, decisions flow naturally and the result is authentic.

Meaningful Over Extravagant

• Prioritize meaning and comfort over mere extravagance. True meaningful interior design is about creating personal connection, proving that true luxury comes from significance, not just expense.

Personalized Home Renovation

• Treat each project as a personalized home renovation tailored to the homeowner’s story. Standard solutions don’t create memorable homes; personalized details and custom touches do.

Sanctuary Living

• Design your home as a sanctuary. Aim for sanctuary living by incorporating quiet corners, calming elements, and inspirations from nature or spirituality, so your home replenishes your soul every day

Soul Over Style

• Stay mindful that style is important, but soul is indispensable. A trendy design will age with time, but a design with soul – one built around love, memories, and values – remains timeless and nurturing.

In sharing my story, I want to build trust and spark a movement. I want clients to feel confident that when we say we create meaningful homes, it’s not a marketing gimmick—it’s my life’s philosophy born from real experiences. I also want other designers to see that there is a fulfilling path in marrying creativity with conscience. The interior design industry, especially at the high end, often emphasizes glitz and immediate visual impact. But I believe the future of luxury home design lies in spaces that are intelligent, intuitive, and imbued with personal meaning. There is a growing desire for homes that are not just showpieces, but sanctuaries.

As I stand on the other side of illness, having witnessed both the fragility and resilience of life, I’m more committed than ever to this vision. Every time we finish a project and hand over the keys, I take a moment to silently set an intention for the family moving in: May this home be their haven. May it be the backdrop of beautiful memories, a shelter in storms, and a place that inspires them to live their best lives. This is the Culture of Intent in action—designing not just for today or for aesthetics, but for a lifetime of meaningful moments.

In the end, my journey—shaped by niat, tested by adversity, and realized through design—has come full circle. I often think back to that scared young man diagnosed with cancer, and I wish I could tell him: “You will survive, and you will turn this experience into something beautiful for others.” By the grace of God, I did survive. And through ERTI MAISON, I strive to honor that gift of life by helping others live more fully and intentionally in their homes. My hope is that every person who walks into an ERTI MAISON home immediately feels the difference—that this space was created with love, purpose, and a soulful touch. When design and life harmonize in that way, it’s nothing short of transformative. It’s a feeling that stays with you, day after day, year after year, quietly enriching your life. And that, to me, is the ultimate definition of luxury and living by design.