From residential and commercial projects to restaurant and even exhibition design, Jess Cheng and Cat VanderLaan aim to create timeless spaces that blend beautiful form and function with a sense of place. They named Noe Studio (noestudio.co) after the Hawaiian word for “mist” because the ethereal feel of mist over a landscape echoes their design approach: minimalistic and layered with an emphasis on texture. With major renovations and builds coming up on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i—including a five-level Italian villa restoration on the coast of the Pacific Palisades—this firm is one to keep your eye on.
Jess Cheng and Cat VanderLaan of Noe Studio lean toward designing with warm tones, textures and statement furnishings. PORTRAIT BY TAHITI HUETTER
On Noela Drive, Honolulu. PHOTO BY JENN ELLENBURG
You two come from quite different backgrounds [Cheng grew up in Hong Kong, while VanderLaan hails from Michigan]. What are your key influences?
We like to always keep up to date with global sources of inspiration in the architecture and interior design worlds. We feel we resonate the most with design work coming out of Australia, Scandinavia, Belgium and Japan. Clean lines, rich textures and a minimal approach are what really speak to us. We draw a lot of inspiration from our travels and being exposed to many different design aesthetics.
Their portfolio includes projects in Hawaii Loa. PHOTO BY IJFKE RIDGLEY
What does good design mean to you? How do you design for the tropics?
We approach everything we do with a symbiotic sense of place in mind, so that the end result is always a space that feels uniquely suited for the type of life that exists there. As far as tropical design is concerned, we lean toward designing with natural textures and raw materials over busy prints or competing bold colors. When it comes to our architecture, we try to create a true indoor-outdoor experience and like to maximize sun exposure and air flow with our designs.
On Noela Drive, Honolulu. PHOTO BY JENN ELLENBURG
What design trends are you most looking forward to in 2022?
Pre-pandemic, it really felt that a global perspective on design was becoming more and more apparent, especially with the growth of social media and the access to content from all over the world. We don’t really see this going away any time soon, and it’s been so refreshing to see blends of styles that come together and mesh so beautifully. One blend that we particularly have loved seeing is ‘Japandi’ style, a cross between Japanese and Scandinavian design that is minimally beautiful.
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