Personality: Eric Leong On A Platter By Rachael Philip Eric Leong has done it all... TV, radio, the print media, the seminar circuit and his designs have been cast in pewter. But, he tells RACHAEL PHILIP, he has no plans to slow down IF the average man has trouble trying to get a date, Eric Leong has no such problem. When women see the 36-year-old designer, they run up to him and shamelessly demand: "Bila datang rumah, Eric?" Ever-smiling, he politely tells them to drop him an email and promises to reply. Leong has "appeared" in our homes since the days of Casa Impian, a home makeover TV show that gets the job done within one working day. Highly popular with people from all walks of life, the Astro Ria show ran for six seasons. And thanks to Leong, DIY interior décor has finally taken off. Fans overlooked his weak grasp of the Malay language in the early seasons and embraced instead his bold design ideas, red hot feature walls and minimalist living room décor. Everyone had a project to do come weekends, be it locating that feature wall, playing with tea-lights to create warm overtones or simply repainting the house in orange, lime green, fuschia. Dressed in his trademark body hugging tees and jeans, Leong drops down on a large sofa in his living room, grabs a throw pillow and settles down for the interview. His perky disposition, almost infectious, gets the better of him and he wants to immediately talk about his latest project, the job for Royal Selangor. Undoubtedly a feather in his cap, Leong was commissioned by the world renowned pewter house to design its Autumn 2007 home ware collection. This is the first time the company has turned its radar screen homeward in search of a designer. And Leong has delivered, with a range of multifunctional items featuring the lotus, called New Asia By Eric Leong. Lotus leaves in matte and polished finish are presented as trays, platters, document racks and letter openers while the roots are moulded into vases and tea-light holders. The pods become toothbrush or pen holders as well as soap dishes while cute tea-light holders in the shape of the flower complete the zen-inspired range. Leong has a wish. "I want every Malaysian to have one piece in their home. They have a modern feel and yet are very traditional in design. Every Asian culture can immediately identify with the lotus plant," says Leong. "When I design, I try and create something that is sellable and useable, something I would buy myself." The pieces are versatile. Turned upside down, the lotus root tea-light holders become vases or sake cups. Leong usually advises clients to buy large, oversized décor pieces but when it comes to metal accessories such as pewter, small is fine as it already creates a huge impact, he explains. For the vases, he recommends small flowers like daisies and chrysanthemums and arranging them with fillers. "Pewter can be kept for life. It is durable and, I believe, scratches give it 'life'," Leong adds. A year after he drew the designs, he saw the finished product cast in pewter the first time. He was overwhelmed to the point of being rendered speechless. "I think it felt like a woman holding her newborn baby for the first time," he recalls. He has chosen the lotus motif because he identifies with the beautiful plant that grows in muddy surroundings. "It stands tall and beautiful amid dismal surroundings. Personally I am strong-willed and determined. I also stand out in a crowd," he says with a grin. He has no plans to slow down and is already thinking about his next project for Royal Selangor. Maybe something reflective of the Japanese culture, he says. To add more excitement to the collection, he hopes to experiment using bamboo together with pewter. Article @ Sunday People ... 'Sunday 16th December, 2007'