This light-filled apartment along Hollywood Road doesn’t look like it was built in 1973.
Located in an eclectic neighbourhood surrounded by a park, charming antique shops, contemporary galleries, and western hip restaurants, the 480sq ft home reflects the melding of East and West cultures. Owned by a lawyer is an extroverted introvert, his only design brief to architecture and design practice Stanley KC is to introduce more light and space to the once dim and awkwardly designed apartment.
“The original space had a lack of natural lighting and an awkward and traditional layout pan with a small kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms,” says Stanley Kwok, founder of Stanley KC.
Stanley and his team spent six months on the renovation, which costs HKD 900,000, including construction and furnishings. All walls are demolished within the two-bedroom apartment, and the function of spaces are combined to create bigger functional spaces. For example, the kitchen and living room are combined into one area, with the kitchen counter doubling as a work desk and dining table.
To maximise the tiny kitchen the unit came with, Stanley created a chic open plan kitchen with a triangular counter, which adds playfulness and style with modern designer furniture inspired by classic concepts. A darker selection of colours creates a stark contrast from the rest of the apartment with timeless gold accent lighting and accessories.
“We studied multiple shapes and angles that are suitable for this counter. We finally decided on this triangular shape, big rounded edges and angle as it is more functional and inviting - the table sits six people opposed to traditional square tables which sits four,” explains Stanley, who identified the kitchen counter as his favourite area of the home.
“The angle of the triangle also physically brings the users closer to each other at a comfortable distance. It is a unique piece in harmonious colours and adds playfulness and dimension to the space, and it is the perfect combination with Yabu Pushelberg’s Blink stool from Stellar Works.”
The living room is cosy and comfortable, with a pop of turquoise on the sofa on a stylish and timeless rug from L’s Where. One big challenge was to bring in more natural lighting into the home and to do so, Stanley used light and airy continuous S-fold sheer along the window side, which runs into the bedroom through the semi-open pivot door.
As an avid traveller and collector, the homeowner also displays his ornaments, books and accessories collected from his travels here. Planters are used to bring greenery and instant colour into the space, and significantly reduce stress and anxiety after a long day at work. Subtle timber strips in the bulkhead that adds detail and pattern to the space.
The master bedroom adopts a shelving display style to display more personal pieces from the owner. The bedframe echoes the tone of the sofa in the living room, adding a pop of colour to the natural colour palette.
True to his design ethos of creating spaces that evoke emotion through thoughtful choices, no detail is spared in the design of this home.
“The ironmongery is from UK Brands such as Buster and Punch and Cox & Cox, as the owner is from the UK, these items could remind him of his home back in the UK,” says Stanley.
