The apartment is irregularly shaped, while all the bedrooms are positioned on one side of the apartment. A long hallway leads from the entrance to the kitchen. Many of the walls in the home are structural walls, meaning they couldn’t be taken down.

To turn the long hallway into a functional area, Chan transformed parts of it to become an extension to the kitchen’s entrance; a storeroom is also now positioned here. This not only creates a larger kitchen, but also shortens the distance of the corridor, which previously felt like “dead space”. The use of a dark grey wallpaper and Mutina wall tiling, which are inspired by the shape of raindrops and designed by the Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka, add textural interest. Hintegro commissioned local carpenter Yat Muk Studio—a frequent collaborator of the interior design company—to create a custom walnut wooden decorative box, which is positioned atop a white-hued intercom system in the space. These details turn what was previously an idle space into a gallery of its own, says the lady of the house.

What Chan describes as a gallery-style living room spotlights the owners’ B&B Italia and Maxalto furniture as well as collection of art. A new open-plan layout results in a large, formal living area, and loose, rather than fixed, furniture are positioned here, creating a larger space for entertaining and family gatherings.

Many of the new furnishings feature an understated grey tone, a choice that Chan says means the palette of the home would not appear overly saturated. It is a marked contrast from the home’s dated look prior to the redesign, where a warm-toned wood that was in style in Hong Kong a decade ago dominated the spaces.

Meanwhile, what was originally a dining room in the home is converted into a family room, featuring a custom library wall. This cosy space is where the family spends time together, says Chan. A space adjacent to the family home is the husband’s study.

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Over in the kitchen, Chan installed glossy stone, sourced from Koda Kitchen, atop a peninsula. This is where the family can gather during meal preparations. With the family’s love of East Asian cuisines and its cooking prep in mind, the flexible faucet and large sink accommodate large woks and kitchen utensils.

Two bedrooms in the original home are merged to create one bedroom for the daughter. A wall in the bedroom is painted olive green—one of her favourite colours—and the space also features white and oak wood cabinetry. The daughter’s en suite bathroom features the Mutain Chymia series’ tiles, creating a subtle floral pattern that is not overly feminine. “Should her preferences change in the future, the green wall can be easily repainted; [any new colour] would likely go well with the white and oak wood combination,” says Chan.

And in the master bedroom, a walk-in closet with detachable rails was created because the wife had mentioned she would “lead a more minimalist lifestyle”, and have less clothes, as she gets older. The detachable features mean flexibility to alter the space as time goes on.

“Enjoying the space you live in is important for everyone,” says Chan, “no matter what your age is.”

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