The initial thing that struck Wesley Liu, lead designer at Hong Kong-based interior design studio PplusP Designers, about the space that was to become his home was its leafy, open view overlooking a nearby park and the dramatic peaks of the New Territories beyond.
However, even for a professional, the task of transforming a blank canvas into a thing of beauty doesn’t always come easily.
Designing my own apartment was totally different from working on a client’s project,” explains Wesley. There are a lot more personal issues. Budget becomes much more sensitive and I wanted to avoid repeating what I have done before. But at the same time, I also wanted to reuse some of the materials left over from previous projects. It became an extremely contradictory process. On the one hand, I wanted to create something that would suit my lifestyle in the long term, but I also had a lot of collectable items such as the antique light switches and sewing machine that I wanted to make use of.”
Entering the dwelling that Wesley now shares with his wife – they moved in the day after they tied the knot – and also plans to enjoy with their children, any difficulties faced in its aesthetic development are long forgotten. Full of light and vitality, it’s an exercise in understated beauty and a joyful celebration of the couple’s family life that exemplifies Wesley’s signature style – natural harmony.
I have never typecast myself with a particular way of judging an aesthetic,” he says. All I care about is proportion, balance and the harmony of things. I rarely go for an exaggerated visual impact, especially for residential projects. I believe less is more and timeless design is most suitable for living spaces.”
This approach is perhaps most evident in the multi-use kitchen and dining area, which is Wesley’s favourite spot in the entire apartment. This is the place I spent most of my time when I’m at home,” he says. Cooking, drinking and chatting with friends are the most important things in my life.” Enabling him to experience all of these things at once is the striking and sculptural acrylic island bar-table by LG, which enjoys pride of place at the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the spectacular view.
The verdant hues of Hong Kong’s great outdoors are abstracted in the green, teal and violet hues of the accent wall, which looks like a gigantic painting” to Wesley and is something that he’s sure his kids will one day take pleasure in. Likewise, the clock with fish figurines, purchased from Eslite Bookstore, adds a playful element to the kitchen’s interiors, while the blue-and-white tiles on the opposing wall nod to Wesley’s fondness for Delftware.
The Dutch effect continues in the living area, where a rich-textured rug that reminds Wesley of traditional Amsterdam cross-stitch outlines the space. An opulent and inviting Ligne Roset sofa in sumptuous navy blue complements the floor covering, alongside a contemporary bar cart and an intricate room divider that was returned from another project.
It is in this way that Wesley has been able to incorporate items and materials into his own dwelling that would otherwise have been wasted – something he believes is particularly important in his industry: As professional designers, we should make the issue of sustainability a priority when embarking on a project,” he says. Some of the other ways that he has incorporated eco-conscious elements into his own abode include using LED lights throughout and implementing a carefully considered lighting scheme that greatly reduces the amount of energy used.
The master bedroom evokes yet more equilibrium and elegance, with a contemporary mustard-coloured bed frame that unites with desaturated pink walls and neutral wood tones to create a tranquil ambience, allowing the breathtaking views to play a central role in the room’s aesthetic.
However, the space that makes the loudest statement is the bathroom, where a tin-paint-effect sink and mirror steal the scene. Wesley first laid eyes on these items in Barcelona before scouring suppliers to source them, reminding us that even for the most mindful interior designer, your own home is where you really get to express yourself.
This originally appeared in the January 2017 issue as ‘States of Unity’.
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