Home to a wine connoisseur, this 1,600 square foot Kau To Shan abode manifests the craft of winemaking in its design.
“The clients are a young couple who live with a pet. I’ve known them for a long time and understand their love for simplistic design and clean lines,” says Maggie Mo & Jay Leung, directors of Starz Pasha, which was tapped to design their high-end residence in Kau To Shan.
“They craved a living space that has tons of character. It inspired us to curate a minimalistic space with black, white and grey undertones.
“Taking inspiration from the owners’ wine passion, we integrated the five processes of winemaking – picking, pressing, fermentation, clarification, and bottling – into the interiors.”
Though the homeowners have a soft spot for black, white and grey tones, the design team embellished the space with gorgeous burgundy, a deep reddish-brown shade resembling its eponymous wine varietal, which lights up the overall space, and highlights the homeowners as knowledgeable wine professionals.
The first task was remodelling the home space. “Given the owner and his wife live only with a pet, we turned the initial four bedrooms into a master bedroom and a guest room,” Mo says.
“The couple are looking to have children on the way, and they like inviting family and friends over from time to time, so we reserved a guest room for that purpose.”
Entering via the entrance, one is greeted by a small bar created for the owners: the sleek chandelier atop the bar-top brings to mind lush branches and fruity grape vines. The vineyard- like environment, Mo says, was crafted to elevate quiet wine-tasting moments and get-togethers.
At the heart of the living room is a custom-made round coffee table, inspired by old-school wooden barrels used for storing and squeezing grape juice. Surrounding the coffee table are wooden slats emulating the curves of the concave and convex on the wooden barrel surface; the short columns protruding on the table-top are metaphors for the tools for crushing grapes.
“The design fulfils both aesthetic and practical purposes. That short column is actually a handle for a lid, under which is a small storage space that can store TV remote controls, light blankets and the like, keeping the house clean and tidy.” Winemaking also informed the bubble- shaped lamps adorning the minimalistic,
elegant dining room. During the second fermentation of wine, carbon dioxide generates and gets dissolved in an instant, resulting in gurgling bubbles, and the process was what inspired the design team to add the bubble-shaped lighting pieces to the area.
As the wine matures, brewers strain the wine through a fine sieve to get rid of the small particles and sediment in the finished product. It’s an integral step for a better quality and tasting wine, and the design motif of the guest room is a testament to that.
With a natural and pared-down style, the chandelier nearby the bed has a lampshade made of a mesh screen, echoing the wine- brewing process while softening the light, and creating a warm and cosy ambience in the private realm.
“The original idea was adding a cloakroom to the master bedroom, but due to the limited space, we turned the attention to the island cabinet, creating a space that resembles a walk-in closet.”
As for the large wall-side closet, the team custom-made a handle in the shape of a wine bottle to embody the final step of wine brewing.
“The biggest challenge in the whole project was incorporating abstract concepts into practical designs. To create a natural and harmonious environment; adding value and meaning to the spaces was no easy task,” Mo concludes.
“We are more than delighted to have created a home that fits the homeowners’ lifestyle and requirements.”
Meandering through the chic residence, one not only comes to understand the intricacy of winemaking, but what a well-designed modern home can bring: dashes of burgundy red against a black, white and grey ethos; flexible and aesthetically appealing spaces; and the beauty of pared-back serenity.
