For a Hong Kong designer, managing a male client's preference for opulence and his wife's more minimalist taste makes it his toughest job yet.
Little did interior designer Ian Ngai know that he’d have to find common ground between a couple’s polarising aesthetic preferences when he took on a residential project at Larvotto in Ap Lei Chau.
Spread across 1,200 square feet, this Southern district space is home to a couple in their late 30s, who had lived in Canada for many years before returning to Hong Kong. They tapped Apollo Design HK to renovate the newly purchased apartment.
“Whereas the husband tends towards classic opulence, the wife prefers a home that is more contemporary and minimalist,” says Ngai, who heads up Apollo Design HK’s creative team. “Clients always have their own tastes and requirements. It’s the designer’s job to accommodate and include the ‘must-haves’ of everyone involved.”
The idea was to craft a show flat-style home that was both stunning and homely. Luxury and grandeur is front and centre in the living and dining room; it’s where the homeowners host family and friends. Naturally the private realm takes clean lines and a pared-down simplicity.
This wasn’t the first time the couple have bought a house, and they chose it as much for the location as its commodious space. And while their style preferences may have been at odds, one thing they agreed on was the feng shui setting.
The design team gutted and reconfigured the property: it got rid of the original one-bedroom layout and created a master suite, a studycum-guest room and a walk-in wardrobe, along with a large living and dining area, and an open kitchen.
At the entrance, a steel screen divides the foyer and dining space, a feature that ushers in fortune and prosperity. Instead of having the bathroom in the middle of the house, an inauspicious layout as far as feng shui is concerned, it’s been moved to the left, allocating more space for the living area.
The fact that curves and voluptuous lines feature prominently didn’t happen by chance. “In feng shui, protruding sharp angles and corners are considered harmful and produce ‘sha chi’ [meaning negative energy in Chinese] at home. Which is why we included many rounded-edge furniture and comforting curves,” Ngai explains.
A swivelling floor lamp from Flos, for example, pays homage to a quintessential street light design. The simplicity and chic elegance of Baxter’s Budapest leather sofa offsets the darker palette and grand marble flooring. Other pieces add an aura of sophistication, such as the iconic Tulip recliner armchair in the study from Natuzzi Italia.
The wife stamped her mark on the master bedroom. Tranquil in nature, the earthy tone, clutter-free interiors and subtle grey carpeting set the tone for a soothing rest and make the space particularly alluring
The design team also incorporated lots of custom-made furniture. “The thing with sourcing overseas is the logistics and time risk, not least in the time of COVID,” Ngai recalls. “Luckily, the clients gave us many rooms for creativity and everything arrived on time. We managed to finish the project in just four months.”
While the team proceeded to hit the ground running, they kept the clients up to date with detailed video records of the renovation progress. As with all its commissions, Apollo Design HK has really got modern living down to an art form.
A newcomer founded three years ago, the boutique design firm sets out to develop awe-inspiring interiors for both residential and commercial spaces that blend in with the clients’ lifestyles while also attracting young design talent.
As Ngai puts it: “From designing, sourcing and selecting the furniture and home items, we manage each and every project from the ground up. It’s the little details that make all the difference.”
