Being a pet parent can certainly present difficulties to any renovation plans, especially in Hong Kong, where space is at a premium. This creative challenge is one that interior designer Meng Jing, founder of Common Room Home & Living, gladly took head on when she approached this project.
Her client is a working professional woman who wanted a spacious yet cosy home for herself and her husky. Meng was tasked with transforming her 1500-square-foot flat in Hong Kong's upmarket Mid-Levels neighbourhood into a perfectly pup-friendly space.
To ensure the dog will be just as comfy as its human in the new space, Meng chose a mid-century modern theme when outfitting the flat. She incorporated a lot of sleek lines, space-saving, functional designs and bringing nature into the home.
Although they gutted the flat, the facade of the home remained intact, so the floor plan didn’t veer far from the original layout. Meng opted for an open kitchen plan to allow more space within the home. The luxurious kitchen features clean Scandinavian aesthetics, with white marble countertops and warm blue cabinetry. In the corner, small plant shelves add a welcoming natural element to the kitchen’s sleek lines - bonus points for being out of reach from wandering paws.
By the side of the kitchen island, the dining area is cosy and welcoming. Its dark wood dining table and dark grey Eames-style dining chairs is juxtaposed by a bright-coloured painting hanging on the otherwise bare, white wall.
Moving further into the heart of the home, a beige upholstered sofa sits in the living room. Instead of the usual large coffee table, the sofa is paired with a small side table to allow more roaming space for the homeowner's four-legged friend.
Next to the sofa, we find a door that opens up to the master bedroom where we’re met with curved floor-to-ceiling windows. The large windows increase the bedroom’s cohesion with the outdoors, giving a stunning 180 degree view of Hong Kong’s enchanting concrete jungle.
The king sized bed takes up a large portion of the area, but the lack of space is made up by functional furniture like the headboard that hides a large walk-in closet, and a wooden built-in cupboard next to it.
A sleek, lightweight work desk by the window is added to the room, for those work-from-home days or quick work tasks. For heavier workloads, Meng converted a separate room into a study room for focused work time or zoom meetings.
Overall, the design of this home is sophisticated, elegant yet still cosy enough to feel like a home. It functions well as a comfortable place to relax and work, as well as a clutter-free play area for the homeowner’s husky.
Photos: Common Room
