One quick glance around the living room and two deductions can immediately be made about the homeowner – that he plays polo and that he’s from the UK.
The giveaways are the polo mallets, riding gear and old illustrations of polo players hanging on the walls, along with a bookshelf filled with reads on Margaret Thatcher and the British Empire. The various equestrian accoutrements don’t look out of place in this apartment – in fact, they add to the overall Ralph Lauren-esque feel of the home. Panelled walls are painted in a soft, silver-blue shade, complemented by hardwood parquet flooring, vintage brass hardware, a classic, leather wingback armchair and a large, comfortable sofa that you can really sink into. Scroll through the gallery below (Photography: Edgar Tapan; Styling: Alexandra Lauren) to experience the classic design:
The homeowner, Henry Gill, sought the help of Alexandra Lauren, of her eponymous interior design company, to whip the flat into shape, requesting a “classic Upper East Side” kind of look. Says Henry, “The last thing I wanted was stark, white and minimalist, which we see all too often in Hong Kong. It shows very little imagination and doesn’t make for a home.”
Henry and Alexandra could not have been better matched in taste. Says Alexandra, “This was just so up my alley. I’d already pinned some of the reference images he gave me for myself, so I was really excited to get to work on a project where I shared the same vision as the client.”
Henry pitched in with the product sourcing: he found all the vintage brass hardware in the UK, and picked up a few other pieces from Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill, London. Meanwhile, the armchair, sofa and bed were all newly made in Shanghai, where Henry used to live. His favourite, though, is a dining table that’s still making its way from the UK, along with a 19th-century Dutch demi-lune cabinet that will see double duty as a home bar.
Alexandra and her team did everything from the panelling and flooring to the lighting, but above all, they made the apartment a lot more homey and efficient – no corner was overlooked when it came to maximising storage space.
A big mirror at the back of the living room makes the space appear bigger, too, and reflects a bit of nature into the home. “When standing at the right angle, you can only see the reflection of the mountains, which is nice,” says Alexandra.
The smooth working relationship between Henry and Alexandra meant the apartment was completed in less than two months. Says Alexandra, “Henry was so much fun to work with, and has a strong sense of style.”
The homeowner isn’t short of praises for his designer, either, feeling right at home despite the size of the apartment: “I can spend the whole day pottering around the place and never feel like it’s too small,” says Henry.
Henry bought the shower from Catchpole & Rye in the UK.
The silver-blue colour carries into the bathroom.
