A Japanese-inspired home that turns everyday life with three humans and five dogs into a ryokan-like retreat.
When home is shared with five dogs and three busy humans, every square foot has to work a little harder –and a little smarter– to feel genuinely relaxing. This 600-square-foot Tseung Kwan O apartment, designed by Go Fame Interiors, reimagines that brief through a distinctly Japanese lens, blending ryokan calm with everyday practicality for a family of three and their five beloved pups.
Having once lived in Japan, the couple and their university-bound daughter missed the subtlety and quiet order of Japanese homes, and wanted to bring that sense of belonging – plus the ease of a hot-spring inn – into their new Hong Kong flat. Instead of fighting the original pipes and services, Go Fame Interiors borrowed a classic Japanese building technique: a raised “double-floor” system that lifts the walking surface and hides complex plumbing and wiring beneath. This not only makes it easier to reorganise the layout in future, but also improves walking comfort and helps the home cope better with Hong Kong’s notorious humidity.
Above this hidden infrastructure, flooring and tiles are used to gently zone the space, making the apartment feel more expansive than its footprint suggests.
The living, dining and kitchen areas are opened up into an L.D.K-style hub anchored by a hardworking island unit that doubles as extra prep space, storage and a casual gathering spot. It’s here that family and dogs naturally gravitate, turning the once-standard flat into a warm, interactive core for daily life.
Circulation is carefully redrawn with pets in mind. A dedicated grooming island and tall storage cabinet create a generous wash-up zone off the corridor, cleverly partitioning a pet play-and-rest area from the sleeping spaces beyond. The old bathtub is swapped for a sunken shower, making bath time easier on both humans and dogs, and keeping the rest of the bathroom drier and safer.
Window bays and corners that might once have gone underused are transformed into some of the home’s cosiest moments.
Custom timber-clad platforms with tatami cushions turn sills into reading and relaxation perches, while raised bed bases in the bedrooms dramatically increase storage without feeling bulky. Soft tatami-style toppers keep these platforms comfortable enough to lounge or nap on, echoing the layered comfort of a Japanese inn.
Tips
Adopt a Japanese double-floor system
Use a raised double-floor structure to conceal complex plumbing and wiring under the platform, boosting layout flexibility, comfort underfoot and construction efficiency – ideal for Hong Kong’s humid climate.
Embrace an L.D.K-style layout
Open up the living, dining and kitchen areas and anchor them with a practical, well-designed island to significantly increase kitchen storage and usable work surface.
Plan the flow with pets in mind
Rethink the corridor and room layout to include a dedicated grooming island and tall storage, creating a generous wash-up zone that works for both humans and pets.
Go Fame Company
Tel：(852) 6069 0590
email：enquiry@gofame.com.hk
Website：https://www.go-fame-hk.com/
Address：12/F, Linkchart Centre, 2 Tai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
