00:07Designing a small space requires a lot of understanding of your own needs and
00:13your lifestyle. My design idea was to create a sanctuary from the bustling
00:20sound of Hong Kong. It should transport you to a different rhythm of life as soon
00:28as you walk through the door. So a strong contrast to the usual aesthetics in Hong
00:33Kong is important.
00:40I'm Desmond Wong, the owner of Archetypal, a furniture and lighting store in Hong Kong.
00:47I'm not a designer but I design the apartment myself. The apartment is
00:55located in the trendy neighborhood of Sai Yingpun at the foot of Victoria Peak on
01:00the western side of Hong Kong Island. The original site consisted of nine tanglios,
01:07traditional low-rise terrace buildings very unique to Hong Kong. However, with the
01:12ever-expanding population of Hong Kong, many of these tanglios are being redeveloped
01:18into high-rises to house more units. I live here by myself but I designed a space with
01:26a young couple living in it in mind to ensure I account for adequate space should
01:31I want to rent it out in the future. The entire development is only 11 years old and the apartment
01:40only had one or two previous owners. The unit was in very good condition but the flooring
01:46was starting to date and the floor plan doesn't really fit my lifestyle. The original floor plan
01:55consisted of two bedrooms, a storage room and a balcony. Although 11 years old, the kitchen
02:03was still in great condition so it was relatively untouched. The two bedrooms were
02:08knocked into one master bedroom and the storage room was merged with the living space to
02:13create a more open plan. We added a wall to cover a window to create a more private
02:19space in the living area. I drew a lot of references and inspiration from the wabi-sabi earthy aesthetics
02:29and the clean lines of European arches. They soften the edge and bring a harmonious feeling to the space.
02:40The first impression to me was very important. I want to ensure the lights and the view outside can
02:47be utilized as soon as you walk through the front door. I have chosen a fairly neutral palette throughout
02:54the flat and the accent colored pieces is kept only at the lower half of the unit to avoid any
03:01facial clutter.
03:04Only shared curtains are used in the living area and all the furniture pieces are lifted off the ground
03:11to ensure a sense of lightness in the space. As with any small apartment, the living area and the dining
03:19area are often next to each other in the same space. To separate the two areas, I've installed a new
03:26wall
03:26over one of the existing windows with multiple purposes in mind. A feature wall lamp was installed
03:33so that your eyes were drawn to the back of the room as soon as you walked through the front
03:38door. The
03:40additional wall also provides an extra sense of privacy from the opposite building, especially when
03:47the living room only has sheer curtains. The sofa was positioned in a way, when I'm relaxing on a sofa,
03:54the view of Hong Kong will be uninterrupted. A raised decking platform was installed in a balcony to the
04:03same level of the interior flooring to create continuity to the space.
04:13Because the storage room is now part of the living area, a full-tight cupboard was installed behind the sofa
04:21and everything inside has a designated space. Wallpaper was used on the sliding door to add some earthy
04:33texture to the space. The textured wallpaper has a similar colour palette to the wall so that the storage
04:40unit can blend in in the existing space. Grills were also installed above the cupboard to provide more
04:49storage space whilst hiding the AC unit.
04:54I love having friends over. The dining table sits 4 when it's closed, but when extended it can sit up
05:01to 8 people.
05:05As the kitchen was still in relatively good condition, it was left relatively untouched.
05:11We only removed the door to optimise the usability of the space
05:16and to ensure the door frame is in line with the rest of the house.
05:22It also has a washer dryer under the original counter.
05:28After combining the two small bedrooms, we have a panoramic view of the bay window and a more functional room.
05:38Drawers and a marble desktop was installed below the bay window to create a more seamless design and a more
05:45utilised space.
05:47There is also a new task light installed above the desk.
05:55There are two full-height cupboards and platinum mirrors were used on one of them to act as a full
06:02-length mirror.
06:03As the apartment gets a lot of reflected light from the buildings outside, the platinum mirrors also soften the lights
06:11in the space.
06:17There is also additional storage under the hydraulic queen size bed.
06:23There is no window in the bathroom, so the white marble counter was lifted off the ground to ensure a
06:30sense of lightness in the space as well.
06:32The original bathtub was removed and a walk-in shower was installed instead.
06:39Crackle-defect green tiles were used from top to bottom of the shower to elongate the sense of space.
06:48Antique bronze fittings were used in the bathroom to go in line with the rest of the apartment.
06:55Home is a manifestation of one's habits and needs.
06:59It is important to examine how you live, what works and doesn't work for you prior to the design process.
07:08It's only after this examination that you can really incorporate meaningful solutions and design ideas into your space.
07:26You
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