Table of contents for 2019-2020 in Home Solutions

1. INSPIRATION: DOWN TO EARTH The Instagram-approved charm of bone-white minimalism may be here to stay, but in an era of screens it pays to look up and find vignettes of warm, characterful touches. Find inspiration in the elements – water, wind and fire, even flora and fauna, gemstones and rocks – to bring a touch of the wild world indoors. Deep colours, jewel tones, and pieces with history that draw from our natural environment inject a more lived-in look. tips • Invest in multi-functional furniture with nature-inspired, tactile qualities. • Consider antiques, which are often priced similarly to high-street finds but come in better quality. Bonus: they also age better. 2. COLOURS AND TEXTURES As the gathering place for many of life’s moments and relationships, it’s important to go…

If there is one area in the home that invites a touch of drama, it is the dining room. The stage upon which some of our most special moments play out, it is a space in which friends and families come together to share two of life’s great luxuries: food and time. And because it performs such a prominent part in the home, its interiors should be lavished with love and attention. Flexibility is also essential in the dining room, especially In Hong Kong, where the table might moonlight as somewhere for children to complete homework assignments, or even take an after dinner role as a bar or games table. No matter, what is most important is understanding how the space reflects your needs – and your style – and…

YC CHEN hoo  hoo-residence.com • Make sure you pick the dining table and chairs first, then match the lamps to the furniture. It is always easier to be more flexible with the lighting. • Artwork is an important addition to the dining room. If you have a low cabinet, place photo frames and decorations on it in different shapes and sizes. “ARTWORK IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE DINING ROOM” JOHNNY WONG FAK3  fak3.com • Lighting above the dining table adds extra wow-factor to the space. It is also functional, illuminating the table top to visually highlight the food or a special set of cutlery. • Sometimes finding a piece of furniture that is the right size or made from the right materials can be difficult. This is why…

01. BOFFI Boffi started life as a modest kitchen furniture workshop and grew to become a leading high-end Italian manufacturer specialising in kitchens, bathrooms and storage systems. Today, it’s name is synonymous with sleek, stylish designs, which it creates by working with the finest craftsmen and materials available. 02. VINVAUTZ Good wines only become great when properly aged, and Vinvautz wine cellars are the most stylish way of achieving that, offering temperature, humidity and lighting control for reliable triple condition management and allowing you to monitor and regulate the storage environment. 03. EUROCAVE Since 1976, Eurocave has set the standard for quality wine cabinets designed and manufactured in France. The new Royale range, available in mineral grey and red earth, boasts advance technology for wine maturing such as the patented…

In our constantly connected world, the bedroom provides a rare place of detachment from the digital world, a space in which we can unwind and escape from the stresses associated with modern life. This is reflected not only in design trends but increasingly in the way we organise our interiors, the latter largely inspired by the popularity of Marie Kondo’s KonMari method, which has encouraged us to take a more mindful approach towards the way we experience the space we inhabit and give greater consideration to the items that also occupy our homes. Ultimately, as one of the most intimate areas of the home, our bedrooms should be both pleasurable to be in and instill a peace of mind. As Frank Leung, founder and principal director of one of Hong…

AMRITA KHANNA ZIP CODE 888  zipcode888.com “LET YOUR BEDROOM BE A SPACE FILLED WITH PIECES YOU LOVE AND CHERISH” • Infuse the space with your personality rather than a particular trend. • Natural, tactile and organic materials lend a calm sophistication to the bedroom, but team these with luxurious jacquards or silks to add freshness and an element of surprise. FRANK LEUNG VIA. ARCHITECTURE  via-arc.com “SOFT AND NATURAL MATERIALS AUTOMATICALLY INDUCE A RESTFUL AND RELAXED ATMOSPHERE” • Declutter your bedroom before you start decorating and moving things around – remove anything that does not let you relax or help you sleep. • Choose soft and natural materials, they automatically induce a restful and relaxed atmosphere. A woven cotton blanket is perfect for Hong Kong’s climate. KATHARINE POOLEY KATHARINE POOLEY  katharinepooley.com…

From entertaining to unwinding, gardening to – yes – even hanging laundry, the great outdoors is fit for a variety of functions. Suffice to say, this luxury is best put to work. Over the years, design innovations mean the size of a space is no longer a restricting factor in our use of it; moreover, as calls for sustainability grow more popular, homeowners are also becoming more thoughtful about how they furnish their outdoors. Weather considerations, for one, have risen in priority as of recent. “As the weather gets more severe, typhoon-safe designs are critical,” observes Rowena Gonzales, principal of eco-conscious interior design firm Liquid Interiors in Hong Kong. “Safety comes first, and clients are willing to get structural engineers to verify the safety of impermanent outdoor structures.” Ultimately, the…

A place of creativity and spirit, the kitchen is among the most important areas of the home. For too long seen as a purely functional space and sealed off from public view, delineations between cooking and dining areas are being broken down as the act of making a meal to share with friends and family is elevated. Founder of Hong Kong-based design studio Parti Limited, Kelvin Kong, explains: “The kitchen has always been an integral part of the home, especially for Chinese families.” He notes that, as the place where food is prepared, it naturally becomes an extension of social gatherings, and current trends reflect this concept. “One can get a glimpse of the intimate dynamics of a Chinese family simply by looking at the kitchen and dining area of…

Few areas in our lives need to arouse inspiration like the study. Whether incorporated into a larger space or a room in its own right, a home office is where industry, influence and insight meet, and aesthetic purity acts as an aid to personal productivity. This can be achieved through a variety of means, from intelligent organisation, through applied colour theory and by a considered approach to furniture and accessories. Regardless of what objectives you set out to achieve in your study, you can easily make it work hard for you, improving not only the quality of your output but also your quality of life. STUDY MOOD BOARD STUDY LAST LOOK…

TIMOTHY OULTON TIMOTHY OULTON timothyoulton.com “ACCESSORISE WITH ITEMS THAT CAPTURE A MEMORY” • Accessorise with items that capture a memory or raise a smile, things that remind you why you’re working so hard. • Face the desk into the room if space allows, or towards the window if you’re lucky enough to have a great view. LUCIA TAIT TOLANI LUCIA TAIT TOLANI luciataittolani.com “INCORPORATE AN INHERITED PIECE OR AN ANTIQUE FIND FOR A SENSE OF HISTORY” • Add something beautiful that will inspire you daily, whether it is an unusual chandelier or a handpicked piece of art. • I'm a big fan of vintage and incorporating an inherited piece or an antique find lends a sense of history to a study area.…

01. MOLL With adjustable desk tilt and height, the Moll T5 is an excellent investment for the moving, growing child. Nano-tech coating makes it a comfort to use, and its ergonomic, intuitive form makes it easy to operate by kids young and old. 02. TAT MING WALLPAPER Incorporate textured touches with Tat Ming’s Scion Rug Collection, which feature hand tufted and woven rugs in bold colours and contemporary animal-inspired patterns. 03. FLEXA Engage your child’s imagination with Classic House, a transformable bed that turns into a playhouse, available in various combinations and colours: Terra, Clear Lacquer, White Washed, and White. 04. PAIDI The Sten collection comes with customisable options for families – from single beds and play beds, to bunk beds and high beds. Expansion options, such as wardrobes and…

REGINA KWOK ARTWILL INTERIOR DESIGN HOUSE  artwill.com.hk “THE OUTDOOR SPACE SHOULD HARMONISE WITH YOUR INTERIORS” • The outdoor space is an extension of your home, so the design should harmonise with your interiors. • Think about flow. For one client, I made sure there was access from both kitchen and master bedroom to create a loop for their dogs to run around. JANICE PARKER JANICE PARKER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS  janiceparker.com “IN LIMITED SPACE, CHOOSE PLANTS THAT GROW SLOWLY AND KEEP THEIR FORM” • Creating vegetable gardens with benches and seating, barbecue areas that encourage sitting with the chef ¬ all of these choices create a sense of unity and balance. • In limited space, choose plants that grow slowly and keep their form. These plants will be beautiful even if you…

It’s 2019, and the living room has taken an additional role – on top of sitting room, reading nook, homework den, play pen, and all-around gathering space. “As more and more people work from home, the living room has become a co-working space,” says Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui of design studio Bean Buro. That’s not to say, however, that all living room design considerations point to making it primarily workspace-conducive. On the contrary, that our homes might cater to more screen-centric activities makes it all the more important to incorporate warm and characterful touches. “Society is nostalgic for past processes and handiwork – adding crafted materials to our spaces is very important to allow us to feel grounded,” says designer Sophie Ashby of West London-based Studio Ashby. Antiques, which are making a…

KENNY KINUGASA-TSUI AND LORÈNE FAURE BEAN BURO  beanburo.com • Develop a personalised story and don’t follow generic styles – they never result in a space that feels natural and comfortable to end users. • Flexibility and clever bespoke joinery and furniture greatly help with storage solutions and the functionality of a limited space. “DON’T FOLLOW GENERIC STYLES – THEY NEVER RESULT IN A SPACE THAT FEELS NATURAL” PEGGY BELS PEGGY BELS  peggybels.com • Avoid clutter and leave spaces empty to get the feeling of a larger, open space, and allow light to circulate better. • Incorporate multiple points of light – a combination of floor lamps, table lamps, and down lights. Lighting fixtures are essential to adding character to a space. “AVOID CLUTTER AND LEAVE SPACES EMPTY TO ALLOW LIGHT…

1. INSPIRATION: BREAKING BARRIERS The kitchen should not be thought of as a separate space – neither physically nor figuratively – but rather as a place in which lives are lived, much as they are throughout the home. As open-plan becomes de rigeur, so too do design elements permeate each connected area. This means that materials more commonly associated with dining or living rooms, like wood, metal and glass, find a natural home in the kitchen, visually uniting the place where food is prepared with that in which it is enjoyed. tips • Utilise every corner for storage and consider deep cabinets to avoid cluttering the kitchen counters. • When it comes to flooring, opt for slip-resistance and long-lasting surfaces such as natural stone tiles. 2. COLOURS AND TEXTURES Colour…

Bathrooms are having a moment. Increasingly less about functionality, not only have they become places to luxuriate and to escape from the craziness of daily life, but places that offer ample opportunity to showcase your sense of style. “Every home should have areas where you can escape and retreat from the rest of the world, and an indulgent bathroom can be this calming space,” says interior designer Timothy Corrigan. “There are so many beautiful options for stone, tile and fixtures that there is no reason that the bathroom should not be just as special as the most public room in your home.” Cue statement-making tiles, textures and accessories, design-led fixtures and unexpected hues to brighten up your bathroom and make your washroom a worthy place to escape to, complete, of…

01. NATUZZI ITALIA Designed by Bernhardt & Vella, Natuzzi Italia’s Venere bed brings understated elegance to the bedroom and comes in a range of five sizes and a selection of fabric or leather finishes in more than 200 colours to ensure that it suits you and your space. 02. OVO Made from French oak and cast iron, the Prana bed is both stylish and solid, while also asserting your style credentials on the room. Natural materials lend a quiet, organic sensibility while delicate legs give it a timeless appeal. 03. BOCONCEPT Supported by a clean wooden frame and slim wooden legs, the Lugano bed’s tufted headboard adds a touch of tradition to an otherwise modern appointment. Inviting and contemporary, this masterful bed invites style and sleep into your inner sanctum.…

The bedroom is one of the first spaces a child will get to know – it’s where they’ll learn what it means to listen to mommy and daddy, discover consequences to actions, and dream up life’s many adventures. It’s a place for rest as it is for play, for learning as it is for day dreaming. Because children grow so quickly, it’s important to create a space that will evolve with their early years. “One should plan for a longer period of time,” says Jason Yung, architect and founder of Jason Caroline Design, adding that a child’s space need not look like a kindergarten. “Avoid turning the child’s room into a bright and colourful playground with padded wall panels right after you have a newborn.” Instead, create flexibility by investing…

01. ZZUE CREATION Exclusively for the outdoors, PIPER features various pieces for outdoor living, including a sofa system that seats numerous guests for entertaining – and with the utmost style and comfort to match. 02. JS/ALIPLAST Aliplast Aluminium Systems Belgium specialises in aluminium systems that are lightweight, durable, as well as water-, wind- and air-proof. These include indoor and outdoor sliding windows and folding doors, in a wide range of colours and styles. Available at JS Aluminium Window Group. 03. HUNT YEN CONSULTANTS Hunt Yen Consultants has lent its garden design and landscaping expertise to residential and commercial projects since 1996, covering all aspects of hard and soft landscaping, as well as decorative touches that include water features, driveways, lighting and irrigation. 04. EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN Create the type…