Japandi design … in a beachy Balinese-style house? This Hong Kong restaurateur couple showed it’s possible

The owners of this Tai Po weekend retreat wanted to feel as if they had just stepped off a plane, and a fusion of Balinese and Japandi styles was just the ticket

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This home in Tai Po was designed by Kirin+lab. Photo: Steven Ko Interior Photography

Peta Tomlinson

Published: 12:15pm, 19 Sep 2024Updated: 10:08am, 23 Sep 2024

Every weekend, Hong Kong Island restaurant owners Philip and Madeline Taylor escape from the city to rest and recharge at their retreat in Tai Po.

They had bought the place in late 2022, attracted to the surrounding hiking trails and sea views. “We really liked the village life, simple and relaxed – more so than Mid-Levels living,” says Madeline.

Rather than a mere weekender, the three-storey house needed to feel like a holiday destination – “as if you’ve got off a plane and arrived somewhere different”, adds Philip. A resort-style redesign based on a Bali/Japandi fusion would achieve that, with Kirin+lab’s Kirin Leung (project director) and Koren Sin (design director) tasked with bringing the couple’s concepts to life.

“We spent a lot of time studying Southeast Asian design, ensuring that the materials were authentic, and the spatial flow represented a mind-cleansing journey,” says Sin. “For instance, the layout of all three bedrooms allows the owners and their guests to wake up each morning facing the sea view.”

The living room features custom day-bed-style sofas and an arched niche behind the TV. Photo: Steven Ko Interior Photography

The ground-floor kitchen and living and dining zones of the 2,200 sq ft home integrate effortlessly for convivial entertaining, opening outdoors to the barbecue area. Philip’s ideas for fun, bespoke elements deliver a curvaceous banquette – the setting for brunch, cocktails or a friendly game of poker, depending on the hour – and a hidden DJ deck.