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This ‘modern-rustic’ Hong Kong home was ahead of the 2025 design trend curve

A design-savvy couple created a cosy haven in Braemar Hill, using rich textures to enliven a neutral backdrop

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The modern-rustic Braemar Hill, Hong Kong, family flat designed by hoo is on point for many 2025 home interiors trends. Photo: hoo

Published: 6:15pm, 3 Feb 2025Updated: 11:32am, 4 Feb 2025

Interior trends, like clothing fashions, come and go, but when Hong Kong couple Paul Siu and Coria Mok hit upon modern-rustic style for their new 2,110 sq ft apartment in Braemar Hill in 2023, little did they know they were ahead of a major curve for 2025.

According to home design predictions from social platform Houzz and Elle Decor magazine, this year will spell the demise of sharp angles and stark minimalism and see the rise of custom-made furniture, curved elements and earthy neutrals such as terracotta and natural wood to offer architectural warmth, cosiness and a sense of nostalgia.

The spacious communal room in this Braemar Hill, Hong Kong home combines the living and dining areas. Photo: hoo

“What I like to call ‘modern rustic’ is not something you typically find in Hong Kong homes,” says YC Chen, founder of hoo interior design studio, who collaborated with lead designer Natalie Tsoi Kit-wing on the nine-month project. “It is a relaxed, natural style but is more polished than you might assume.”

Extending the modern-rustic style, Siu and Mok’s three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment has a distinct New England coastal feel, with its palette of pale oatmeal, taupe and white, tongue-and-groove panelling behind shelves and on cupboard doors, herringbone-patterned oak flooring and a healthy dose of rich wood throughout.

Furniture is contemporary yet comfortable and the neutral scheme saved from being matchy-matchy by the use of different textures, including stone, marble, seagrass, cane and a variety of fabrics.

“‘Modern rustic’ is not something you typically find in Hong Kong homes,” says hoo founder YC Chen. Photo: hoo

“My clients have two young daughters so it was important to create a welcoming home the whole family could enjoy without compromising on the look,” says Chen. “However, one of the hardest aspects of this project was finding authentic furniture and then shipping it back to Hong Kong. We got a lot of it from the United States as there was very little choice here and we custom made the rest.”