appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Peta Tomlinson

Australian couple Kwai and Jason Chang took a “when in Rome” approach to buying their Hong Kong flat.
Together with daughter Emily, 15, the family has “toggled” between Hong Kong and Melbourne, Australia, since 2018, initially renting in Repulse Bay on the scenic south side.
“We felt we were living very much an expat life, and wanted to reconnect with the real Hong Kong,” says Kwai.
The vibrancy of the city beckoned for Kwai, a homemaker, and Jason, a private equity investor, who settled on their 2,559 sq ft four-bedroom, three-bathroom (plus helper’s quarters) Mid-Levels apartment in 2022.
Kwai’s initial ideas to personalise the space were tempered by caution from their designer, Hintegro founder Keith Chan Shing-hin, who advised them not to stray into “grey area” alterations.

“We are a healthy family that loves to cook from scratch,” says Kwai. “I’d ideally wanted a butler’s pantry to display our ingredients and appliances – while also hiding mess – but the wall that had to go couldn’t legally be removed, so we had to settle for a deep cupboard.”
Chan explains that the apartment’s floor plan was boxy and compartmentalised, typical of Hong Kong architecture of its era, the 1980s. That meant any redesign would have, he says, “lots of limitations”.
Nevertheless, Chan found ways to use the space effectively, with minimal modifications.
Cribbing space from a large room meant for a helper, he was able to endow the kitchen with an island for casual meals and baking preparation, while allocating a corner to the professional-style kit of coffee connoisseur Jason.
Next came a rethink of the formal dining room, a separate, enclosed room next to the kitchen but far removed from the living area. Knowing that it would rarely be used as such, Chan turned this, with a slight wall adjustment, into a cosy snug where the family watch television and Emily can hang out with her friends.

The dining table was moved more sensibly to the living area – a space newly expanded by the removal of a false wall installed by a previous owner to provide an extra bedroom.
What to do with a long, dark corridor running through much of the house? Since Kwai and Jason love art, Chan turned it into a gallery, with dark, moody timber and wallpaper, and spotlights highlighting the works.
“Very different to the bright colours in the living room, the walk through the corridor adds interest,” he says.
Slight reconfiguring of the two main bedrooms provided Emily’s room with an en suite bathroom, bookcase, wardrobe and make-up table, and her parents’ room with a bank of new wardrobes and a lavish en suite, where the removal of a dated corner spa bath enabled the construction of a more contemporary walk-in shower.
Jason needs to work from home and conduct online meetings 24/7, without disturbing other family members. Chan’s solution paid attention to soundproofing in his study, created from a child’s bedroom.

“There are two causes for sound leakage: one is a non-tight door, as sound waves will leak through the gap; the other is a thin door and wall, which sound can also penetrate,” says Chan. “Besides using solid wood for all doors, we also installed drop seals and perimeter seals to help with sound insulation.”
Building for longevity, the high-quality fitout includes Miele appliances in the kitchen, which Kwai describes as “my pride and joy”.
“We also opted for function over form,” she says. “As we do not have a helper, this means no dust-collecting nooks and crannies, or unnecessary intricate designs.
“Hintegro’s modifications work perfectly for our modern, independent family who like to congregate for cosy meals and vibrant conversation, and have ‘refuge zones’ to chill and contemplate.”
TV room

Cabinetry, bookshelves, desk, all designed by Hintegro. Philo sofa, from Natuzzi Italia. Rug, from BoConcept. DLM side table, from Hay.
Living room
Arco arched floor lamp, from Flos. Sideboard, from Ligne Roset. Michel Club sofa, pair of black Beverly ’14 chairs and Metropolitan armchair, all from B&B Italia. Rectangular side table, from Milia. Round side table, from Mater. Minka-Aire ceiling fan, from Glory Electrical Appliances. Wall-hung “Shanghai” series artworks by Zhong Chen, bought through Sotheby’s. Andy Warhol print, Quadrant Mickey Mouse, bought from Minotaur. Orange artwork on floor, Drifting, by Emily Chang, daughter of homeowners Kwai and Jason Chang.
Kitchen

Kitchen, by Koda Kitchen. Carrière du Kronos floor tiles and Gigacer concrete wall tiles, from Anta. Axor Citterio single lever mixer, from Galaxy Bathroom Collection. Suspence P1 Pendant lamps, from Fritz Hansen.
Corridor
Wall tiles on the left of the corridor are Mutina Phenomenon Nero, from Anta. Wallpaper on the right, Len-Tex Coronado Cimmeria, from Tat Ming Wallpaper. Imondi Oak flooring in herringbone pattern, from Arnhold. Overhead light, from Wah Wai Lamps (683 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, tel: 2392 0832). On the wall, The Death of Superman, first edition (1993), from Minotaur.
Dining area

Athos ’12 dining table and Charlotte chairs, from B&B Italia. Pendant, from Gubi. Track lighting, from Wah Wai Lamps. Spherical floor lamps and wall lamp, all from Flos. Upholstered ottoman, from Colourliving. Wall-hung artwork, by Robert Grieve (1924-2006), from Eastgate Gallery, Melbourne (Instagram: @eastgategallery). Wool rug, from Muji.


This Hong Kong home was designed to be family-friendly without feeling immaculate

The modular furniture trend loved by Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Travis Scott

How Sandrine Zhang Ferron built vintage furniture marketplace Vinterior – interview

Logan Horne on upcycling Hermès and Celine scarves into shirts and homeware

Architecture and design

How a 1980s Mid-Levels apartment became a chic family home

This Mid-Levels apartment was designed by Hintegro. Photo: Keith Chan

Bathroom. Photo: Keith Chan

Corridor. Photo: Keith Chan

The bedroom. Photo: Keith Chan

The TV room. Photo: Keith Chan

The kitchen. Photo: Keith Chan

Dining area. Photo: Keith Chan

How this chef gives Shanghainese cuisine a Cantonese touch

Chef Edmond Ip’s latest venture is Shanghai Plus, where he brings a Cantonese sensibility to Shanghainese cuisine. Photo: Shanghai Plus

The dishes at Shanghai Plus contain no additives or artificial flavourings. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Pork ribs with aged dried tangerine peel in balsamic vinegar. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Chef Ip works his magic in the kitchen. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Xiaolongbao at Shanghai Plus. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Braised fish maw in clay pot at Shanghai Plus. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Sautéed crystal tiger prawn in chilli bean sauce with sweet rice wine. Photo: Shanghai Plus

The interior of Shanghai Plus. Photo: Shanghai Plus

Inside Rosamond and Ben Brown’s art world empire

Ben and Rosamond Brown at Ben’s house 
in Notting Hill, London. Photo: Jack Orton

On the wall above a Ron Arad-commissioned fireplace is Alternando da Uno a Cento e Viceversa (Alternating 1 to 100) (1977-1978), by Alighiero Boetti. Photo: Jack Orton

The Browns with Candida Höfer’s Hermitage St. Petersburg XII (2014) and Gavin Turk’s Refuse (2012). Photo: Jack Orton

Desmond (2001) by Gary Hume at Ben’s house in London’s Notting Hill. Photo: Jack Orton

Maurizio Cattelan’s Turisti (1997) features taxidermised pigeons communing above a doorway. Photo: Jack Orton

Yoan Capote’s Isla (Hipnagógia) (2023-2024). Photo: Jack Orton

Ben Brown and Rosamund Brown at their house in London. Photo: Jack Orton

Asia’s best sunset beaches for spectacular golden hour scenes

Narigama Sri Lanka beach cricket during sunset. Photo: Tim Pile

Koh Lipe Longboat travelling during sunset. Photo: Tim Pile

Bad light does not stop play at Sri Lanka’s Narigama beach, as these cricketers keep going while the sun goes down. Photo: Tim Pile

A tourist on a rope swing silhouetted against the early evening sky at Varkala Beach, just after a summer storm. Photo: Tim Pile

Mountain Resort, in Koh Lipe, Thailand, is situated between the island’s Sunrise and Sunset beaches. Photo: Tim Pile

The causeway bridging the islands of Gan and Feydhoo, in the Maldives. Photo: Tim Pile

An outrigger canoe during a spectacular sunset off the Philippine holiday island of Boracay. Photo: Tim Pile

Children on the beach on Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia, as the sun goes down over the Gulf of Thailand. Photo: Tim Pile

Tourists at sunset on Seminyak Beach in Bali. Photo: AP Photo

From radio dogsbody to a big mover and shaker in Hong Kong disco

DJ Andrew Bull poses for a portrait at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong. Photo: Jake S Thomas

Ian Bull with his children, a young Andrew (centre), Rosemary and Simon, in 1961. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull

Andrew (far left) and his family at St Martin’s Church, Shek Kong, welcoming his youngest sister, in 1974. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull

Andrew Bull, aged 19, in the Radio Hong Kong studio in Kowloon Tong. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull 

Andrew Bull DJ-ing at the Taipan Club in Nathan Road, Kowloon in 1978. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull 

Andrew Bull with British pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull

Andrew Bull with jazz legend Herbie Hancock and go-go dancer Lisa Shearer at Canton Disco in 1988. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull 

Andrew Bull with Grace Jones. Photo: courtesy Andrew Bull

Inside One Bedford Place, an architect’s nostalgic tribute to old Hong Kong

Bamboo steam baskets make light fixtures in the gym at One Bedford Place, Tai Kok Tsui. Photo: Han Tang

Old-style lift gates feature in artwork that borrows from Stanley Wong’s redwhiteblue series. Photo: Han Tang

Leung’s team created installations of vintage Hong Kong-style letterboxes. Photo: Han Tang

A staircase spirals up from a cafe in the lobby at One Bedford Place. Photo: Han Tang

Cha chaan teng-style banquettes. Photo: Han Tang

PostMag

Design & Interiors

Despite the architectural constraints of the compartmentalised apartment, a designer managed to transform the space for an Aussie couple


Despite the architectural constraints of the compartmentalised apartment, a designer managed to transform the space for an Aussie couple.


Hong Kong interior design

Hong Kong

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong housing

How a 1980s Mid-Levels apartment became a chic family home

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Despite the architectural constraints of the compartmentalised apartment, a designer managed to transform the space for an Aussie couple

Despite the architectural constraints of the compartmentalised apartment, a designer managed to transform the space for an Aussie couple