Japanese minimalism and materials are at home with Chinese feng shui in this Hong Kong flat
Amid a coronavirus-led slowdown, a Chinese medicine practitioner decided to put all the extra time on hand to good use – by transforming his home into a retreat that’s a nod to his favourite country to visit
For some, staying home during the pandemic meant rearranging furniture or buying new houseplants. For interior designer Keith Chan Shing-hin’s client, it meant transforming his entire flat into a Japanese-inspired retreat.
A few months ago, Chan, the founder of Hintegro, was contacted by a Chinese medicine practitioner who lives with his elderly mother in a 703 sq ft, two-bedroom flat in Taikoo Shing. With business down because of Covid-19 restrictions, the client decided to close his clinic and focus on revamping his living space into something that better suited his lifestyle.
“Our first meeting was in a coffee shop and we didn’t talk a lot about the renovation,” says Chan. “We talked about where we go travelling, what kind of coffee we like.”
He soon realised his client’s passion for whatever he did. “You can understand this by looking at his coffee machine – it’s professional grade. Or the dishes he makes – he’s like a professional chef. He is very demanding, but in a positive way. He drills into every detail and before he buys anything he does a lot of research. He knows a lot about material, techniques, stories behind everything.”
That approach led to a collaborative design process that saw the client learn woodworking in order to make some of his own furniture. The result is a warm space filled with natural materials and a nod to Japan, one of the client’s favourite countries to visit.
