On second thoughts
When it came remodelling their Sai Kung home nine years on from their first makeover, the Wongs knew exactly who to call
When Ronald and Vivian Wong asked Richy Ng of Box Design to renovate their 2,000 sq ft Sai Kung home for a second time – nine years after they moved in – there could have been no greater endorsement of the original job he’d done.
“I am a big fan of [British architects] John Pawson and David Chipperfield, so I wanted some of their minimalist aesthetic incorporated into the space, as well as maintaining elements of our previous design,” says Ronald. “The footprint of the house isn’t large so the challenge was to create linked spaces that would make the place seem bigger than it is without becoming a series of shoe boxes.”
The Wongs’ first renovation had also been minimalist in style, with open-plan rooms, a cement-based self-levelling floor and only essential pieces of designer furniture. But the couple have daughters now – Molly, five, and Mia, three – and they felt their home needed to be more child friendly.
To that end, Ng extended the kitchen and encased it in glass to make it part of the dining area while allowing it to be shut off for the children’s safety. He also enlarged the living room, to create space for the girls’ toys and grown-up entertainment in the form of a home theatre.