A nomadic family’s eclectic Hong Kong home
Filled with family heirlooms and souvenirs from around the world, an eclectic South Bay apartment speaks volumes about its nomadic, Swedish-Italian inhabitants
No matter how much we already own, a new living space usually calls for a shopping trip: whether it is a specific piece of furniture, storage or artwork, there’s always something we need.
Adding those new buys to the holiday souvenirs, gifts and heirlooms that were dotted around the previous property can lead to a mish-mash of possessions in various colours, styles and degrees of functionality.
The result can be a quirkily eclectic collection that creates a unique home. Or just a mess.
After living in five countries (Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic and Germany) in 15 years, Nina Giustiniani had the latter when she, husband Alvise and their three sons moved into a sprawling five-bedroom South Bay apartment in 2011. There was glassware from Nina’s native Sweden, a dresser from Alvise’s family home near Venice, a giant light bulb from the Czech Republic and a rug from Portugal, to name a few items.
“Nothing went together,” Nina says. “I like lots of different styles and want my home to be eclectic, but it’s hard to make it work. I was starting my own executive coaching business [she runs Magnusson Consulting, which helps people in transition – in their careers, moving country or mums returning to work] and wanted to concentrate on that. I decided I needed help.”
She turned to fellow Swede Lotta Rojens, who runs interior design business LRD. Rojens was tasked with sorting through the family’s possessions and creating a coherent scheme that met Nina’s request for something colourful and contemporary as well as Alvise’s more conservative taste, without major renovations to the rented apartment.