Inside a Hong Kong newlywed couple’s minimal first home together
For their starter home, banker Aaron Ko and lawyer Chelsa Wong decided to take the understated approach and let the details do the talking
Ung gutted the place, moved the living room wall to enlarge the master bedroom and opened up the tiny, walled-in kitchen to create an open-plan living area.
“It was a good move to open up the kitchen because it gave the apartment a brighter and larger feel, and you get to see the beautiful green views as soon as you come in the front door,” he says.
The couple had gleaned design ideas from Pinterest but eventually opted for a minimalist style. The look was easy enough to recreate as Ko and Wong had hitherto been living with their parents and hadn’t accumulated any furniture or objets that would need to be accommodated in their new pad.
“We wanted Aaron and Chelsa to have creative input so we gave them direction as to style, size and colour palette and let them go shopping [for the furnishings],” says Ung. “This was the first time they were able to go for exactly what they wanted.”
The designer believed his clients would choose bright colours to offset the white walls, blond wood and pale tiled flooring. Instead, their selection echoes the flat’s neutral theme. Even Susie the poodle, Wong’s long-time pet, matches the decor.