White becomes the new black in Hong Kong homes
Karina Zabihi's pop-up store demonstrates simple but effective interior designs for Hong Kong homes, all in her favourite hues
Hong Kong's PMQ (formerly the Police Married Quarters) is fast becoming as well known for its creative pop-ups as it is for the cultural enclave's eclectic collection of restaurants and artistic studio-shops.
For Hong Kong-based interior designer Karina Zabihi, the revolving programme of pop-ups presented an opportunity to introduce her innovative modern take on classic pure white interiors, creating a home from home that celebrates a sleek monochromatic aesthetic.
"I have always loved white," says Zabihi, who lived in Hong Kong during the 1990s before setting up home in England, France and Singapore and then returning to the city. "Far from being clinical, white is the most versatile colour for creating a welcoming and calm home. I wanted to show how it can work in a fresh new way, combined with distinctive furniture and decorative pieces from local creatives and international designers."
The Iranian-born, British-educated designer, who moved back to Hong Kong only this year, has been busy building her eponymous studio, kzdesigns, which specialises in residential and hospitality projects.
Her 480 sq ft pop-up, Karo Lifestyle @ PMQ, which is open until November 6, aims to provide alternative ways to create a home in Hong Kong. Zabihi's simple but effective design for the space, which boasts high ceilings and an industrial feel with its exposed pipes, divides the compact unit into a spacious open-plan living and dining area with a separate bedroom. An exposed overhead-shower stands in the centre of the bedroom. "It's a bit more sexy than being tucked away in a corner," says the designer. "To make the most of small spaces the less you box away the better."
Zabihi also transformed the original bare, black concrete floor at minimal cost by painting one-square metre "tiles" using an ethereal tone selected from her new collection of white paints. The range, created in collaboration with PMQ's 513 Paint Shop, was launched during the pop-up. Shimmering textile drapes suspended from the ceiling were hand-painted by 513 Paint Shop's Elsa Jeandedieu.
