A passion for contemporary Chinese art has provided a dramatic backdrop for one couple's collection of classic furniture.
East meets west is a popular look in Hong Kong homes, relatively easy to achieve and somewhat predictable. But in a fresh and vibrant home on The Peak, the phrase can be applied without any suggestion of the mundane. There are no Asian-style collectables here; rather an investment in the best of European mid- to late-20th-century furniture teamed with an impressive collection
of contemporary Chinese art.
The 2,850-square-foot home of Marleen Molenaar, her husband, Bart Dekker, and their two daughters, Lili, nine, and Faye, seven, shows how effective such a combination can be. With an emphasis on quality and good design, the couple has created an energetic space that remains comfortable for all the family.
Molenaar, formerly in the mainstream fashion business and now running a children's clothing design company under her own name, is a firm believer in the value of design classics. 'I like the function of design classics and I also like the quality. If you buy custom made, it is never quite the same.'
Molenaar and Dekker have mixed classic names with newer designers, but all hold true to the proviso of form meets function. The 40-year-old flat, with its high ceilings and square, streamlined layout, lends itself well to housing the collection. There is a Florence Knoll sofa and armchair in the living room; a Ferruccio Laviani circular table in the dining room; a Le Corbusier lounge chair and a Stefano Giovannoni bookcase in a reading corner; and a Joe Colombo trolley in the bedroom.