Spotting a niche in the rental market, one property company chose to create serviced apartments that feel - and look - just like home. With more young, mobile professionals choosing serviced apartments instead of regular rental accommodation, flats with the look and feel of a real home - but the ease of hotel living - are proving increasingly popular. There are a large number of 'designer' serviced apartments on the market, so Hanlun Habitats (which has been operating serviced apartments in Mid-Levels for the past 10 years) decided to try something different. In addition to its existing apartment blocks, the company bought a selection of individual units in a multi-owner residential block near Robinson Road. The idea was to refurbish them as home-style living units, each with a unique look and each designed to feel as comfortable and cosy as a regular home. After seeing the work of architect Roddy Murray (of R.J. Murray Design, tel: 6103 2073), Hanlun signed him up. 'We met Roddy and reviewed the style of his work to see if it suited our direction,' says Beatrice Wong, Hanlun Habitats' property manager. 'This was the first time we worked together with an interior designer to renovate ordinary residential units. It was an eye-opening experience.' For Murray, it was a chance to come up with a home-style design scheme durable enough to withstand multi-occupancy. With six units to consider, he first addressed the spatial configuration. Previously, the 900 sq ft layout, common to all six, comprised three small bedrooms and two small bathrooms, so Murray reworked the space to appeal to a young single person or a professional couple. He created a bedroom suite off the main living-dining-working area, then added a small single bedroom on the other side of the living room. 'I wanted to design the master bedroom as a kind of suite,' explains Murray, showing how the space comprises a bedroom and a bathroom connected by a dressing area. The suite can be sealed off for privacy by closing the door that leads to the living room. 'If it's a couple with a child, or a couple with a guest staying over, they simply close the door for privacy.' In the apartment featured here, the architecture and the interior of the space have been designed hand in hand. 'I knew I wanted a long wall covered in wallpaper,' says Murray. 'This wall would be one of the main features of this apartment to give it character.' Hence, the wall along one side of the apartment was cleared of obstructions and straightened (originally it was curved at the rear). It was then covered with a vibrant jungle print. Murray is a big fan of wallpaper, using it to add texture and visual interest to a space. He believes it offers an excellent way to update a home quickly and easily, 'and the best thing is they do not have to be permanent'. 'Over the past year or so, many manufacturers have been introducing wallpapers that are really interesting,' he says. 'There is a fashion element to the designs as well, with interesting and innovative patterns, colours and materials.' In the bedroom, the rear wall has been papered with a muted, Japanese-inspired floral print to add a sense of serenity. 'If you use wallpapers in the right setting they can be completely contemporary,' says Murray. In Hanlun's other apartments, Murray selected different wall coverings and colours to give each space a unique character and appeal. Warmth and texture were added by using muted grey furnishings, sheer voile drapes and walnut floors, and introducing accessories such as embroidered Missoni cushions, soft throws and handcrafted wall tiles from Thailand. 'I have chosen very tactile materials to make it feel homely without being homesy,' says Murray. For practicality, he incorporated tough homogeneous tiles in heavy-use areas such as kitchens and bathrooms; hard-wearing engineered stone kitchen countertops; custom-designed, white-lacquer built-in desks and shelving units in the living rooms that cleverly conceal air-conditioning units; and, of course, a copious amount of storage. Both designer and client are pleased with the results. 'Our guests come from high-stress workplaces so we want to give them a relaxing apartment to come home to,' says Wong. With one guest having moved in before work was complete, chances are their blend of home and hotel will prove to be a winning formula. 1 The focal point of the calming bedroom is a rear feature wall covered in a floral wallpaper from Osborne & Little's Sakura range (HK$680 a roll from Kinsan Collections, 9 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2526 2309). Windows on both sides are covered with sheers overlain with a cotton-canvas roman blind (right) and cotton canvas curtains (left, not pictured). The plain, white bedlinen is offset by vibrant embroidered and mirrored Missoni cushions from Lane Crawford (IFC Mall, Central, tel: 2118 3388; www. lanecrawford.com). On either side of the bed are circular Kartell bedside tables (HK$750 each from Kartell, 105 Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2810 0408). 2 The corridor between the master bedroom and bathroom has been used to create a dressing area. The large wardrobes, designed by R.J. Murray Design (tel: 6103 2073), provide plenty of storage space for clothing and other items, while the 2.1-metre-high mirrored doors make it feel more expansive. The master-bedroom area can be sealed off for privacy from the main living room, thus creating a suite-style configuration. The flooring is walnut (HK$102 a square foot from Equal Flooring, Ming An Plaza, 8 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2881 7066). 3 A large mirror above the sink helps increase the sense of space in the bathroom. The Vitra sink (HK$4,290) is from Arnhold (315 Lockhart Road, tel: 2865 0318; www.arnhold.com.hk ) and the Talis tap (HK$1,780) is by Hansgrohe from Depot (373 Lockhart Road, tel: 3106 6008). 4 The main living zone - comprising a lounge area in the middle with a study/work station and shelving area behind, and a dining area to the left - blends style, practicality and comfort. The grey, L-shaped McConfort sofa cost HK$19,990 from Amtrac Furnishings (6 Sun Wai Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2508 9668). The assortment of leather and suede scatter cushions in taupe, beige and cream tones plus a tactile fringed throw add texture and warmth. The streamlined white-lacquer desk with built-in storage and the shelving unit above (which also accommodates an air-conditioner) were custom designed by Murray. Voile sheers on the window provide privacy while allowing light through. 5 The dining area is positioned just inside the front door, adjacent to the feature wall, which is covered with the vibrant Jungle Leaves print from the Patina Collection by Cole & Son (HK$1,320 a roll from Altfield Interiors, room 605, 9 Queen's Road Central, tel: 2524 4867). The sleek modern Italian dining table (HK$9,300) is by Lema, while the four chairs (HK$3,500 each) are by Spanish brand Andreu World, all from Amtrac Furnishings. On the wall is a pair of Pochette chrome uplights (HK$1,900 each) from Flos (shop A, Winway Building, 50 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2801 7608; www.flos.com ). 6 The kitchen, at the rear of the living area, is designed to be functional and durable. The cabinetry and countertop, which is made of hardwearing engineered stone, were manufactured and installed by Koda Kitchen (2/F, 31 Wyndham Street, tel: 2899 2878). Stainless-steel mosaic tiles (HK$230 a sheet from Vision Ceramics, 157 Lockhart Road, tel: 2802 1788) provide a touch of glamour. On the floor are homogeneous tiles (HK$132 a tile from Pacific Tile Boutique, 167 Lockhart Road, tel: 2866 9980). tried & tested on the tiles To inject style into the bathroom, Roddy Murray clad one wall in two varieties of handmade tiles from Thailand. The use of different surfaces adds individuality but is also practical. Above the bath is a wall of 'Mother' tiles, with indented grooves. For the shower unit, which is separated from the bath by a clear mirrored panel, plain flat glazed tiles have been used because these are easier to clean. In the shower stall, Murray built a 20cm-deep rectangular inset (also lined with tiles) to provide storage for toiletries. The tiles, based on 1960s and 70s patterns but updated with modern colours and glazes, were designed by Murray and cost HK$480 a square metre. They are available exclusively through R.J. Murray Design (tel: 6103 2073). Styling: Esther van Wijck
