Against a gleaming white backdrop, a couple created a holiday-home vibe while remaining true to their Scandinavian roots.
Bright, white and filled with light, this sunny beachside house cleverly combines fresh Scandinavian style and functional living. Home to Dutch-Chinese designer Ree-Yong Yuen, her Swedish husband, Peter, and their three-year-old daughter, Nikki, the 3,000 sq ft space in Discovery Bay is the kind of place where every day feels like a holiday.
'We went on holiday a few months ago then asked ourselves why we went away when we have all this here,' says Yuen. It's easy to understand her point of view. On a sunny, blue-sky day, the house - with terraces on every level, a garden to the side, a private pool below and a beach to the fore - appears infinitely more appealing than any crowded Asian resort. But life wasn't always like this.
The family moved here 18 months ago after five years in Mid-Levels. 'It was OK at first and then came Nikki and the dog [Coco] and the cat [Molly]. Also, Peter was used to Sweden and big spaces so we found we couldn't live in a small flat any more,' says Yuen.
And so the hunt began in Discovery Bay. They looked at many places and at first rejected what was to become their home because of its dingy, dark wood-filled decor. However, luck and an accommodating landlord were on their side.
'The owner agreed to renovate it according to our taste as long as we stuck to a budget and handled the renovations ourselves. That was fine by us,' Yuen says.