A quandary confronted by many tenants is how to make a rented home feel like more than just an anonymous and temporary abode. With major renovations not usually an option, tenants often do little more than unpack their belongings. But some seize the opportunity to transform the interior into a personalised temple to style.
The latter option was embraced by the tenants of a 3,650 sq ft house at an exclusive address on the south side of Hong Kong island. Editor and publisher Rex Aguado and his partner, a financial services professional, moved into the spacious four-level house and decided not to carry out any renovations.
'The house has good bones,' says Aguado.
Instead, they opted to transform the interior using their own furniture, which includes modern pieces and antiques. Throughout the home, the past and the present come together seamlessly. Quirky pieces of modern design sit in perfect communion with Chinese antiques and a vast collection of foreign art, creating an interior that is both welcoming and interesting. Many of the pieces were collected during the couple's frequent travels and several have a story to tell.
In a corner of the living room stands a gently swaying silver Tree of Life sculpture by Gabriel Barredo, a unique piece that visitors find fascinating. 'We commissioned the piece through Kulay Diwa Gallery [in Manila] and it's made from recycled junk metal collected from a Manila scrapheap,' says Aguado.
The way in which the couple have displayed their painstakingly collected artwork has had the biggest impact on the interior.